Online Therapy for Agoraphobia: What to Know Before Starting

Seeking treatment for an anxiety disorder is most often a daunting prospect, but for people living with agoraphobia, it can be especially hard.

Your condition causes you to fear leaving the safety of your home to face the scrutiny of others, yet treatment requires you to venture out and regularly spend time discussing your thoughts and behaviors with a therapist.

It can feel like a no-win catch-22 situation.

For people facing this dilemma, online therapy can be exactly the lifeline they need.

Online Therapy for Agoraphobia: What does it look like?

Online therapy for agoraphobia works using a combination of video calls, emails, instant messaging, and homework assignments, and the process follows the exact same principles as face-to-face therapy. 

Research shows that online treatment is just as effective—and far less daunting—than seeing a therapist in person.

There are a few different routes you can explore if you’re looking into online agoraphobia treatment.

Online therapy platforms like Talkspace or Online-Therapy.com are often good places to start your search.

These companies treat a wide range of conditions using technology tailor-made for online therapy. You’ll typically create an account, answer some questions about your symptoms, and then are matched with a suitable therapist based on your situation.

As well as regular video calls and access to instant messages, many of these platforms contain extra resources such as guided meditations or additional reading for you to complete alongside your sessions.

Many smaller, private practices also offer online therapy as an alternative to visiting the clinic in-person. Treatment proceeds in much the same way as with traditional therapy, substituting video calls for face-to-face appointments.

Last, there are a variety of self-help options available online. These vary greatly in the type (and quality) of support they offer but in principle, can be just as effective as treatment with a therapist if you’re willing to put in the time and effort.

What Kinds of Agoraphobia Treatment are Available Online?

There are a huge range of treatment types available, but not all have the evidence to support their use in treating agoraphobia.

The most effective forms of treatment for agoraphobia are:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps clients identify and challenge the unhelpful or exaggerated thoughts underpinning their fears.

• Exposure therapy, a technique used by CBT therapists, is used to guide clients through facing their feared situations, giving them the chance to learn effective coping strategies and re-evaluate how harmful they expect feared situations to be.

In both forms of treatment, the emphasis is on learning new coping skills and applying them in your daily life.

This means that provided you stick to the homework and exercises set by your therapist, both types of treatment can work just as effectively when delivered remotely as when undertaken in person.

Benefits of Online Therapy

There are numerous reasons to consider online agoraphobia treatment. These include the following:

Less daunting

Undertaking treatment from the comfort of your home feels much safer than visiting a clinic in person, making it easier to get started with treatment.

This is especially true if your fears specifically revolve around leaving home or interacting with others.

Flexibility

Online therapy is easier to fit around other commitments, and many platforms offer evening and weekend sessions to accommodate clients who work full time.

Increased contact

Some forms of online therapy offer email and instant messaging services as well as regular video calls. This means you can chat to your therapist in real-time and address concerns as they arise throughout the week.

Less practical limitations

When looking for in-person therapy you are limited by the options available in your local area and how far you can practically travel for each session.

This makes online therapy a great alternative if there are no specialists offering treatment near you or if you live in a very remote area.

Affordability

If you aren’t getting treatment through health insurance, traditional therapy can be very expensive.

Subscription to an online platform or self-help service typically costs a fraction of the price while still giving you access to the same information and resources.

Quicker to access

Many traditional therapy practices have extremely long wait lists.

This is often less of an issue with big online platforms where you can be matched to an available therapist anywhere in the world, allowing you to get started right away.

Potential Drawbacks of Online Therapy

Despite its advantages, online therapy isn’t for everyone. Before you sign up, there are several factors you should consider.

These include the following:

Technology use

Are you confident using technology such as online platforms and video calls? Do you have a modern device and stable internet connection to allow you to reliably get in contact with your therapist?

Building rapport virtually

One of the key factors that determines therapy effectiveness is the relationship between the therapist and the client (known as the therapeutic relationship).

Evidence suggests that it’s entirely possible to develop a close working relationship virtually, but some people may struggle with this, making online therapy potentially less valuable for them.

Insurance

Not all insurers will cover online therapy. Always check your policy details before signing up to anything.

Extreme circumstances

Online therapy is not recommended if you are going through a major life crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts. Always speak to a doctor or psychologist about these issues in person.

What to Look For in an Online Therapist for Agoraphobia Treatment

It’s easy to be impressed by a flashy website or grand-sounding promises of success, but before you commit to any form of treatment it’s worth doing your research.

When looking for a therapist, consider the following:

• Is the therapist suitably qualified and registered/accredited with the relevant governing bodies? These will vary depending on your location, so do some research to make sure any potential therapist definitely knows their stuff.
  
• Does the therapist use evidence-based techniques? There are lots of different kinds of agoraphobia treatments out there, but using anything that doesn’t have scientific backing means taking a completely unnecessary risk with your time and money.
  
  The best evidence-based techniques for agoraphobia are CBT and exposure therapy, so make sure your therapist is familiar with them before signing up.

• Do they specialise in treating agoraphobia? Agoraphobia is a very specific condition with a unique style of treatment involving both in-session work with the therapist and exercises completed in your own time.
  
  A therapist who doesn’t have the necessary training and experience in agoraphobia treatment may be less able to help you manage your symptoms.

An easier way in

It isn’t easy seeking help for a condition like agoraphobia, when your symptoms are specifically telling you that it’s safer to stay home and avoid anything that makes you nervous.

Yet among those brave enough to seek out professional treatment, recovery rates are very high.

Online therapy could represent an easier way into treatment for many suffering from agoraphobia.

Still, it’s worth noting that online treatment still requires a serious investment of time and effort, as well as the willingness to face your fears in a gradual, controlled process.

It is by no means an easy option, so be sure that you’re willing and able to commit to seeing treatment through before signing up.