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Why do men hesitate to go to therapy?
“I’m too busy for therapy.”
“Therapy is for the weak; I’m strong enough to handle it.”
“I don’t want to just sit there and talk about my feelings; I’d rather do something about them. A therapist can’t help with that.”
“Only crazy people need therapy, I don’t want anyone to think I’m crazy!”
“I can’t stand the thought of sitting in that waiting room with other people looking at me.”
“None of the therapists around town have any openings for three months or more.”
There’s a lot of pressure on men right now to fit the stereotypes of “manliness”. There’s also a lot of need for mental health support, especially for men. Life is more expensive, uncertain, and full of stress than ever, and rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide are rising, particularly for men.
Men hesitate to seek out therapy for many reasons, including shame and self-judgment, fear of being labeled, not having time, not being familiar with how therapy works, and lack of access to available and affordable therapists.
Online therapy for men removes barriers, making it easier to get help
Online therapy expands men’s access to mental health care, making scheduling, availability, and privacy easier in ways that can directly help men access the mental healthcare they not only need but deserve. We all deserve support and understanding in our lives, and a major virtual counseling benefit is putting that support and understanding within reach for more men.
Location flexibility makes therapy more accessible when you’ve got a busy life
Between work, home, hobbies, side hustles, pets, kids, partners, and more, you’re busy. You’re so busy that sometimes the thought of a weekly or biweekly therapy session, where you have to drive, find parking, have therapy, then drive again, usually during work hours on a weekday, and have childcare, and have coverage at work, sounds totally impossible.
While some therapists work with clients outside of regular business hours, online therapy eliminates a lot of the barriers involved in getting to and from therapy, making it much easier to schedule. Having a session during your lunch hour, in the hour before you have to go pick up the kids, or before work if you have a flex schedule, can help you fit therapy into your schedule without derailing it.
Online therapy reduces worry about stigma and shame
Stigma, or fear of judgment, criticism, and rejection, is a major demotivator for men when it comes to seeking mental healthcare. Sadly, we still live in a society where men are expected to be “strong and silent”, even though many of us know that men need, and deserve, plenty of support!
Online therapy can be a lower-pressure therapy option, with just as much efficacy as in-person therapy, for men who hesitate to go to therapy for fear of being judged or shamed, or for men who just feel uncomfortable walking into a therapy office. Some men do online therapy sessions at home, or behind closed doors at their office, or from their car in a remote space that feels private and secure to them.
Online therapy gives you more control over when and where you have your therapy session, providing you with privacy that can make it easier to reach out and start working with a therapist.
Therapy can be more comfortable when you are in a familiar location
While therapists make sure their in-person offices are warm, welcoming spaces, when you get to enjoy coffee from your own mug, in your own favorite chair, wearing comfy clothes, sitting with your pet by your side, it can make starting the process of therapy, or opening up and working through really hard experiences or emotions, easier to get through.
Virtual access to a therapist makes it easier to find therapeutic support
Not all of us live in areas with a wide variety of in-person therapy options, so finding that first in-person therapy appointment can take months for some. But with online therapy in California, you have access to all therapists licensed to work in California who offer telehealth services. This expanded pool of therapists also opens up your options in terms of a culture, demographic, and personality match. Finding a therapist who understands your intersectional identities like gender, sexuality, race, disability, culture, immigration status, age, and more can make therapy an even more powerful tool.
Are there any downsides to online therapy?
Some people prefer an in-person connection with their therapist
Research shows that, overall, people feel equally positive about the effectiveness of online and in-person therapy, and they feel equally satisfied with their relationship with their therapist. That said, some people genuinely prefer in-person therapy because they are able to build a stronger, more trustworthy, and supportive bond with their therapist through in-person sessions. Therapist-client trust is crucial to therapy success,
Severe mental health concerns may require more support than online therapy can provide
For mild to moderate mental health concerns, stress management, couples counseling, and family counseling, online therapy is a great option. But for more severe mental health concerns like psychosis, addiction intervention, sudden mental health status changes, violence, and more, online therapy is best used after in-person, and sometimes inpatient, therapy has established some level of stability.
Online therapy can have different privacy concerns from in-person therapy
While online therapy removes the worry about being recognized while heading to in-person therapy, you need to make sure you have access to a private space, where you won’t be overheard, for online therapy to be truly private. Your therapist will still maintain all confidentiality requirements on their end, no matter what.
Technology can break down
Internet outages, power outages, or a forgotten charger can derail online therapy sessions. You may also have worries about cyberhacking and having your data stolen. Your therapist will use platforms that meet all HIPAA requirements, putting every effort possible into protecting your personal information, but for tech breakdowns, rescheduling a session may be the only option.
How does an online therapy session work?
During your free consultation with us to start online therapy in California, I’ll schedule your first session and send you virtual paperwork to complete before we get started. You’ll be sent a link in a reminder text and email, and when it’s time for your session, you’ll click the link and be brought to a secure software platform where you and I can have a video conference.
We will see each other via video, and I’ll be in a private space where I can’t be overheard, just like if we were face-to-face in a room together for your therapy session. From there, we’ll be able to cover everything that would happen in an in-person therapy session.
I may take notes throughout our sessions to keep track of what you share with me and how you’re progressing (I do this for in-person clients, too), but your sessions are never recorded, and notes are securely stored for your privacy. At the end of every session, we will schedule your next session, and I will end the telehealth session through my computer.
Online therapy in California opens the door to a variety of mental health treatment options
All the therapists on the Stress Solutions team provide a variety of mental health services online, including stress management, trauma therapy, and anxiety treatment. Other services include EMDR and therapy support for managing addictions. We offer therapy for individuals, couples, and men via in-person and online therapy. Visit our blog or explore our website to learn more about how we can help.
