The Facts About Online Therapy
Until the last few years, online therapy with a psychologist in Nova Scotia simply wasn't an option.
If someone wanted to address personal problems or get help for mental health issues such as depression or anxiety, counselling needed to happen in-person at a traditional physical office.
While in-person therapy in Halifax with a psychologist at Green Leaf is still a great option for most people, online therapy is increasing in popularity and may actually be the best option for you if you cannot visit us in-person.
As we offer both in-person and online counselling, if you are considering virtual therapy, we hope the information provided here will be helpful.
There are many factors to consider and we are going to be very honest about the pros and cons, what to look for, and (this is very important) what to avoid when choosing a virtual counselling service.
If someone wanted to address personal problems or get help for mental health issues such as depression or anxiety, counselling needed to happen in-person at a traditional physical office.
While in-person therapy in Halifax with a psychologist at Green Leaf is still a great option for most people, online therapy is increasing in popularity and may actually be the best option for you if you cannot visit us in-person.
As we offer both in-person and online counselling, if you are considering virtual therapy, we hope the information provided here will be helpful.
There are many factors to consider and we are going to be very honest about the pros and cons, what to look for, and (this is very important) what to avoid when choosing a virtual counselling service.
- Four of our psychologists (Lindsay, Valerie, Roselynne, & Dineke) offer online-only appointments. You can easily select a time and book yourself in 2 minutes here. Please make sure to read their profiles before booking. Or, if you would like us to personally match you with one of our therapists, please complete the form below.
- All of our other psychologists offer both in-person at our Halifax clinic and virtual appointments. Please complete the form below and we will get back to you asap.
- We offer supportive, evidence-based, scientifically validated therapy in Halifax and custom match every client with a therapist who best suited for your needs and goals in counselling.
How Does Virtual Therapy Differ From In-Person?
Well, the main difference between virtual and in-person therapy is that virtual therapy sessions are conducted on an online platform through the use of a computer or smartphone device, whereas in-person therapy sessions happen face-to-face in a clinician’s office.
Virtual therapy can provide the therapist and the client with more flexibility in terms of timing of the sessions, as well as location, as they do not need be at the same physical location (i.e., the psychologist's office) at the same time.
Beyond this main difference however, there are many less obvious advantages and disadvantages to virtual therapy.
Let's look a bit closer...
Virtual therapy can provide the therapist and the client with more flexibility in terms of timing of the sessions, as well as location, as they do not need be at the same physical location (i.e., the psychologist's office) at the same time.
Beyond this main difference however, there are many less obvious advantages and disadvantages to virtual therapy.
Let's look a bit closer...
What Are The Advantages Of Online Counselling?
1) Convenience
This is by far the greatest advantage. You can access therapy virtually with us from anywhere you have an internet connection, without having to worry about travelling to our office. This saves you travel time, especially of you live far away from Halifax. For example, we have virtual clients from all over Nova Scotia, including:
2) Cost-Effective
With virtual therapy there are no travel or parking costs and it may be easier to take less time off from work to attend your session.
3) Comfort
Some people may feel more at ease speaking to a psychologist through a computer or phone screen than in-person. Some clients may feel uncomfortable or intimidated going in-person to see their therapist, so being in the comfort of your own environment may reduce some anxiety and stress. This may make it easier for you to open up and fully participate in the therapy session.
4) Anonymity
By speaking to a therapist online rather than going to a physical office, some clients may feel a greater sense of safety and privacy.
5) Scheduling
We sometimes find that it is easier to schedule online therapy sessions, as both clients and therapists may have greater flexibility for appointment times.
This is by far the greatest advantage. You can access therapy virtually with us from anywhere you have an internet connection, without having to worry about travelling to our office. This saves you travel time, especially of you live far away from Halifax. For example, we have virtual clients from all over Nova Scotia, including:
- Dartmouth
- Sackville
- Bedford
- Cape Breton
- Truro
- New Glasgow
- Glace Bay
- Kentville
- Bridgewater
- Wolfville
- Lunenburg
2) Cost-Effective
With virtual therapy there are no travel or parking costs and it may be easier to take less time off from work to attend your session.
3) Comfort
Some people may feel more at ease speaking to a psychologist through a computer or phone screen than in-person. Some clients may feel uncomfortable or intimidated going in-person to see their therapist, so being in the comfort of your own environment may reduce some anxiety and stress. This may make it easier for you to open up and fully participate in the therapy session.
4) Anonymity
By speaking to a therapist online rather than going to a physical office, some clients may feel a greater sense of safety and privacy.
5) Scheduling
We sometimes find that it is easier to schedule online therapy sessions, as both clients and therapists may have greater flexibility for appointment times.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Online Counselling?
1) Technical issues
As the sessions rely on an internet connection, the therapist and the client may on rare occasions, run into issues that can interrupt the session and make it difficult to communicate. For example, a poor internet connection can cause low audio or video quality, or could cause the session disconnect for a moment.
2) Missing body language / cues
In-person therapy provides both the therapist and the client with the best opportunity to read each other’s body language. For example, a client may be able to notice signs of encouragement in the psychologist, or the psychologist may observe signs of stress in the client, both of which would be useful in making appropriate adjustments during the session. Of course, these non-verbal signs can still be observed in virtual therapy, but they may be somewhat more difficult to catch.
3) Rapport
Initially, it may be a bit more difficult to establish a strong connection when speaking to the therapist through a screen. Over time of course, this is unlikely to be an issue.
4) Comfort
Just as some people may be more comfortable with online therapy (see above), some clients may be less comfortable, which could limit progress in therapy.
5) Privacy
Depending on their living situation, some clients may not have a proper private space to participate in therapy sessions. For example, if you live with others (e.g., roommates or family members) and have limited space, you feel more comfortable attending therapy in-person.
As the sessions rely on an internet connection, the therapist and the client may on rare occasions, run into issues that can interrupt the session and make it difficult to communicate. For example, a poor internet connection can cause low audio or video quality, or could cause the session disconnect for a moment.
2) Missing body language / cues
In-person therapy provides both the therapist and the client with the best opportunity to read each other’s body language. For example, a client may be able to notice signs of encouragement in the psychologist, or the psychologist may observe signs of stress in the client, both of which would be useful in making appropriate adjustments during the session. Of course, these non-verbal signs can still be observed in virtual therapy, but they may be somewhat more difficult to catch.
3) Rapport
Initially, it may be a bit more difficult to establish a strong connection when speaking to the therapist through a screen. Over time of course, this is unlikely to be an issue.
4) Comfort
Just as some people may be more comfortable with online therapy (see above), some clients may be less comfortable, which could limit progress in therapy.
5) Privacy
Depending on their living situation, some clients may not have a proper private space to participate in therapy sessions. For example, if you live with others (e.g., roommates or family members) and have limited space, you feel more comfortable attending therapy in-person.
Virtual Therapy: Be Careful And Do Proper Research
Virtual therapy is still a very new and emerging service.
This means that it can be quite difficult for clients to discern which services are reputable, are regulated by professional bodies (in our province this is The Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology), whether they follow clear ethical standards (for us, this includes The Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists), and are staffed by experienced, high quality therapists.
A search for "online therapy" will almost certainly direct you towards a few extremely large US-based online-only services that are owned and operated by giant tech companies rather than mental health professionals. Some have even been found guilty of sharing confidential client data with Facebook and Snapchat for advertising purposes.
Yikes!
Please be very careful when choosing any online therapy service - especially those that are not local to Nova Scotia or even Canada.
For reliable, honest reviews of several online therapy services you may be considering, please read these Better Business Bureau reports before booking - they should be very helpful.
Please do your research and protect yourself.
This means that it can be quite difficult for clients to discern which services are reputable, are regulated by professional bodies (in our province this is The Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology), whether they follow clear ethical standards (for us, this includes The Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists), and are staffed by experienced, high quality therapists.
A search for "online therapy" will almost certainly direct you towards a few extremely large US-based online-only services that are owned and operated by giant tech companies rather than mental health professionals. Some have even been found guilty of sharing confidential client data with Facebook and Snapchat for advertising purposes.
Yikes!
Please be very careful when choosing any online therapy service - especially those that are not local to Nova Scotia or even Canada.
For reliable, honest reviews of several online therapy services you may be considering, please read these Better Business Bureau reports before booking - they should be very helpful.
Please do your research and protect yourself.
What To Look For And Avoid In Virtual Therapy
Whether you choose to book with us in-person or online, or work with another local reputable service in Nova Scotia (there are many great clinics run by wonderful psychologists right here in Halifax), we want to provide a few tips and factors to consider when looking for virtual therapy:
1) Do they have a physical presence / actual clinic in Nova Scotia?
For multiple reasons it may be advantageous if the service you work with has a real, stand-alone, physical office in Nova Scotia. This means that you have the option of switching to in-person therapy if desired, and have an accountable business you can visit or call to have any questions answered or problems resolved.
2) Are in-person appointments possible?
If you ever wish to talk to a psychologist or counsellor in-person, would this be an option? If your situation or needs change, can the service accommodate your request?
3) Are the therapists legally registered to provide counselling in Nova Scotia and are they regulated by a professional organization?
In addition to providing assurance that they have the necessary qualifications to assist you, making sure they are permitted to offer services in Nova Scotia will simplify any insurance claims you submit for reimbursement.
4) What are their professional designations?
In Nova Scotia, "Psychologist", "Registered Counselling Therapist", and "Registered Clinical Social Worker" are legally protected titles and require extensive education, training, supervision, ongoing professional development, and adherence to strict ethical standards. In contrast, the word "therapist" is not protected and literally anyone can use the title.
5) Do they provide full 50 - 60 minute sessions?
Some online services only offer much shorter 30 minute appointments - double check to see how much time you will actually receive with your psychologist or counsellor. Our online sessions are 50-60 minutes, exactly the same as our in-person appointments.
6) Do they use a "subscription model"?
Many of the larger online-only therapy services, require clients to sign up for automatic monthly billing "packages" rather than paying only for the sessions you actually have. We do not use a subscription model.
7) Is the service run by mental health professionals?
As mentioned above, most of the large US-based online counselling services are actually owned by tech companies. While this is certainly an advantage in terms of marketing and multi-million dollar advertising budgets, you may feel more comfortable choosing a service local to Nova Scotia and managed by practicing mental health professionals. You can learn more about the business side of Green Leaf here.
8) Do they hire only experienced, high quality psychologists and counsellors?
While some virtual therapy services literally have 30,000+ therapists, becoming a provider has been described as "concerningly easy". At Green Leaf, we have the same hiring standards for our virtual psychologists and counsellors as we do for our in-person staff. Looking at our historical figures, for every 30 applications we receive, we interview three people, and hire just one.
9) Are you matched with your therapist by a real person or A.I?
When you contact us for an appointment, we carefully review your concerns, goals, and do our absolute best to offer you a session with our next available psychologist or counsellor who is well-matched for your specific request. If we do not have a suitable therapist, we will always provide other recommendations for assistance.
10) Can you ask questions before booking?
Are you able to email or talk to someone before actually booking an appointment or signing up for a service? If not, this may be a red flag. If you have any questions about Green Leaf, please feel free to contact us and we will get back to you asap :)
1) Do they have a physical presence / actual clinic in Nova Scotia?
For multiple reasons it may be advantageous if the service you work with has a real, stand-alone, physical office in Nova Scotia. This means that you have the option of switching to in-person therapy if desired, and have an accountable business you can visit or call to have any questions answered or problems resolved.
2) Are in-person appointments possible?
If you ever wish to talk to a psychologist or counsellor in-person, would this be an option? If your situation or needs change, can the service accommodate your request?
3) Are the therapists legally registered to provide counselling in Nova Scotia and are they regulated by a professional organization?
In addition to providing assurance that they have the necessary qualifications to assist you, making sure they are permitted to offer services in Nova Scotia will simplify any insurance claims you submit for reimbursement.
4) What are their professional designations?
In Nova Scotia, "Psychologist", "Registered Counselling Therapist", and "Registered Clinical Social Worker" are legally protected titles and require extensive education, training, supervision, ongoing professional development, and adherence to strict ethical standards. In contrast, the word "therapist" is not protected and literally anyone can use the title.
5) Do they provide full 50 - 60 minute sessions?
Some online services only offer much shorter 30 minute appointments - double check to see how much time you will actually receive with your psychologist or counsellor. Our online sessions are 50-60 minutes, exactly the same as our in-person appointments.
6) Do they use a "subscription model"?
Many of the larger online-only therapy services, require clients to sign up for automatic monthly billing "packages" rather than paying only for the sessions you actually have. We do not use a subscription model.
7) Is the service run by mental health professionals?
As mentioned above, most of the large US-based online counselling services are actually owned by tech companies. While this is certainly an advantage in terms of marketing and multi-million dollar advertising budgets, you may feel more comfortable choosing a service local to Nova Scotia and managed by practicing mental health professionals. You can learn more about the business side of Green Leaf here.
8) Do they hire only experienced, high quality psychologists and counsellors?
While some virtual therapy services literally have 30,000+ therapists, becoming a provider has been described as "concerningly easy". At Green Leaf, we have the same hiring standards for our virtual psychologists and counsellors as we do for our in-person staff. Looking at our historical figures, for every 30 applications we receive, we interview three people, and hire just one.
9) Are you matched with your therapist by a real person or A.I?
When you contact us for an appointment, we carefully review your concerns, goals, and do our absolute best to offer you a session with our next available psychologist or counsellor who is well-matched for your specific request. If we do not have a suitable therapist, we will always provide other recommendations for assistance.
10) Can you ask questions before booking?
Are you able to email or talk to someone before actually booking an appointment or signing up for a service? If not, this may be a red flag. If you have any questions about Green Leaf, please feel free to contact us and we will get back to you asap :)
Let's Get Started.
That was a lot of information to digest, wasn't it? We hope you found it helpful.
We want to be honest about the pros and cons of online therapy and provide important information you may not find elsewhere.
Depending on your situation and needs, virtual therapy really can be a great option for many people - sometimes even better than in-person counselling.
Even if you don’t choose us, we strongly advise selecting a local, reputable clinic based in Nova Scotia to find a psychologist or counsellor for your mental health treatment.
We are conveniently located in Halifax, Nova Scotia and have many clients from the areas of Bedford, Sackville, Clayton Park, and Dartmouth.
We provide in-person and online therapy to all of Nova Scotia and also offer virtual services to clients in New Brunswick.
Please complete our short request form below and we will be in touch asap with appointment options.
We want to be honest about the pros and cons of online therapy and provide important information you may not find elsewhere.
Depending on your situation and needs, virtual therapy really can be a great option for many people - sometimes even better than in-person counselling.
Even if you don’t choose us, we strongly advise selecting a local, reputable clinic based in Nova Scotia to find a psychologist or counsellor for your mental health treatment.
We are conveniently located in Halifax, Nova Scotia and have many clients from the areas of Bedford, Sackville, Clayton Park, and Dartmouth.
We provide in-person and online therapy to all of Nova Scotia and also offer virtual services to clients in New Brunswick.
Please complete our short request form below and we will be in touch asap with appointment options.
Confidential Contact - Counselling / Therapy
Green Leaf Psychological - Halifax, Nova Scotia
IMPORTANT
After you submit the form, we will definitely get back to you. However, email is often filtered into junk mail folders by mistake.
To prevent this from happening, please add [email protected] to your list of safe contacts...or make sure to check your spam folder if you don't see a reply in your inbox within 24 hours.
Thanks!
After you submit the form, we will definitely get back to you. However, email is often filtered into junk mail folders by mistake.
To prevent this from happening, please add [email protected] to your list of safe contacts...or make sure to check your spam folder if you don't see a reply in your inbox within 24 hours.
Thanks!
Green Leaf Psychological Services, Inc.