Stress at work is a part of life, whether you’re a remote worker or not. You’ve undoubtedly heard plenty of advice on how to manage it. Schedule breaks, take walks in nature, meditate, declutter your space, make sure to sleep enough, eat well, and get some exercise.
Sometimes, however, the stress can be overwhelming enough to warrant professional help from a therapist. Not to fear. Help is out there. That’s why today, we’re diving into the best ways to find therapists for remote workers.
Mental Health Issues Facing Remote Workers by the Numbers
Working from home has long been touted as a significant booster of mental health and well-being. There’s more freedom to spend time with family, improved sleep habits (thanks, zero commutes!), and improved productivity.
Perhaps that’s why the negative impacts of working from home with little social contact can seem so counterintuitive. In addition to the isolation and disconnectedness nearly 75% of people reported experiencing, a survey by Oracle and Workplace Intelligence shows that participants experienced:
- Decreased productivity (42%)
- Increase in poor decision-making (40%)
- Increased stress (38%)
- Poor work-life balance (35%)
- Burnout (25%)
Working from home coupled with distance or hybrid learning has impacted working parents disproportionately.
This is especially true for working mothers who provide nearly 70% of the child care during working hours. In fact, working women are 28% more likely to experience burnout than working fathers.
In today’s all-remote-all-the-time world, it’s clear that remote work has brought with it its own set of challenges. Fortunately, one particularly helpful group of professionals has gone remote along with the rest of us – therapists.
Fits your lifestyle – Virtual Therapists for Remote Workers Offer a Safe, Accessible Solution
Therapy has been taking place remotely for years now. Over 20 years, in fact. But the COVID-induced work-from-home era has seen its popularity rise meteorically.
Before the pandemic, only about 2.1% of members surveyed by the American Psychiatric Association reported regularly offering their services virtually. After the pandemic hit, that number jumped to 84.7%.
For many who already have established care with a mental health provider, that means your existing therapist may be among those who offer remote sessions.
Even countries like Germany, which previously had regulations in place to limit, or even prohibit, therapists from giving remote sessions, have changed their tune and now allow remote therapy as well.
But what about those seeking help for the first time to combat increased anxiety, burnout, depression, and any of the countless other symptoms many people are dealing with these days? Or perhaps you’re a digital nomad, and you find yourself in a country or culture where mental health services aren’t as readily accessible as others.
There are many reasons why finding therapists for remote workers may be challenging. Fortunately, there are resources available if you know where to look.
The Rise of Online Therapy Apps
Have you ever heard the expression ‘there’s an app for that’? For just about every problem you can dream up, an app likely exists to help you solve it.
And that goes for therapy as well.
With the prevalence of smartphones and younger generations who prefer to communicate via text and video chat, therapy-by-app is just a natural progression of long-standing trends.
The good news is that online therapy has proven to be highly effective. Online therapy is more appealing to those who might be reluctant to sit on a therapist’s couch face-to-face. It also makes it easier for those who live in rural areas.
As it turns out, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Many therapists have leveraged online therapy apps to keep the proverbial doors open in a time when face-to-face therapy is too risky.
Three Online Therapy Applications Reign Supreme
Dozens of online therapy applications have popped up over the past few years. Still, there are a few that currently reign supreme, especially among remote workers.
While they all offer affordable pricing and appealing packages, it may not be as difficult as you think to decide which one to use. Read on to learn what sets these three platforms apart and why you may easily be able to choose one over the other, depending on your preferences.
Our Top Three Online Therapy Platforms Include
1. Talkspace
Talkspace was designed with asynchronous communication via text, video, and audio messaging in mind.
That means that while live sessions are available (at an increased price point), most of the therapy that takes place on Talkspace isn’t live. Patients send their message, and their therapist will respond within a set period.
Pros
- Fast customer service
- A human reviews your application and matches you to a therapist.
- Regular feedback opportunities
- Guaranteed response times from the therapist
Cons
- Wait times for getting matched to a therapist.
- You’re required to sign up for an entire month of services, and you’ll be billed for the whole month if you cancel early.
- Geared primarily towards text, video, and audio messaging rather than live messaging.
2. Online-Therapy.com
“We’re not like other online therapy sites” – that’s the tagline for Online-Therapy.com, and their wide array of services certainly backs up that statement.
Online-Therapy.com is an end-to-end solution for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that incorporates live sessions, asynchronous messaging, as well as worksheets, reading material, activities, journaling, and more.
It’s a true toolbox for mental health and well-being.
Pros
- Immersive counseling experience based on cognitive behavioral therapy.
- Many resources available on top of live sessions and messages with your therapist.
- Accessible on any device, regardless of where you are in the world.
Cons
- Live sessions are not included in the basic plan.
- Live sessions are set at 30 minutes each, so shorter than other platforms.
3. Betterhelp
There are professionals and patients alike who swear by live sessions, and BetterHelp was designed for them. Rather than asynchronous messaging as a standalone delivery method, BetterHelp focuses on live sessions, with messaging serving as a communication mode between live sessions.
Even their basic packages include weekly live sessions, so you won’t need to pay more to benefit from a live call or video chat with your therapist.
Pros
- Changing therapists is easy and encouraged if you find you’re not a good fit.
- Flexible communication with your therapist. You use the method(s) that work best for you.
- Weekly contracts are available.
Cons
- You’re matched to a therapist without human intervention. Your results are based on a questionnaire.
- Some users reported spotty response times from therapists.
Additional, Specialized Tele-Mental Health Services Exist Such as:
Regain
Couples face their own unique set of challenges while working remotely. Regain is dedicated exclusively to relationship counseling, making it a fantastic option for keeping your relationships healthy and thriving.
Their experienced specialists in couple’s therapy can help with everything from infidelity to the unique stresses facing couples who work remotely.
Pros
- Video sessions are encouraged
- Pricing is inclusive of two participants
- Therapists are highly specialized in therapy for couples
- Private sessions are available
Cons
- The therapist match process is entirely automated.
- There is no live customer service.
- A monthly commitment is required to start. There is no free trial.
7 Cups
7 Cups is a bit of an outlier in this list as it’s not truly an online therapy platform. It’s more accurately described as a peer support network and is excellent for those looking for emotional support.
There are many reasons why this option might be more appealing to you. If, for example, you’re concerned about the cost associated with traditional or remote therapy, 7 Cups may be an appropriate alternative*.
Perhaps you don’t want to see a therapist at all; you’re just looking to connect with another human being to help you process your experiences.
7 Cups gives you a convenient, anonymous way to do just that.
*If the challenges you’re facing are severe or debilitating, please consider speaking to a licensed professional. 7 Cups also has licensed therapists available if needed.
Pride Counseling
Members of the LGBTQ community deal with mental health issues disproportionately, regardless of whether they work from home or in-office. Pride counseling is an online therapy platform that strives to make safe, discreet, affordable counseling available to the LGBTQ community.
Their providers are licensed therapists who specialize in LGBTQ issues and accept all genders, orientations, and identities.
Mental Health Care is Vital for Remote Workers
Regardless of which platform you choose, taking care of your mental health as a remote worker is vital – especially if you’re new to working from home.
Remember, there is always help available, and you’re not alone if working from home has you feeling isolated and anxious. Sometimes you can combat these feelings with activities that promote a sense of well-being, like meditation or physical activity.
But nothing beats the benefits of merely talking your concerns over with another human being. For that, we can be grateful for the many options for finding therapists for remote workers these days from the comfort of our own homes.
How are you managing your stress and anxiety at work when you work from home? Share your tips in the comments, or check out our article How to Stay Happy While Working Remotely for more.
