How chosen approaches work in online sessions

Client-centered therapy focuses on the client’s experience and values, giving people space to tell their story and set the pace of change. It helps when someone needs a supportive, nonjudgmental way to clarify goals and build confidence.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, looks at how thoughts influence feelings and actions. In online work this often means tracking patterns between sessions, testing small behavior changes, and using short exercises to reduce anxiety or shift mood.

Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, teaches practical emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills. It is useful for managing intense reactions, impulsivity, and improving communication in stressful moments. In teletherapy, those skills can be practiced in real time and reinforced with brief reminders or written coaching.

Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will talk with the client about goals, preferences, and day-to-day life to decide which methods to try first, and will adjust the plan as progress is made.

Online formats - video calls, phone, live chat, and text messaging - make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules. Video allows face-to-face conversation and screen sharing for worksheets, phone sessions use less bandwidth and can be a good option during a short break, live chat or text messaging can provide quick check-ins or coaching between meetings. These options increase flexibility and make consistent work possible from wherever a client can be in a quieter setting.