As you may or may not know, DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) is a widely used form of talk therapy specifically designed for people who experience their emotions very intensely and have difficulty regulating and responding to those experiences.
As the “dialectical” part of the name suggests, DBT is a form of talk therapy that aims to help patients come to terms with and accept aspects of their inner experience so they can gain more control over their emotions and, most importantly, their responses to those emotions.
To put it another way, online DBT therapy or in-person DBT therapy has the goal of giving patients more control over their responses and reactions to specific emotional experiences.
*Note: If you’re looking for a new therapist, be sure to go through this list of questions to ask a therapist to help you decide if they’re right for you.
1. You don’t need to go anywhere.
Obviously, there are no geographical restrictions, and you never have to leave your house.
You also don’t have to dress up and go outside.
Think of how great that will be whenever it’s very hot or very cold… or raining.
Yep, you can just side-step all that and attend your therapy sessions from the comfort of your own home.
All you need is a device and an internet connection.
Of course, you’ll definitely want to make sure that you have a reliable internet connection, especially if you’re going to be video chatting with your therapist.
This is also great for when you are sick or out of town, as well as when you are having to deal with some kind of emergency that prevents you from being able to attend your therapy sessions in person.
Likewise, if you live in a remote area or are otherwise located inconveniently far away from your therapist’s office, you can just pull on some sweatpants and turn on your computer.
You don’t need to torment yourself to attend your therapy sessions, and if you can’t show up in person, showing up virtually to online DBT therapy is much better than not showing up at all.
2. Scheduling tends to be more flexible.
In general, it tends to be easier to schedule online DBT therapy sessions than in-person ones for the simple reason that neither you nor your therapist necessarily needs to be in the office for them.
Not only can you be at home, but so can your therapist. So you can have access to a wider range of therapists than only those who live within driving distance of your house.
This sometimes also means that therapists can open hours that they wouldn’t usually have available at their office.
But even when it doesn’t mean that, online DBT therapy is still generally easier to schedule due to all the digital calendars, notifications, and other tools that exist to help with that.
In addition, because of those very same tools and the fact that you don’t actually have to get out and go anywhere, there is a lower chance of you missing an appointment, especially due to things like car problems, missing a bus, or some other transportation issue.
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3. It’s more convenient.
This is kind of the same as the two things we just mentioned, but to be more specific, it’s not only that you have more freedom in terms of when you schedule appointments or that you don’t need to drive anywhere.
It’s also that online DBT therapy gives you the option of also not needing to grab food or coffee while you’re out, not needing to spend money on gas for your car, and not needing to do any of the other things that are required for you to get out and go somewhere.
There is really nothing more convenient than being able to sit in your most comfortable chair and order your therapy session through the internet like an Uber Eats delivery.
4. You don’t have to break your streak.
Momentum counts for a lot in therapy, as it does in most things.
And once you’ve built up that momentum, it would be a shame to lose it by missing one appointment,… and then another,… and then another…
But the good news is that, with online DBT therapy, this doesn’t need to be an issue at all.
Catching a cold, car problems, and other things that prevent you from physically showing up to your therapy appointments don’t mean that you need to cancel therapy.
If you are attending therapy appointments a certain number of times per month, there is no reason to let something as small as a flat tire throw off your momentum.
Just like with those fun little apps on your phone that teach you foreign languages or help you track your habits, you don’t want to break your streak or risk falling off the wagon with your therapy.
Do the right thing for yourself and your mental health by talking with your therapist about online DBT therapy options that you can take on those days when you’re unable to make it to your therapist’s office.
Don’t miss an appointment!
While it’s admittedly not the same as in-person therapy, online DBT therapy most definitely has a role to play for a lot of patients, especially for those who can’t physically make it to therapy sessions for one reason or another, whether that be due to illness or car troubles.
At some point in your own therapy journey, it’s likely that you too won’t be able to physically attend an appointment for some reason or another.
And when that day comes, won’t you be glad that online DBT therapy is such an easily accessible option? 🙂
