Does Online Therapy Really Work?
- Chenelle Owen
- May 15
- 5 min read
One of the questions I get asked most often is whether online therapy can really feel as effective as meeting face-to-face.
It’s such an understandable question, particularly if you’ve never had therapy before, or if part of you worries that talking through a screen might feel distant, awkward, or less personal somehow.
Over recent years, more and more research has explored how effective online therapy can be, with studies consistently suggesting that for many people, online therapy can be just as effective as face-to-face therapy for difficulties such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, stress, and self-esteem difficulties.
Whilst face-to-face therapy absolutely has its own benefits, research suggests that what matters most is often the quality of the therapeutic relationship itself. Feeling emotionally understood, comfortable enough to open up, and able to work collaboratively with your therapist tends to be far more important than whether you are physically sitting in the same room.
As a Psychological Therapist offering online CBT, Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and EMDR therapy across the UK, I’ve worked with many clients remotely who initially felt unsure about whether therapy online could “work properly”, only to later say they were surprised by how connected and natural it felt once sessions began.
What is online therapy actually like?
For many people, online therapy feels far more natural than they expected. Once the conversation begins, the screen often fades into the background quite quickly.
You are still talking in real time, still building a therapeutic relationship, still being emotionally heard and understood, and still engaging in meaningful therapeutic work together.
In my experience, it often comes down to personal preference. Some people love coming into a therapy space face-to-face and find the physical separation from home helpful and containing. Others find online therapy works far better for them because they are able to access therapy from the comfort of their own space.
Being at home can allow people to use things that already help them feel soothed and regulated, whether that’s sitting under a familiar or weighted blanket, using a wobble cushion, holding fidget items, having a heated blanket nearby, sitting with a pet, or simply being in a space that smells and feels familiar to their nervous system.
For some people, particularly neurodivergent clients or those experiencing anxiety and overwhelm, these small sensory comforts can make a surprisingly big difference to how regulated, comfortable, and able to engage they feel during therapy.
Of course, if you choose face-to-face therapy, you are absolutely welcome to bring grounding or soothing items with you there too. Therapy doesn’t have to look overly clinical or formal, and I think it’s important that people feel as comfortable as possible whilst doing deeper emotional work.
For some clients, particularly those who are neurodivergent, highly anxious, overwhelmed, or emotionally exhausted, being able to remain in a familiar environment can actually help them engage more fully in therapy rather than spending energy adapting to a new environment.
Some clients even find they open up more easily online than they would in a therapy room.
Online Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) can also work really beautifully online. A lot of CFT involves helping people slow down, understand their emotional world more compassionately, and practise exercises which support feelings of safety, grounding, and self-compassion.
For some people, being able to do that from the comfort of their own environment can actually help the work feel more accessible and emotionally settling.
The benefits of online therapy
Online therapy can also make accessing support feel more manageable and sustainable in everyday life.
It can be particularly helpful for:
• Busy parents balancing family life
• Professionals with demanding schedules
• Neurodivergent clients who find travelling or unfamiliar environments draining
• People experiencing anxiety or overwhelm
• Clients living with chronic illness, fatigue, or pain
• People who travel frequently or need flexibility
• Those who live outside of Surrey but would still like to work together remotely across the UK
Removing travel time, parking stress, or rushing between commitments can make therapy feel more accessible and easier to maintain consistently.
Online therapy for teenagers and young people
Online therapy can also work really well for some young people and teenagers.
Many young people are already very comfortable communicating online, and some actually find it easier to open up emotionally when they are in their own familiar environment rather than sitting in an unfamiliar room with a new adult.
For teenagers who experience anxiety, overwhelm, school-related stress, sensory sensitivities, or emotional exhaustion, removing the demands of travelling to appointments can sometimes make therapy feel more manageable and accessible.
For some teenagers who are already feeling withdrawn, overwhelmed, or emotionally shut down, online therapy can sometimes feel like a gentler and more manageable first step into support.
Online sessions can also allow young people to have comforting or regulating items nearby, such as blankets, sensory tools, favourite hoodies, pets, drinks, or familiar routines, which can help them feel more emotionally settled during sessions.
Of course, some children and young people still prefer face-to-face work, particularly younger children or those who engage better through shared physical activities or in-room interaction. It’s often about finding the approach that feels most supportive for that individual young person.
What about online EMDR therapy?
Another question I’m often asked is whether EMDR therapy can really be effective online.
The answer is yes. Online EMDR can work very well, and many clients are surprised by how immersive and emotionally connected the process still feels remotely.
When working online, I use a specialist EMDR platform which provides the bilateral stimulation used during EMDR processing, including the eye movement component. One of the benefits of this is that it allows me to remain fully present and attuned to the client throughout the process whilst the online platform supports the bilateral stimulation.
Online EMDR still involves careful preparation, grounding work, pacing, and collaborative processing, just as it would face-to-face.
At the same time, therapy is never one-size-fits-all. Some people genuinely prefer being in the room together, and face-to-face therapy can feel particularly grounding or containing for certain clients. Others find online sessions feel more comfortable because they are already in their own environment afterwards rather than needing to travel home following a deeper session.
Is online therapy right for everyone?
Not always, and I think it’s important to be honest about that.
Some people strongly prefer face-to-face work, and there are situations where in-person therapy may feel more appropriate or beneficial clinically.
But online therapy is far more than simply a second-best option. For many people, it becomes a deeply meaningful therapeutic space where they can feel deeply understood, process difficult experiences, and make meaningful changes in their lives.
Final thoughts
Starting therapy can feel like a big step whether it’s online or face-to-face. Often people carry understandable worries about whether they’ll feel comfortable, whether they’ll know what to say, or whether it will feel “real” enough through a screen.
In reality, therapy is less about the room itself and more about the quality of the human connection within it.
If you are considering online therapy and wondering whether it might feel right for you, it’s completely ok to have questions or uncertainties at first.
You are very welcome to get in touch if you would like to explore whether online or face-to-face therapy might feel like the best fit for you through Compassionate Therapy Practice.
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