How Lockdown changed therapy

A new way of working online

Therapists moved online during lockdown and began using video chat for live sessions with their clients. Applications like skype, teams and zoom are now common place in therapy. I believed a webcam could never be as good as a real life meeting with clients and to an extent I still believe this to be true.

Because you can’t replicate the sensations while sitting in the presence of another person. Webcam does have a place, and I was surprised how quickly we adjusted to using webcams daily and how the client and patient relationship remained effective.

We identified one reason for the effective relationship and genuine connection. We acknowledgeed clients are in their own homes, where they feel at ease and let down their guard. They feel safer behind a computer screen in their own environment (known as the ‘disinhibition effect’).

Applications used in therapy in the UK include MS Teams meeting, Zoom meeting app and Skype app. They all offer free versions of the software and these might even be adequate for your practice.