Online Therapy for Pittsburgh, Philadelphia & all of Pennsylvania
- Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed, exhausted & anxious?
- Have friends or family made comments about how stressed out you look?
- Do you feel exhausted trying to manage your mental & emotional health on your own?
- Are you noticing you don’t have as many meaningful friendships in your life as you once did?
Throughout our lives stress comes and goes – new jobs, new homes, new additions to the family all contribute to feelings of stress and joy. Experiences like the death of a loved one, miscarriage, the change of a job or retiring are all things that can make managing your personal stressors more challenging. Responding to these various life experiences and noticing your mood or relationships being temporarily strained is normal. What is not normal, is when after these stressors have passed, you find yourself feeling depressed, anxious, lost, or lonely.
Life transitions are a cause of grief and it is normal to seek more support to help you get back to feeling like yourself again. In addition to prioritizing your mental health, you likely have the challenge of juggling work, parenting, your marriage and your involvement in the community. If you are not feeling your best emotionally, you may notice physically you feel more tired or irritable. It is also common for people to experience tension or changes in their intimate relationships. Striving to get back to “normal” is fantastic, let us help you reach your goals and experience healthy relationships once again.
The Majority of People Need Help Learning How to Cope with Life in a Healthy Way
When you hear the phrase “coping skills,” certain things might come to mind – like exercise, journaling, or a mindfulness practice. What we don’t often think about are the ways that we learn how to cope with stress, anxiety or depression in unhealthy ways. Excessive drinking, substance use, pornography use/addiction and emotional eating are just a few examples of ways that individuals and couples learn how to cope with stressful events or anxiety in their lives. One of the things you will likely talk about with your counselor is how to cope with the challenging and unexpected things in life in a way that leads to resilience. Many times we will use the analogy of a “toolbox,” something you can return to time and time again as you will need different tools to cope with the various situations that life throws at you.
If you relate to any of the above unhealthy coping skills, first, know you are not alone. We often develop unhealthy ways of managing stress because we have been forced to survive with not enough resources to get by. These could be emotional, financial, relational, or other tangible resources. Living in the middle of the state in Harrisburg or in the eastern part of the state in King of Prussia or Berwyn doesn’t exempt you from the challenges you might face, simply because you are human. Pursuing online counseling from the comfort of your own home helps to limit the number of things that can get in the way of you attending counseling in person (like childcare schedules or traffic).
Online Therapy is a Healthy Support for Coping with Life Stressors, Grief & Relational Dysfunction
We were not born knowing how to relate with others & many of us have experienced dysfunctional and harmful relationships. Unless the time is taken to “unlearn” the unhelpful lessons or ways of relating to others, you will not suddenly just be able to relate to people in a healthy way. For example, if your parents divorced when you were young and you were around a lot of fighting growing up, you might notice that when conflict arises in your personal or professional life you feel anxious and/or try to avoid conflict. Through online counseling you can learn tools to help you stay calm in these situations and feel empowered to navigate conflict in the future.
Maybe you have noticed that time after time you have broken up with someone because you didn’t feel confident communicating your needs, or maybe you don’t even know what you need in a relationship. Maddie or Lauren would be an excellent fit for you as they both have experience helping clients who have been emotionally abused. If you find that you struggle to sleep due to racing thoughts, or you wake up feeling anxious and nauseous, Hannah, Lauren, or Maddie all excel at helping people identify the root cause of anxiety. Freedom from intrusive thoughts, panic attacks and feelings of depression is just a consultation away. Sometimes the hardest part is taking that first step.
What to Expect in Online Counseling
It can be helpful to know what to expect in online therapy. When you first call or email inquiring about counseling services and scheduling, we encourage you to set up a consultation with your chosen counselor so you can get your questions answered. Next, there will be some paperwork you need to complete; we will send you a link and the paperwork can be completed in your client portal account. Once your paperwork is submitted you are ready to attend your session. Sometime before your session your counselor will send you an email with a link to join. The online program we use is HIPAA compliant, secure and end-to-end encrypted. As long as you have a quiet, private space to have your session, the only other thing you need is a reliable internet connection and you are ready to go. Sessions typically last 45-50 minutes.
3 Common Misconceptions Related to Online Therapy
“Online therapy doesn’t really work.”
As online counseling has become a normal and a convenient option for mental health support, more research has come out on the effectiveness of online counseling versus in-person counseling. The research has shown that in-person therapy and online therapy are both effective means of healing from trauma, working through depression and learning how to manage anxiety, among other challenges people face. It is for this reason we are offering online counseling indefinitely, as we will be able to reach and offer support to people in both western and rural Pennsylvania – from Ephrata to Lancaster, Pittsburgh to State College, as well as the suburbs of Philadelphia.
“I am afraid I won’t feel connected to my therapist because we aren’t in person.”
We would encourage you to first set up a phone consultation with your counselor. Each therapist on staff offers 15 minute consultations, at no charge, to get some questions answered and to see if you feel comfortable with your chosen counselor. Participating in online counseling might feel weird if you have never tried it; it is also normal to feel hesitant to give it a try. We are trained, professional and strive to create an environment and therapeutic relationship that is beneficial and healing for you. You might be surprised at how convenient and simple it is to connect with your therapist online.
“I don’t know what my family will think if I go to online counseling.”
It is true that in decades past mental health support has been heavily stigmatized. You might even belong to a family who doesn’t support you seeking out the help you need. We help equip clients to set boundaries and have conversations with their friends or family who might think counseling is weird/unnecessary. There are ways to talk about counseling without sharing details of your experiences in session. We always remind clients that when you have the right support and can be the healthiest version of yourself, it is hard for others in your life to not take notice, including those family members who might be unsupportive of your pursuing online counseling.
What if I Don’t Get Better?
One of the hardest parts about counseling is finding the courage to ask for help. Instead of asking yourself “what if I don’t get better?” Try asking yourself: “what have I been wanting to do, but haven’t been able to because of my experiences of depression, grief or anxiety?” Or even, “what if I do get better?” If you don’t do anything, you can’t expect things to change. Working with the professionals at Lime Tree Counseling will give you the opportunity to help you discover the best version of yourself. The life you have been wanting to live is absolutely possible. While there are a lot of telehealth options, Lime Tree has a few unique things that other practices don’t have. First we have availability and evening hours 5 days per week. Due to the unique nature of a group practice, we have several decades of experience to offer to each client. We are also a small business and working with a local, private practice is an excellent way to contribute to the local economy and community in Pennsylvania.
There is Freedom from Anxiety & Depression – It Starts with a Phone Call
Investing in yourself through online therapy is a decision that takes time to consider. We are available to answer any questions you might have about how it works or who might be the best fit for you. Our entire team offers telehealth sessions. Feel free to read through their bios or schedule a consultation at no cost to you. Let us help you become the best version of yourself and discover the life you were made to live!
Further Reading On Online Counseling
Read more about online counseling services in our blog posts:
Top 10 Places for Self-Care in Pinehurst, NC
By Lauren Thomas, MA, LPC Self-care is any opportunity we give ourselves to unplug from our work/responsibilities and plug into the things that renew our energy and bring us joy. Self-care is not selfish! We humans have limited capacity. That means we have a finite...
Curb the Complaining! 6 Tips to Shift Your Perspective and Find More Joy!
By Lauren Thomas, MA, LPC Have you noticed that your default communication pattern is negativity?! Perhaps you find yourself complaining regularly about the people and circumstances in your life. We all have hard moments and days where things are frustrating, but I am...
5 reasons conflict can be positive
By Nathan Bailey, MA, LPC One of the best cartoons of my era was “Garfield and Friends” (it still holds up well). On the show, Garfield sometimes ran into a group called “The Buddy Bears.” Three bears, dressed alike who had their own theme song. It went like this: “Oh...
Additional Therapy Services at
Lime Tree Counseling
In addition to therapy to help those who are struggling with anxiety, we also provide a range of therapy solutions, including:
Trauma & PTSD Treatment
We also specialize in trauma and PTSD therapy. Sometimes one partner’s trauma background effects the relationship. In these cases, the one partner will find it helpful to do some trauma counseling before couples therapy…Learn more
Marriage Counseling
Relationships evolve as life changes. Sometimes partners need help learning new skills to help them communicate better and strengthen their connection. We help couples improve their marriages through couples therapy…Learn more
Christian Counseling
When your faith is a central part of who you are, you need that as part of your counseling. Our team are all Christians, ready to help you learn what God has for you…Learn more
Get Started With Therapy Today!
Please contact Lime Tree Counseling to schedule an appointment or a free consultation. We will get back to you as soon as possible and get you scheduled. In our Ambler, PA office, we serve all of Montgomery County, and our therapists are happy to offer online counseling sessions for residents of Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Colorado.