Online Therapy

The Coronavirus (Covid-19), which became a global threat and caused more than 200 thousand people to die so far, drove Turkish citizens, who study or work abroad, to receive “online therapy” for psychological support. Citizens, who live in different parts of Europe that are 2 to 4 thousand kilometers away from Turkey, started to get in touch with psychologist in our country and started online therapy sessions. Asst. Prof. Yasemin Meral Öğütçü Director of Psychological Research and Application Center, Izmir University of Economics (IUE), pointed that online therapy was an efficient and helpful method. Öğütçü said, “Interest to online therapy increased in our country during this time we are confined to our homes. Considering that levels of anxiety increased due to the coronavirus, seeking psychological support, even remotely, would be very helpful.”

WE MAY NEED SUPPORT

Asst. Prof. Yasemin Meral Öğütçü, who reminded that we are going through a tough period as a society, indicated that uncertainty triggered anxiety. Asst. Prof. Öğütçü said, “We are all going through a tough period we never experienced before. We are creating a new order to adjust to this new situation. Our anxiety levels are very high right now. We are concerned about not only ourselves and family members, but for the whole world as well. Both employees and employers are worried about jobs. Some people are able to cope with this easily. However, there are also people who are having difficulty functioning during this period. Those, who need support in handling issues, show interest in therapy. Turkish citizens living abroad choose to contact psychologists in our country online where they can express their feelings better in their native language. And this is very natural.”  

SCIENTIFIC STUDIES SHOW THAT IT IS HELPFUL

Asst. Prof. Öğütçü stated the following: “Some people have concerns whether online therapy is beneficial or not. However, it is very important to abide by social distancing rule in order to protect ourselves and others. There are many studies conducted on online therapy. These studies show that online therapy is very effective and helpful. Another issue that raises concerns in remote sessions is the confidentiality. People, who are receiving therapy might be concerned about being heard or seen by others. This is understandable because it is not a common experience. But we should remember that therapist has responsibilities to the counselee(s). Patient confidentiality being the most important of them. The period we are in now is compelling for many of us. If you are having difficulty coping with this, do not hesitate to ask for psychological support.”