Do I Need Therapy? 11 Signs It’s Time to See a Therapist
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Get quality online therapy and counseling without leaving your home or office. On the Calmerry platform, we match you only with licensed therapists that fit you best. Message your therapist anytime and schedule live video sessions when it’s convenient for you to experience life-changing benefits of therapy.
Online therapy is a format of psychotherapy that is provided virtually over the internet. It can occur in real time, for example, during live video sessions, or in the form of asynchronous communication, such as text or audio messages. Online therapy is provided by licensed, trained counselors who use the same established models as conventional face-to-face interventions, for example, CBT, guided relaxation exercises, etc.
It has become extremely popular since lockdown started, as social distancing and lack of outdoor activities frequently led to mental health issues. Particularly, 74% of psychologists admitted seeing more patients with anxiety disorders and 60% said they see more depressive patients than they used to before the pandemic. Such patients couldn’t visit a therapist due to restrictive measures, and online therapy became a life-saving option for them.
And while online therapy is a much newer form of therapy, it turned out to be as effective as in-office sessions for many people. Studies show that online CBT leads to a 50% improvement in symptoms of panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Therefore, when we offer you online therapy, we realize its value and advocate for it as an accessible and affordable (compared to on-office sessions) solution.
Now online therapy is becoming one of the most preferred ways to get professional mental health support and guidance. A lot of people worldwide choose this format because it can be more accessible and more convenient, offers more privacy, and is often cheaper. Besides, you can choose from different ways of communication with your counselor and have more options for building a therapeutic relationship.
Answer a few questions to get started. Be confident when sharing your thoughts and worries.
Pick the subscription plan that’s best for your lifestyle and budget. Get matched with a therapist who fits you.
Chat with your therapist privately or have live video sessions. Build a life with greater meaning.
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We know how scary it can be to start therapy, and many people still feel a stigma about getting treatment for mental health issues. There are so many reasons that can stop you from doing it. And only one reason to actually start: it will actually make you feel better and help you become your best self. At last. Don’t take our word for it, try Calmerry platform and see all the benefits yourself:
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Our platform gives people an opportunity to access therapy in a setting that may be more comfortable and convenient than a traditional visit to a therapist’s office. And valuable things don’t always have to be expensive. With this in mind, we’re trying to find a perfect balance between affordability of our platform for clients and decent compensation for our therapists. Making online therapy accessible and affordable is our mission. We believe that therapy is not luxury, it’s a form of self-care and a necessity for some people. They go to therapy to improve their mental and emotional well-being, careers, relationships, and lives. These are significant aspects that allow us to live a healthy and productive lifestyle. If you neglect your mental health, it can lead to greater issues, including physical health problems, significant relationship troubles, work-related problems, and substance abuse. Studies have shown therapy causes structural changes to the brain. It can positively change lives, and it can be the difference between not getting out of bed and living a meaningful, productive, and happy life. Going to therapy is an investment in your mental health, overall well-being, and happiness. Everyone should have access to mental health care, regardless of their mental health issues, severity of condition, busy schedule, or tight budget. But, by saying affordable we don’t mean free. As clients should contribute to therapy to make progress. Paying for services makes you feel dedicated to actively participating in therapy, providing honest answers, and interacting with your mental health professional. Remember that the effectiveness of online therapy depends on the same factors that determine the success of any type of therapy: the level of connection with your therapist and the time and effort you are willing to put into the process. You need to be active during therapy sessions and apply what you’re learning to real-life situations. It’s also important to make the healthy lifestyle changes that can support your emotional health. Your therapist can help you gain new insights and will guide you to change your life for the better, but they can’t do the hard work of healing and growth for you. It’s also important to be open and honest with your counselor. The more open you are, the better they will be able to help you. |
When you are matched with a therapist, you may find their title confusing. There are so many types of mental health professionals that it’s really hard to remember or decrypt all of them. It’s ok, you don’t have to. All you need to know is that all mental health professionals that work on our platform are licensed to provide therapy within the state in which they hold their license.
The thing is that all specialists who have relevant education and experience of supervised work are considered therapists. Therapist is a general term rather than a job title. It unites clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, and psychiatric nurses.
At Calmerry, we select our therapists very carefully and can guarantee that you will be matched with a true professional with training and experience relevant to your specific needs and circumstances. Your therapist will become your partner in healing, recovery, and growth and will do their best to make you feel understood, supported, and cared about.
Online therapy is not something that needs to be sped up. Everyone has their own rhythm, and changes happen eventually. You can’t acquire new habits or coping skills overnight. This is why we encourage our clients to continue their sessions with therapists for at least three months and not wait for instant results.
On Calmerry, we have flexible subscription plans, so you can add more video sessions if you feel there’s a need. Between sessions, you can proceed by messaging your therapist to get continuous emotional support and guidance. Our virtual therapists reply within 24 hours on their working days.
As many therapists say, it takes time to see changes, but they are definitely worth waiting for.
Calmerry is a platform that helps you find the right therapist for your needs. Our network of skilled professionals covers many specialties to meet any type or severity level mental health issue, so there's always someone available who will work with what matters most in just one convenient place!
With Calmerry, you don’t have to wait an entire week to talk to your therapist. Online therapy is easily accessible to anyone. You can get professional support when you need it, no matter where you live. Message your therapist any day or schedule a live therapy session from the comfort of your home from any device.
Our experienced team will connect you with the best online therapist suited to your unique needs.
All therapists hold valid licenses from their states. They are vetted by our team, so you get the highest quality care at a reasonable price.
You can cancel at any time you want and easily renew your subscription if you decide to come back.
Our friendly support agents are available 24/7 and will gladly answer all your questions.
Select the subscription plan that best suits your needs and budget. Plans start at just $50 per week.
If you would like to change a therapist, we’ll match you with another mental health professional without charging you anything.
Live chat therapy involves real-time communication with a mental health professional via text messages. On the online counseling platform, you can discuss with your therapist scheduling a live chat therapy session via our app.
It’s a good option if you want to speak about urgent matters and get instant responses with quick advice. You don’t have to wait for days or weeks to address the issue. The additional benefit of this option is that you’ll have access to transcripts of each session. You can use these transcripts to review key points between counseling sessions. The only disadvantage of such communication is that the therapist’s responses are most likely to be rather short.
Messaging therapy is similar to email, and it enables daily communication with the therapist. Asynchronous communication via messaging is a better option if you want to get a more detailed answer from your therapist. Calmerry provides a safe virtual space where you can send an unlimited number of text messages to your counselor anytime and get responses at least 1-2 times a day during working days.
The nature of written communication allows you to discuss more difficult topics or even tabooed topics without being ashamed or afraid. Your counselor can give you feedback and help you brainstorm solutions to emotional problems you may be experiencing. You will be able to review the content without the pressure of a schedule or knowing that the other person is on the other side of the screen waiting for an answer.
Messaging therapy is a useful alternative for those who cannot afford face-to-face treatment.
The disadvantage of this type of communication is that it lacks non-verbal cues, such as body language and the tone of voice that allow a traditional counselor to better interpret meaning and emotions. Some platforms also offer possibilities for asynchronous audio and video messaging.
Despite popular belief, distance therapy services like voice call therapy via phone are not new. They’ve been around since the 1950s when the first mental health hotline was created.
This form of therapy is suitable for people who feel uncomfortable with video calls. Phone sessions can also be a good backup option for situations when there are tech issues or poor connections that interrupt a live video session.
Voice call therapy offers the utmost convenience and comfort because it allows you to attend your appointment comfortably from home. A conversation over the phone offers the advantage of being able to hear your therapist’s voice, and your therapist can hear yours.
Voice call sessions require good communication skills, but there’s solid evidence supporting their effectiveness and they can be considered a viable option for providing psychotherapy. Most research suggests that this type of treatment works just as well as in-person therapy.
Video chatting allows a therapist and client to meet over video from the comfort of their own homes. Video sessions bring the benefits of face-to-face contact without having to commute. They make it possible to feel the presence of the therapist even if the distance is miles. The therapist and the client can interact with each other through a virtual environment. Therapists use the same traditional techniques and activities they would use in face-to-face therapy sessions.
The experience for a client may seem similar to Skype or Zoom, and it’s easy to establish an emotional connection as you see body language and hear the tone of voice. There is enough evidence that video chat therapy can help people struggling with depression, anxiety disorders, trauma, and other mental health issues. Still, many therapists stress that one of the critical components for successful therapy is the relationship between client and therapist.
On Calmerry, you can talk with a licensed counselor via a secure HIPAA-compliant platform and know that your conversations and personal information are protected. We provide a safe environment that alleviates any stress when you meet a therapist online.
We don’t take insurance, but we offer our clients very affordable prices that are comparable with co-pays in most insurance plans. If you create an account on our website, you can see it for yourself.
Online therapy is a more affordable option than face-to-face traditional therapy. Costs may vary widely because each platform offers its own unique packages, but generally subscription-based therapy services are significantly cheaper than offline in-office therapy sessions. That’s because online counseling doesn’t involve many of the overhead costs of traditional in-office therapy, for example, rent and insurance.
On Calmerry, it can cost as little as $50 per week of messaging therapy. The subscription fees for packages that include live video sessions are higher, but you can choose from several subscription plans and select the one that suits your lifestyle and budget.
Online therapy on Calmerry is a smart decision when you want to reach out for mental health support. Online therapy is convenient as you don’t have to worry about commuting from office to office. You can have an appointment from the comfort of your home or office – you only need a stable internet connection. You can choose treatment time and communication method—live video, text messages, live chat, or that works for your situation.
Research has found that both traditional counseling and online therapy are equally effective in treating many mental health conditions. Our experienced therapists are dedicated to supporting their clients and will provide you with quality care.
You can learn more about our online therapy counseling platform on social media pages:
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88% clients
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95% clients
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Both counseling and therapy can help people get empowered to cope with their personal, social, emotional, and mental health problems. These terms are often used interchangeably, although there are some distinctions between them:
And both terms fall into the umbrella term psychotherapy. However, only competent and experienced psychotherapists (or therapists) can provide psychotherapy. It means that they must be licensed and qualified by their state’s professional board after completing the necessary education, training, exams, and practice.
Licensing requirements can change from state to state, but in general, these specialists have to complete an education program, obtain a degree, have a certain amount of internship and/or supervised hands-on clinical experience, pass an examination, and then be licensed.
On average, therapists licensed at the master’s level have about 2,000-4,000 hours (or 2-3 years) of supervised clinical experience.
Besides, mental health professionals are required to renew their license based on the rules of their state every 1-3 years. And some states also have continuing education requirements.
There are different types of mental health professionals:
All of them can provide online therapy and counseling services. And all of them can join Calmerry to start their online practice.
All above mentioned providers can call themselves as therapists, counselors, mental health professionals, mental health providers, or clinicians. However, there’s a legally regulated difference in their license credential titles.
For some areas of expertise and training, there can be several job titles and abbreviations. For example, for clinical social workers — Licensed Independent Social Worker (LICSW) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
Paying attention to them can give you a better understanding of what type of professional will fit you better.
Here are some of the most common ones:
On the Calmerry platform, you will work only with fully-licensed mental health professionals. Our therapists are competent, trained, and experienced professionals. They hold a master’s or a doctorate degree in their field and are experts in evidence-based techniques.
With so many mental health professionals to choose from, what type of provider may be the right fit for you?
Finding your therapist among these numerous titles can be confusing. But it’s a crucial step on the way to the happy life you truly desire.
It’s better to start from asking yourself questions like:
Each of these questions and your honest answers can lead you to the type of therapist who best suits your needs.
In making that choice, there are also several things to consider:
The Internet made it easier than ever to find and choose the right therapist for you. On Calmerry, there are over 600 licensed, carefully vetted mental health providers. And we have trained agents who match you with the best-suited professional in less than 24 hours. They consider your answer in the survey, preferences, and needs while matching.
Nevertheless, the only way to make sure that you and your provider click well and that they can help you achieve your goals is through one-on-one sessions. If you want to change your therapist, on Calmerry, you can do it anytime for free, as many times as you need.
Therapy can be a powerful tool for self-care, for improving your mental health, and for making significant positive changes in your life. Still, there are some cases when we don’t recommend using online therapy and counseling platforms.
Please, don’t use Calmerry if:
In any of these situations, Calmerry recommends that you seek local face-to-face help. If you need immediate assistance, call 911, or contact a local crisis hotline or emergency assistance service.
If you’re or someone in your family or community may be at risk for suicide, contact your healthcare provider, local mental health authority, or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) (En Español: 1-888-628-9454; Deaf and Hard of Hearing: 1-800-799-4889).
Visit this page to find helpful emergency resources.
Also, these clinically reviewed articles may be useful:
How to Help Someone Who Is Suicidal
What to Know About Relationship Abuse and How to Get Support
Still not sure whether online therapy counseling is a good option for you? Check out these medically reviewed articles to learn more about psychotherapy.
What is CBT? – Learn more about cognitive behavioral therapy, its potential benefits and disadvantages, and what to expect during CBT sessions.
Who Is Who in Psychotherapy: Titles of Mental Health Professionals – This article can help you understand the differences in their education, training, licensure, areas of expertise, and services they offer.
What Should I Expect from My First Online Therapy Session? – Find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about what’s going to happen in the first session to get acquainted with the process.
8 Benefits of Online Therapy – Discover why online therapy can be a valuable experience for those who need help to overcome life challenges and mental health issues and find information about the research that proves its effectiveness.
Types of Psychotherapy for Depression – This article will walk you through different types of psychotherapy for depression to help you understand the differences.
Therapy for Anxiety – Here Is What You Need to Know – The article covers the most effective therapies for treating anxiety disorders.
What You Need to Know About Relationship Therapy – Learn when to seek therapy, how to find the right therapist, what to expect, and how to get most out of online relationship counseling.
If any questions remain unanswered, visit the Helpful Tips section in your account. Also, can contact our tech support 24/7 — they will provide all the necessary information to ensure a smooth therapy process.
