Exploring the Benefits of Online Therapy For Children and Young People

Hannah Byrne (11th June 2023)

• Convenience: Online therapy can be done from anywhere with an internet connection.
• Accessibility: Online therapy can be more accessible for those with disabilities, transportation challenges, or living in remote areas.
• Comfort: Some people may feel more comfortable discussing personal issues in the privacy of their own home. You can bring a hot drink and wear your slippers. All things that make us feel relaxed.
• Flexibility: Online therapy sessions can often be scheduled outside of traditional business hours

To help children and young people engage with online therapy we use a range of techniques. These include, Visual aids: Children often respond well to visual aids such as videos, animations, and interactive games. We encourage active participation through open-ended questions, role-playing and the use of creative activities for the child to complete during the session. We use platforms that allows screen sharing or drawing tools. We ask parents create a safe and comfortable environment: Make sure the child feels secure and at ease in the virtual therapy setting by creating a cozy and distraction-free space for them. As is important for all clients we establish a regular time each week for therapy to help the child feel more comfortable and secure in the process. Engage parents/caregivers: Involve parents or caregivers in the therapy process by providing them with updates on the child's progress, discussing goals, and asking for their feedback and support. We can keep sessions short or allow for breaks. Children have shorter attention spans, so keeping sessions short can help them stay focused.

It's important to remember that every child we work with is different and what works for one may not work for another. It may take some time to find what methods work best for each individual child. Give it a go, your child may feel more comfortable than you think.