Introduction
Throughout the site, we will use the description virtual therapy to mean psychotherapy, psychological counselling, or any other form of psychological help. We do not imply that these things are identical, but merely use the term in a generic sense.
The virtual clinic delivers psychological counselling and other types of therapy remotely. There is no difference whatsoever between conventional therapy and the therapy we deliver with the exception that unlike conventional psychotherapy or counselling, the therapist and the client are not in the same room.
By any of the following methods:
You the client choose the method with which you feel most comfortable.
Skype is one of the easiest and most user-friendly programs to install on your computer.
To download Skype, go to
and click ‘Downloads’. On the Downloads page choose the device on which you wish to install Skype. You may install Skype on multiple devices including your computer, your tablet, your mobile phone, your home phone, and your television; however, bear in mind that you will want to be in a private location when engaging in virtual therapy.
Skype is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
In addition to creating further options for the delivery of therapy, online therapy meets the needs of significant client groups whose needs have not hitherto been met. These include:
We have thought long and hard about this issue, and frankly we can come up with no better answer than to say that the limitations of virtual therapy are very similar to the limitations of conventional face-to-face therapy. The fact that you will probably have access to a therapist outside of normal office hours provides you with an added benefit.
We will say of course as we would say if we were discussing conventional therapy that if you are suffering from a mental health emergency, you must contact your local emergency services without delay.
Most inventories and tests are now available for completion online. If the therapist advises this, she or he will arrange for you to access these tests remotely, and she or he will then be able to assess the results and feed them back to you via the virtual clinic.
The only exception to the above is that there are a number of specific cognitive tests that are indicated in some circumstances where you need to interact in a face-to-face way with the psychologist administering these tests. If this is indicated, we will make our best efforts to arrange for you to complete such tests locally, and to have the results sent directly to your regular treatment provider.
As we noted above, online therapists do not necessarily carry overheads (for example, office space), and are thus able to pass on savings to their clients. Each of the therapists on our site is free to set his or her own scale of charges, and we would urge you to have a conversation directly with your chosen therapist in order to discuss this matter.
In line with the policies of therapists who deliver psychological counselling by face-to-face methods, our therapists offer a sliding scale of charges for those whose financial circumstances make it difficult them to meet the full fee. Once again, we would urge you to discuss this matter directly with your chosen treatment provider.
We are able to take conventional credit card and debit card payments over the phone, you can pay directly online into our bank account, or we can issue you a PayPal invoice. If you are an organization rather than an individual accessing treatment, please feel free to contact us directly in order to establish an account that will enable us to bill you at appropriate intervals.
The virtual clinic is an exciting and innovative new project headed by Dr. Ian Anderson. During the first months he will be the only provider on the site, although we will be actively recruiting psychologists, counsellors, and therapists during this time. Dr. Anderson along with all the other available service providers on the site are happy to engage in a no-obligation discussion free of charge in order to help you get sense of who your therapist will be, how he or she works, and to ensure that your therapist is able to provide you with the help you need. We encourage you to contact as many potential providers as you wish before making a decision.
Although our therapists are well-qualified and licensed in their own jurisdiction, they come from a variety of backgrounds and approaches. We believe that the important thing for you is that you find the right match between your needs, the approach, and the person who delivers the therapy.
It is also the case that reflecting their levels of experience and other factors, some providers will be significantly less expensive than others, and some providers will specialize in certain areas of treatment.
Each of our providers has his or her own page which briefly outlines their level of experience, approaches to treatment, and areas of expertise.
We most certainly can, and we will actively seek to engage with insurers, other treatment providers, law firms, and organizations that offer employee assistance as a benefit to contact us in order to discuss our terms and conditions.
As we have suggested, we are actively recruiting qualified professionals. The two basic requirements we have is that you are both qualified and licenced in your own jurisdiction, and that you maintain Professional Indemnity Insurance. If you match these criteria and are interested in discussing the matter further with Dr. Anderson please call or email in order to arrange an informal discussion.
Each therapist sets the length of her or his own sessions, but most therapists including Dr. Ian Anderson follow the traditional 50-minute session model. The 50-minute session means that the therapist is able to spend the final 10 minutes post-session making a brief record of what occurred.
In some circumstances a therapist may agree to a half session (25 minutes), but this is something that should be discussed on an individual basis.
If you choose the option of real-time chat or email help, the therapist will charge one-tenth of her or his hourly rate for each 6 minutes that she/he spends reading and answering your emails and texts.
We are actively recruiting qualified and licenced psychologists, counsellors, and therapists in order to offer a wide choice in the provision of these services.
Email us here if you would like to participate