Why I Love Virtual Therapy (in my car)

February 19, 2023 Haley Canaday

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I am not a medical professional. Any advice given is from my own personal experience and should not be taken as medical advice. Please seek a doctor if you are experiencing regular panic attacks. <3

The story that brought me to needing therapy, is long enough to write several books, so I’ll save that for my future memoirs. But the important thing, is that I did eventually start.

I had been wanting to go for a few years, but with three kids that I was raising majority of the time on my own, it just felt like one more thing to add to my to-do list. But after my third nervous break in 5 years, I decided I had no choice but to go.

While at a Dr. Appointment to start a new anxiety/depression medication, I asked her for referrals. She handed me a pre-printed list of therapists in my area. IT WAS THAT EASY!!

The first office I called wasn’t taking new patients Dammit. But I scored big with the second office I called. They had two openings that week and one of the therapists only took appointments via Zoom. EVEN BETTER. I didn’t even have to muster the energy to leave the house!

When the day came, surrounded by my kids, I decided it’d be better for my appointment to take place in my car. What I didn’t know at the time, is how helpful that was going to be.

Here’s why I LOVE doing virtual therapy. (In my car)

1.) YOU ARE IN YOUR COMFORT ZONE

There is no pressure of being in a room with a stranger, feeling like you need to perform. If you’re a people pleaser like me, you know that sometimes (always?) you make sure other people around you are more comfortable than you. Always checking in on how they are doing, being aware of their body language, are they interested in you? Should you be more interested in them? THIS IS NOT WHAT THERAPY IS ABOUT. Maybe it was my desperation at the time, but being in my comfort zone and having the little bit of disconnect thru my phone screen helped me to relax, making it easier to be vulnerable.

2.) SO MANY DISTRACTIONS TO LOOK AT

When you are sharing your deep, vulnerable inside stuff, the last thing you want to do, is to be looking in to someone’s eyes, wondering if they are judging you. Doing an appointment on your phone, in your car, takes that pressure off. Not only is your therapist really small on the screen lol, you have so many things to look at, so you don’t feel like you need to make proper eye contact. I like parking somewhere where there is a lot of foliage to watch flutter in the wind. This could literally be in the back of the grocery store parking lot. Watching the cars go by on a busy street can be a great distraction too.

3.) NO TRAVEL TIME

It is much less of a time commitment, not having to drive to and from your therapist’s office. Not gonna lie, I don’t even shower before some of my therapy appointments. Who has the time and energy to work, parent, do therapy, AND shower??? I just hopped out of the house, into my car, and hit my therapist’s Zoom link. Way quicker!

4.) YOU DON’T HAVE TO PEOPLE

When you have anxiety and depression, there are a lot of days when being out in public, around people, is too much. Having to put on a different face to hide how you are actually feeling inside is exhausting. Doing therapy virtually, takes that pressure off. You could literally do your appointment laying in bed if you wanted to.

5.) YOU DON’T HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR THERAPIST’S OFFICE CRYING

Another reason why I put off starting therapy, was because I didn’t want to have to exit my therapist office, into a waiting room, trying to recover from crying. Doing appointments from your home or car, eliminates this. If you are in your car, you can take a couple minutes after your appointment ends to recover a little bit before entering the world again. OR, you can let yourself keep crying to get it all out, instead of having to wrap it all up at the end of your session.

Every one’s experience is different of course, and what works for some, is terrible for others. I really encourage you to give any sort of therapy a try, when the time is right for you. Virtual therapy has been a (literal) life saver for me and I am so grateful to have the option.

Be safe and gentle with yourselves loved ones!

You are loved, so very much!

Love, Haley

If you found this post helpful, find more Self-care tips in my 1st book Self-care Beyond Bubble Baths - Out of the box ideas to calm your mind and increase your self worth. I promise you wont regret it. I mean, worst case scenario you accidentally love yourself a little more.