If you’re thinking about starting online counseling in Toronto, you’re definitely not alone.
But if you’re also feeling nervous and unsure about starting therapy, you’re not alone there either!
From stigma to financial concerns to feeling like your problems just aren’t serious enough, there are all kinds of reasons why you might be feeling hesitant about starting online therapy.
But while these feelings are normal, they are often based on misconceptions about mental health and counseling. And working with an online therapist [link to Blog #1] can be a safe, effective form of treatment.
So before you give up on seeking out online counseling in Toronto, give this article a quick read!
We’re being held back by stigma and fear
Maybe you’re worried about what people will think if they find out you’re in therapy.Or maybe you feel like your problems aren’t “serious” enough for therapy – maybe you think therapy isn’t right for you because you don’t have a formal mental health diagnosis.
In actuality, if whatever you’re dealing with is causing you undue stress or suffering, it’s serious enough!
The idea that therapy is only for certain people – usually, those with diagnosed mental health issues – perpetuates stigma around mental health and prevents those in need from getting the help they deserve.
Stigma is when someone treats us differently because of their attitudes and beliefs about some supposedly negative characteristic we have. These negative attitudes are usually founded in misconceptions, misinformation, and stereotypes, and can lead to discrimination. Unfortunately, stigma can be internalized, which can cause us to view ourselves negatively and can even worsen mental health symptoms.
A lot of people have experienced stigma around mental health, so it’s understandable if you’re feeling nervous. But the reality is that seeing a therapist, entering into counseling, or having mental health concerns doesn’t make you weak or bad or undeserving of a happy, fulfilling life.
And again, you’re not alone in feeling like you need the help of a professional therapist!
We are suffering, and we need help
The reality is that regular life suffering has become unbearable for many – if not most – people. The effects of hustle culture and socioeconomic uncertainty are being felt widely, and the pandemic didn’t help. An Ipsos poll conducted in 2021 found that 60% of respondents were experiencing mental health issues.
People are burnt out, stressed out, and overwhelmed – more so than ever.
In fact, “burnout and stress are at an all-time high across professions,” with workplace stress being a primary culprit. A study of 10,243 full-time office workers from six countries found that over 40% were burnt out. Similarly, a US poll for the American Psychological Association found that 27% of Americans were too stressed to function on most days, while 76% experienced at least one negative physical symptom in the prior month due to stress.
But that stress will pass, right? It’ll sort itself out eventually, won’t it? Maybe, but maybe not. Stress is actually more dangerous than it seems!
Stress is a serious health concern
While stress might seem like a temporary inconvenience that must simply be endured until it passes, it can have both short-term and lasting effects on our mental and physical health. For example, stress can cause the following symptoms:
- headache
- muscle tension
- elevated heart rate
- upset stomach
- fatigue
- irritability
- restlessness
- depression
- anxiety disorders
- sexual dysfunction
- heart disease
In other words, stress can contribute to the development of common and serious mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. In contrast, therapy has been proven to help increase positive well-being, which in turn decreases the likelihood of developing mental illness.
But therapy is so expensive!
It’s no secret that there can be a big cost to therapy and that publicly funded programs offering free or discounted therapy often have lengthy waitlists.
If you’re one of the thousands of Canadians who don’t have the disposable income necessary to cover private therapy services, you might be wondering: Is there no other way to help pay for online counseling in Toronto?
Good news: there is another option to help make your therapy more affordable!
Most extended health benefits (EHBs) now cover therapy
Did you know that most extended health benefit (EHBs) plans now cover counseling and therapy sessions with licensed therapy providers? This includes many kinds of online counseling in Toronto, such as therapy sessions with Blue Rabbit’s team of licensed psychotherapists and social workers!
And EHBs are more common than you might think: more than 60% of Canadians have EHBs, with approximately 56% of these workers having access to plans that cover mental health services.
So before you give up on the dream of affordable therapy, be sure to check whether your work EHB plan covers mental health services such as online counseling!
Summary: Therapy is for everyone – even you!
You don’t have to have a formal mental health diagnosis to benefit from therapy, and whatever is causing you suffering is serious enough.
At Blue Rabbit Therapy, most of our clients are adults looking for support with concerns such as anxiety and relationship issues. The founder of Blue Rabbit, Leah Sherry, has experienced that, “therapy is especially helpful when you are overwhelmed with emotion or difficult feelings (grief, sadness, heartbreak, loneliness, anger) or when you have tried to break a pattern of behavior or negative thinking on your own without success.”
However, Leah also believes that therapy can be beneficial for everyone: “Having a professional person to organize our thoughts and feelings with can be very calming and create an empowerment within the self that translates into other parts of life. Some people can benefit from short-term solution-focused therapy, while others might benefit from longer-term exploration of the self to uncover root causes of anxiety, depression, or trauma.” With so few people using their EHBs to access mental health services, people are suffering more than they need to be.
That’s why Leah opened Blue Rabbit Therapy, a Toronto-based online counseling clinic committed to dismantling mental health stigma and providing accessible therapy. As a long-time Toronto resident, Leah has seen firsthand how much demand there is for online counseling in Toronto.
Blue Rabbit’s registered psychotherapists and social workers specialize in navigating a variety of common issues, hurdles, and life transitions, as well as diagnosed mental health issues. To make its services as accessible as possible, the clinic has also ensured that its services are immediately available and covered by most EHBs.
Feeling stressed out, overwhelmed, or unhappy? Ready to give online counseling in Toronto a try? Book a free consultation with one of our registered therapists.
Jess Blackwell is a freelance writer and copy editor based out of Toronto. She helps small businesses, researchers, and other authors craft compelling, enriching, and persuasive content.