Digital Delivery of Mental Health Therapies: A guide to the benefits and challenges, and making it work

Mental Health and Wellbeing have achieved more prominence in recent times. Yet the scarcity of traditional, face to face consultation has discouraged many from seeking help and support. Waiting times can be long and access difficult. Yet there is an emerging alternative.In an age of online technology, perhaps therapy needs to change to embrace new ways of reaching those in need. The growth of social media has been one strand but, perhaps, a greater change has been the result of the Covid pandemic. Suddenly meetings, GP consultations, physiotherapy sessions and many other events that would previously have required a physical presence have been delivered online. We have grown used to it.Counselling and psychological therapy have, it can be suggested, been rather slow to take up that opportunity for change. Practitioner concerns include the loss of the personal connection, reduction of body language cues and issues of privacy and safeguarding. Clients, on the other hand, have often seen this as welcome, appropriate and attractive.This book addresses both the issues that might underpin such concerns and the approaches necessary to deal with them. Through case examples, and an analysis of using varying therapeutic methodologies, it maps a way forward to thinking about the delivery of therapy to a wider audience, effectively and successfully in this technological age.Times are changing and therapy delivery must change with them. This book is an important step in that direction.