How to Pick a Good Online Psychologist | Therapist

Picking the right psychologist or therapist at any time is crucial to increasing the chance of meeting a therapy goal. Telehealth and/or VideoTherapy add require additional skills on the therapist’s part. Picking the right online psychologist or online therapist is even more important, as there are more factors to juggle. With online therapy it does not matter how good that psychologist is in person, if they cannot translate skills into the distance treatment format. There are a few things to look for in deciding who is a good online psychologist or therapist for you:

  1. The psychologist regularly provides therapy in an online format. Psychologists who are familiar with online therapy are more likely to know the ‘tricks’ and ‘skills’ that are required to maximize the benefits of the online therapy approach. Good online psychologists can use the online platform to the advantage of the client in ways psychologists and therapists who are not familiar with online therapy are not able to.

  2. The psychologist uses a Health Information Act of Alberta (HIA) or HIPPA (U.S. equivalent) online platform/service. This is crucial as HIA platforms are encrypted, increasing the confidentiality of the session.

  3. The online platform for therapy should be easy for both the therapist and you to use. No-one wants their therapy session to be delayed because of complex login procedures or the need to download apps that may or may not work.

  4. Online therapy platforms may be a part of the therapist’s online booking system. In this case the entire platform should be easy to navigate. It should explain how confidential information is stored and secured.

  5. If the therapist is using a ‘standalone’ online therapy platform (not part of the therapists booking system), the standalone platform should not ask you for any personal information beyond a first name (or alias). A good online psychologist will never choose an online therapy program that requires you give a standalone online therapy platform personal information such as address, phone number, email, or credit card information. This should only be asked for by the therapist, the therapist’s admin support person, or by the therapist’s online booking system.

  6. The online therapist makes a point of informing you prior to session about the risks and benefits of online therapy, and then reviews that with you at the beginning of session. This is in addition to the standard consent for therapy all psychologists must go through verbally with their clients.

  7. The online psychologist begins and ends the appointment on time. It is disrespectful and potentially a sign of poor organization on the psychologists part (which may reflect on clinical skills) if they routinely start sessions late, end early, or run over time, thus disrupting the your plans for events after therapy.

  8. The online psychologist presents in a professional manner, including in how they dress. Online therapy sessions must be treated with the same professional approach as in-person sessions. How an online therapist presents can be an indicator of their respect of the you, their respect of the practice of psychology, and thus their desire to be the best therapist that they can be.

  9. The online psychologist is comfortable about discussing the limits of online therapy. Online therapists who minimize or avoid answering questions about what can and cannot be achieved in an online therapy approach may not be sufficiently knowledgable about this topic and/or the therapy approach they are using, to be able to provide effective online therapy. Knowledge weaknesses in these areas may undermine the therapeutic process, and may place the client at risk of harm.

  10. When you meet with the online therapist, confirm that the therapist is in a quiet, confidential room. If you are hearing people in the background, then those people will be able to hear the conversation between you and the therapist.

  11. The online therapist should be entirely focused on you during the therapy session. They may look away to make notes (just like in an in-person session) but other than that they should be looking at you. Therapists who appear distracted by incoming notifications, emails, text messages, pets, outside noises, phone calls and so on are not able to give you the undivided attention you need and deserve. A distracted therapist may miss a key statement or non-verbal expression on your part, which may mean they are not able to respond in the most therapeutic and supportive manner.

All therapists have their strengths and weaknesses. Picking the right therapist increases the chance that you will meet your therapeutic goals. Online therapy does not mean that you should settle for ‘second best’ or ‘what’s available’. A good online therapist/psychologist will always be open to feedback about your experience with the online platform, the therapeutic process, and with the therapist’s personal style and skill set.