Psychological therapy in summer

The arrival of summer, good weather and vacations, in addition to long sunny days by the pool or beach, are normally accompanied by an improvement in mood, since there is a disconnection with the work routine, more free time and the possibility of going away for a few days or months to another place to disconnect, be it the beach, the mountains or the town.

Every year we find that, with the arrival of summer, absences from therapy sessions increase for different reasons, whether due to progress or improvement, travel, childcare or other circumstances.

However, there are risks when abandoning therapy without professional recommendation, such as a worsening of symptoms, especially at the end of the summer, coinciding with the return from vacation and therefore to the usual routine.

The implications of not going to psychotherapy during the summer holidays

It has been observed that patients who abandon therapy earlier than expected, when they get worse, find it more difficult to resume treatment , so they go to the clinic when the symptoms significantly interfere with their daily life.

In addition, it is important to bear in mind that when patients come to the clinic for the first time they present difficulties or discomfort in their day-to-day life, an aspect that improves as therapy progresses, but that is not resolved until the objectives are met. This makes many people overestimate the improvement after a short time , since the difficulties are faced in another way and the person visualizes those mechanisms available to overcome those obstacles, neglecting or downplaying other important aspects such as self-knowledge and the management of those traits that destabilize him, that can make the person lose his adjustment again.

When it is decided to abandon a therapy for improvement, this must be taken into account and communicated to the therapist in order to assess areas that still need to be worked on and ensure that the person stays and knows how to handle the different problems that may arise in the future. counting on the help of the professional when you need it. If, on the contrary, the professional recommends the continuation of the treatment, the therapy can be adapted and even spaced out over time .

The option of online psychotherapy

On the other hand, when it is decided to interrupt the therapy due to the impossibility of attending, as we have mentioned before, due to geographical mobility for a period of time or child care, there is the possibility of conducting the sessions online .

Online therapy allows you to reduce the time needed to go to the psychologist, it gives you greater flexibility, since you can connect through your home computer. Online therapy also maintains anonymity, since the sessions are carried out through a secure platform to protect the patient's data.

As we have mentioned, it facilitates the continuation of the treatment, since it can be carried out from anywhere . On the other hand, it does not affect the treatment, since its effectiveness is proven, except in therapies that require materials that are only in consultation. However, new technologies allow the sending of files, questionnaires and records to be completed, in addition to the sending of recordings with relaxation techniques, Mindfulness, etc.

One of the great concerns about online therapy is the establishment of the therapeutic bond. It has been empirically shown that online therapy does not affect the bond, and that different problems can be addressed. In addition, online therapy can be combined with face-to-face therapy in those cases in which the person requests it, or the professional sees fit.

On the other hand, once the therapeutic alliance between the patient and the professional has been created in person, there is the possibility of continuing online. Finally, as we have mentioned before, this possibility is also offered to people who are going to travel for a period of time, whether on vacation or for business, with the aim of not interrupting the progress of patients and achieving therapeutic objectives.