Online, messaging & phone therapy · Anywhere in the UK and worldwide
Online, Messaging & Phone Therapy
The same depth, confidentiality and care as sitting in a room together, from wherever you are. Research says it works just as well and for many people it works better.
£70 per 50-minute session
.jpg)
Harjeet Hayre
Integrative Psychotherapist · BACP Registered Member · NHS-experienced Reviewed September 2026 · About Harjeet
What the evidence says
As effective as in person.
This is not a compromise. A meta-analysis of 57 studies covering more than 4,000 clients found video therapy produced outcomes largely equivalent to in-person treatment across 281 separate measures. A second, covering over 5,000 participants, concluded that therapy delivered by video is no less effective than in person, with the strongest results for anxiety and depression.
The relationship survives the screen too: a review of 18 studies found no significant difference in the therapeutic alliance, whether rated by clients or therapists. And telephone therapy holds up as well: a randomised trial in primary care found phone-delivered CBT was not inferior to face-to-face, with fewer people dropping out.
The NHS itself now delivers talking therapies in person, by video and by phone. What matters is the quality of the work, not the room.
Who it suits
Your own chair, your own space.
-
Busy schedules, caring responsibilities, and shift work, with sessions available early, late, and at weekends.
-
Mobility limitations, chronic illness, or anxiety that makes travelling hard.
-
Anyone outside London who wants to work with me specifically, anywhere in the UK or Worldwide.
-
Continuity through travel, moves and busy seasons, and as a wet-weather alternative to walk and talk sessions.
-
Neurodivergent clients who prefer camera off, a familiar environment and less sensory load. See my neurodivergent-affirming therapy page.
Phone & messaging sessions deserve a particular mention. Without the visual channel, many people find a focused, reflective space that supports deeper internal awareness. Online gives visual connection while allowing distance and comfort. Both work; some clients alternate.
Practicalities
Making it work well.
-
A private, quiet space where you will not be interrupted or overheard. BACP's advice, which I endorse: preferably not your bed.
-
Headphones help privacy at home. Rest your device on a flat surface rather than holding it.
-
Sessions run on Microsoft Teams or Google Meet, secure, encrypted video platforms, with a phone number as the agreed back-up if technology fails.
-
For online work, I ask for your location and an emergency contact at the start, which is standard good practice so that I can help if you were ever in crisis during a session.
-
If you are feeling particularly unwell or in crisis, in-person support is often better, and I will say so.
Yes. I use a secure, encrypted platform and the same confidentiality applies as in person. The part you control is your end: a private room and headphones. Full details of how your information is handled are in my privacy policy.
Yes. A study of therapy pairs who switched between formats found the working relationship did not change.3 Many clients move between online, face to face and walking sessions across the year.
Anywhere in the UK. Sessions with clients living abroad depend on local regulations and insurance, so ask on the call.
Sources
-
Batastini, A.B., Paprzycki, P., Jones, A.C.T. and MacLean, N. (2021). Are videoconferenced mental and behavioral health services just as good as in-person? A meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 83, 101944.
-
Fernandez, E., Woldgabreal, Y., Day, A. et al. (2021). Live psychotherapy by video versus in-person: a meta-analysis of efficacy and its relationship to types and targets of treatment. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 28(6), 1535–1549.
-
Seuling, P.D. et al. (2024). Therapeutic alliance in videoconferencing psychotherapy compared to psychotherapy in person: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. Eichenberg, C. et al. (2022). Internet Interventions, 29, 100556.
-
Mohr, D.C. et al. (2012). Effect of telephone-administered vs face-to-face cognitive behavioral therapy on adherence to therapy and depression outcomes among primary care patients. JAMA, 307(21), 2278–2285.
-
BACP (2021). Online and phone therapy competence framework.
Ready when you are.
A free introductory call, no forms and no obligation. Just a quiet conversation to see whether working together feels right.