# Online psychologist: how to choose well and what to expect from video-call therapy

> Finding an online psychologist is easy; choosing well is not. What to check before the first session, when video calls work as well as the consulting room and what to expect from the process.

*https://mypsicotest.com/en/blog/online-psychologist-how-to-choose/ · Published: 2026-09-12 · 8 min read · MyPsicoTest team*

Type "online psychologist" into a search engine and hundreds of results appear: platforms with twenty therapists per page, private practices, apps with unlimited chat. They all promise the same thing. And yet the difference between a good choice and a bad one shows from the second session onwards. This guide gathers what is worth knowing before you book: what an **online psychologist** actually does, in which cases **online therapy** works as well as in-person therapy, what to check about the professional and what to expect once the camera is on.


## What an online psychologist actually does (and does not do)

An **online psychologist** does the same as a psychologist in a consulting room, with a screen in between: she assesses, proposes a work plan and develops it in weekly or fortnightly video-call sessions. The first appointment is usually spent understanding what brings you, since when and how it affects you. From there, the work uses specific techniques depending on the problem: gradual exposure for anxiety, behavioural activation for depression, restructuring of thoughts, emotion-regulation skills, EMDR for trauma.

What she does not do, and it is worth being clear here, is replace a psychiatrist when medication is needed, or handle an emergency. If your life is at risk, the resource is the 024 line in Spain, 112 or your local emergency number, not a video call scheduled for Thursday. Nor is it the same as a chat app with automated replies: therapy is done by a person with training, a registration number and legal responsibility for what she does.


## When online therapy makes sense (and when in-person is better)

### Cases where video calls work just as well

Research from the last fifteen years is fairly consistent: for anxiety, mild and moderate depression, stress, insomnia, phobias and many couple problems, **online therapy** achieves results equivalent to in-person therapy. The American Psychological Association summarises that evidence on its [telepsychology page](https://www.apa.org/topics/telehealth), and the [World Health Organization](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/anxiety-disorders) reminds us that anxiety disorders, the most common in the world, respond well to psychological treatments that today can be delivered remotely.

There are also situations in which online is not just as good but better: you live in a village with no specialists nearby, you work shifts, you have small children, leaving the house is hard precisely because of anxiety, or you want to carry on with your usual psychologist after moving.

### Situations where an in-person consultation is advisable

There are exceptions. Severe conditions with suicide risk, psychotic disorders, eating disorders with medical complications and some assessments of young children need physical presence, or at least a team that guarantees it. A good **online psychologist** will tell you so in the first call and refer you if necessary. If she does not, that is a bad sign.



![Woman following an online therapy session from her sofa at home with headphones and a laptop](https://mypsicotest.com/assets/img/blog-sesion-terapia-online-desde-casa-1200.webp)




## How to choose an online psychologist: seven checks before the first session

1. **Registration number and healthcare licence.** In Spain, practising clinical psychology requires being registered with the professional college and holding the healthcare licence (or the General Health Psychology master's). The number can be verified with the regional college or through the [General Council of Psychology](https://www.cop.es/). If it is not on the website, ask.
2. **A real speciality.** Nobody is an expert in everything. Look for someone who regularly works with what is happening to you: anxiety, adult ADHD, trauma, eating disorders. Websites listing thirty specialities usually have none.
3. **An evidence-based approach.** Cognitive behavioural therapy, EMDR for trauma, acceptance and commitment therapy, systemic therapy for couples and families. If they talk about methods you cannot find in any clinical guideline, be wary.
4. **A preliminary information call.** Many professionals offer a free ten- or fifteen-minute call. It is there to explain your case, clear up questions about price and format, and notice whether you feel comfortable talking to that person.
5. **Platform and privacy.** Encrypted video calls, no recordings without consent, and a privacy policy that says where your data is stored. A psychologist who asks you to hold the session over a social network has not thought about your confidentiality.
6. **Price, duration and cancellations in writing.** Sessions of 50 to 60 minutes, a fixed price and clear conditions for changing an appointment. In Spain an online session normally costs between forty and eighty euros; below that, it is worth asking who is actually delivering the care.
7. **How you feel after the first session.** You left understanding what is happening to you a little better and with an idea of where the work is heading. If you only had the impression of filling in a form, keep looking.


## What to expect from the first video-call session

Prepare a quiet place, headphones and a stable connection; that is enough. The first few minutes usually cover the framework: how the psychologist works, what frequency she suggests, how cancellations are handled. Then it is time to talk. You do not need a prepared speech; she will ask since when it happens, what makes it worse, what you have already tried and how it is affecting your work, your sleep or your relationships.

It is common for her to ask you to complete a screening questionnaire, similar to our [Anxiety Test](https://mypsicotest.com/en/anxiety-test/) or the [Depression Test](https://mypsicotest.com/en/depression-test/), to have an initial measure and be able to compare a few weeks later. By the end of the session you should leave with two things: a hypothesis about what is going on and a work plan, even if provisional. And if the first video call feels strange, that is normal. Most people forget about the screen from the second one.


## Online versus in-person therapy: what the research says

Meta-analyses published since 2010 compare cognitive behavioural therapy by video call with in-person therapy for anxiety, depression and insomnia and find minimal or no differences in outcomes. The therapeutic alliance, the best predictor that a therapy will work, is built just as well through the camera according to most studies. What does change is the dropout rate: people miss fewer online sessions because they do not depend on traffic, parking or someone to mind the children.

Where in-person still has the edge is in reading full body language and in some techniques that require being in the same room. That is why many professionals work in a mixed format: online most of the time and the odd in-person session when the process calls for it.


## How much an online psychologist costs and how long therapy lasts

Brief therapy for a specific anxiety or mood problem usually takes between eight and twenty sessions. Deeper processes, such as trauma or attachment problems, can take months. No serious psychologist will give you an exact figure in the first call, but she will give you an indication and, above all, review with you every few weeks whether you are making progress.

About money: besides the price per session, ask whether there are session packs, whether the first information call is free and what happens if you cancel with less than twenty-four hours' notice. Having these conditions written on the website is, in itself, a sign of seriousness.


## Our recommendation: a licensed online psychologist with a free information call

At MyPsicoTest we recommend [Xènia Capel Salcedo](https://psicologaigualada.es/en/therapist-psychologist-igualada/), a licensed **online psychologist** registered with the Official College of Psychology of Catalonia (no. 14982), with a master's degree in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. She works with an evidence-based integrative approach (cognitive behavioural therapy, EMDR, systemic therapy) and offers [online therapy](https://psicologaigualada.es/en/online-therapy-online-therapist/) to adults, young people and families from anywhere, as well as in-person care in Igualada and Sant Sadurní d'Anoia. She meets the seven checks above and offers a **free first information call** by phone so you can decide with no obligation. If you first want some orientation about what is happening to you, you can start with the [Anxiety Test](https://mypsicotest.com/en/anxiety-test/) or the [Stress Test](https://mypsicotest.com/en/stress-test/), both free and anonymous.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is an online psychologist as effective as an in-person one?

For anxiety, mild and moderate depression, stress, insomnia and phobias, studies find equivalent results. The key is not the format but the professional's training and the method she uses.

### How do I know whether an online psychologist is registered?

Ask for her registration number and check it with the relevant regional college or the General Council of Psychology in Spain. To treat mental health problems there, she also needs the healthcare licence or the General Health Psychology master's.

### What do I need for video-call therapy?

A phone, tablet or computer with a camera, headphones for more privacy, a stable connection and a place where nobody will interrupt you for an hour. If you live with other people, a parked car or a walk with headphones are alternatives many people use.

### How much does a session with an online psychologist cost?

In Spain, most 50- to 60-minute online sessions cost between forty and eighty euros. Some professionals offer a free first information call and packs of several sessions. Be wary of prices far below that range with no explanation.

### Can I do online therapy if I have an anxiety attack during the session?

Yes. In fact, it is a situation psychologists are used to handling by video call: she will guide you through breathing and grounding techniques until it passes. If at any point there is a real risk to your safety, the session is interrupted and emergency resources are activated.

### Is online therapy confidential?

It must be. The psychologist is bound by professional secrecy and data-protection rules just as in the consulting room. Ask which platform she uses, whether she records sessions (she should not without your consent) and where she stores your data.