Online therapy has become an established and well-evidenced way of accessing therapy. This is not a compromise on in-person work, but an effective option in its own right. For many people, it removes barriers that would otherwise make therapy difficult or impossible to sustain.

I offer online therapy sessions to individuals and couples across the UK, using Google Meet. This is a secure, reputable platform that requires no specialist software and works reliably across devices.

Who Is Online Therapy For?

Online therapy works well for a wide range of people and circumstances. It may be particularly useful if you:

• Live outside of Wokingham or Berkshire and would like to work with a therapist based in the area
• Have a demanding schedule that makes regular in-person appointments difficult to commit to
• Have caring responsibilities, health considerations, or mobility limitations that make travelling to appointments impractical
• Work irregular hours or travel frequently for work
• Simply find that the flexibility of online sessions suits your life better

It is also worth considering online therapy as a complement to in-person work. Some clients find it helpful to alternate between face-to-face and online sessions. This helps to maintain the consistency of regular therapy whilst adapting to weeks where travel is not practical.

Does Online Therapy Actually Work?

The research evidence for online therapy is substantial. Studies show that for a wide range of presentations, online therapy produces outcomes comparable to in-person work. The therapeutic relationship, which is central to effective therapy, develops just as genuinely through a screen as it does in a room.

That said, online therapy is not identical to in-person work. Some people find the physical presence of being in a room with another person important to how they engage. Others find that the slight distance of a screen actually makes it easier to speak openly, particularly early in the therapeutic relationship. Neither experience is more valid than the other - what matters is what works for you.

What Platform Do You Use, and Is It Secure?

I use Google Meet for all online sessions. It is a well-established, widely used platform with strong security credentials, including encryption. You do not need to create an account or download specialist software - a link is sent ahead of each session, and sessions can be joined from a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

If you have any concerns about the platform or how sessions are conducted online, these are straightforward to discuss before we begin.

What Do I Need to Think About Before an Online Session?

Getting the practical conditions right makes a real difference to how useful online sessions can be. Before we meet, it is worth giving some thought to the following:

A private, confidential space. This is the most important consideration. Therapy requires you to be able to speak freely without concern about being overheard. This might mean a room with a closed door, using headphones, or choosing a time when others in your household are out. If finding a reliably private space at home is genuinely difficult, it is worth raising this - there may be practical solutions, or it may be that in-person sessions suit your circumstances better.

A stable internet connection. Interruptions to the connection can disrupt the flow of a session in ways that are difficult to recover from quickly. A wired connection or strong Wi-Fi, if available, is preferable to a mobile data connection.

A comfortable, settled environment. It is worth treating an online session with the same intention as an in-person one - somewhere you can sit without distraction for the duration, rather than fitting it around other things happening at home.

Devices and technology. A laptop or tablet tends to work better than a mobile phone for the quality of the video connection and the sense of presence it creates. Ensuring your device is charged and that you have tested the link in advance avoids unnecessary stress at the start of a session.

Are There Situations Where Online Therapy Is Not the Right Fit?

Online therapy is not suited to every situation. If you are currently in crisis, experiencing significant risk to yourself or others, or require a level of immediate support that a weekly or fortnightly online session cannot provide, a different level of care is likely to be more appropriate. In those circumstances, I will always aim to discuss what options are available and signpost accordingly.

For some presentations and ways of working - particularly where somatic or body-based approaches are central to the therapeutic work - in-person sessions may be more effective. This is something we can discuss openly as part of deciding how to work together.

Online Therapy in Wokingham and Across the UK

I am based in Wokingham, Berkshire, and work in person with clients across the local area. Online therapy extends that reach - if you are looking for a therapist in Berkshire, the wider South East, or anywhere else in the UK, online sessions make it possible to work together regardless of location.

If you are unsure whether online therapy is the right fit for you, the most straightforward thing to do is get in touch. An initial conversation costs nothing, and it is a reasonable way to work out whether working together - online or in person - makes sense.

Get in touch via the contact page to find out more or to arrange an initial consultation.

Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash