Instant Messaging Therapy

Instant Messaging (or IM) therapy has similar advantages to VoIP therapy - fantastic accessibility.  IM therapy is useful if clients are Deaf or have a hearing impairment, but they are most commonly used by young people who are sometimes more comfortable and more familiar with talking via text.

How do I access Instant Messaging Therapy?

I use a service call Zoom™ for Instant Messaging Therapy - it's essentially the same sort of service as Messenger™ or WhatsApp™.  There are a number of reasons for this which you can read about here.

To use Zoom™ you need to download one of the following:
  • An app for your phone or tablet - Apple and Android are both supported
  • A desktop program - Windows and Mac OS are both supported

You can find the app, extension or program you need by following the relevant link at the bottom of this page.
Picture
"Sometimes it's hard to talk when someone's in front of you.  I chat with my mates online all the time and it just felt easier having therapy like that too."

Advantages of Instant Messaging Therapy

  • Saves time: it can be difficult balancing family life and work at the best of times.  Adding in another obligation - even a helpful one like therapy - can be a little daunting.  Instant Messaging therapy puts the choice of when and where to have a session in your hands - quite literally if you're undertaking the session on your mobile phone!

  • Confidence: people with low opinion of their self-image, or little body confidence may be nervous about being seen in a Video or Face to Face therapy session.  Similarly people with speech or hearing impairments may not want to, or be able to, access VoIP sessions.  Instant Messaging therapy allows clients to get real time empathic responses whilst helping the client build confidence in the therapeutic process.

  • Flexible scheduling: many people have commitments that make accessing therapy during 9 to 5 office hours impossible.  Further, if you work in healthcare, the emergency services, retail or the service industry then accessing therapy in the evenings can be difficult too.  Video therapy means that you could access sessions at other times of the day... or even in the middle of the night!