In the past decade only a few clinical trials have compared internet-based psychotherapy with an equivalent face-to-face treatment. Traditionally, seeing a psychotherapist included scheduling an appointment, visiting an office, and sitting with a psychotherapist face-to-face in order to come to the root cause of what could be causing you stress, anxiety or any other emotional struggle in your life. Today, the face of psychotherapy is changing.  According to a study done by the University of Zurich, web-based or online psychotherapy has proven to be as effective as face-to-face sessions. The primary aim of this study was to compare treatment outcomes of an internet-based intervention with a face-to-face intervention for depression in a randomized non-inferiority trial.

A Breakdown of the Study

Over an eight-week period 62 patients struggling with depression were given cognitive behavioral therapy. 31 of the patients had one hour of one-on-one interaction with a therapist each week, including additional take-home projects (such as logging their negative thoughts or stress in a journal).

The other half of the group followed a web-based therapy program. The process included written assignments that explored negative self-image, communications tactics, etc. Each patient was then give written feedback from a therapist who knew their name, but had no live video chat interactions.

The Outcome of the Study

After three months of testing the research team discovered that web-based or online psychotherapy sessions could be as affective as face-to-face sessions. According the results, at the end of the three months the online therapy patients exceeded expectations of the initial hypothesis: the 31 patients given online treatments had a significant decrease in symptoms of depression!

Final Results

Professor Andreas Maercker, the man behind the study, recorded that 53 percent of the patients who had online therapy no longer showed signs of depression immediately after treatment, compared with 50 percent of those who had face-to-face therapy. This is an interesting statistic to say the least.

The researchers checked back in with the patients three months after treatment and to their surprise the depression of the patients treated online actually decreased even further. 57 percent of patients no longer showed any signs of depression. This number is truly significant! Comparatively, 42 percent of patients who had conventional therapy no longer showed signs of depression.

Why Did the Online Psychotherapy Patients Perform Better?

Quite honestly, there is nothing stating for certain why there was a difference. However, the researchers assumed it had to do with the written part of the assignments. While both patient groups were satisfied with the treatment and therapists, those used online therapy actually took the correspondence with therapists and associated homework more seriously. Typically the online therapy patients would read and re-read the assignments and notes given from the therapist forcing themselves to take in what they were discovering.

Finally, Maercker concluded, “Our study is evidence that psychotherapeutic services on the internet are an effective supplement to therapeutic care.”

Where to Find Online Therapy Solutions 

The 8 Steps to Becoming You is a new web-based therapeutic program dedicated specifically to helping women improve their confidence, mental health, happiness, and find purpose within their lives. The program, available now, allows women to have access to progressive online sessions, which utilize cognitive behavioral therapy techniques for a fraction of the cost of traditional therapy. It lasts for about 8 weeks depending on how fast each client would like to complete the program.  The process makes it easy and convenient for women to explore both deeper issues and daily habits that contribute to their stress, anxiety, depressed mood or relationship problems.  It also offers concrete strategies to feel better, healthier and get important needs met.

When you register for The 8 Steps to Becoming You, you will receive a comprehensive workbook and personalized guidance videos from licensed psychotherapist, Laurie Marsden, LCSW. Each week you are encouraged to complete the exercises within the workbook, think through what you learned, and then continue on to the next session at your own pace.

At the end of the 8 step program you will feel newly restored with better direction as to how to handle events in your life.

Ready to get started? Click here to download a sample exercise or to sign up for the program today.

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Read the full study here:  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032713005120#f0005