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Online therapy is the delivery of professional therapy or counseling, via the Internet. It utilizes various technology mediums such as video or voice conferencing, email or online chat. It may occur in real time (for e.g. when video conferencing or online chatting) or in a time-delayed manner (for e.g. e-mail messages). At this time, HICOL is offering Web therapy by way of video conferencing only.

There is a substantial amount of research demonstrating that online therapy is as effective as and in some cases, even more effective than traditional therapy. Numerous respected news outlets (eg: CNN, CBS) have published reports all pointing to what many innovative psychologists and psychiatrists have been saying for years… ONLINE THERAPY WORKS. Some have even suggested that it may actually yield more positive results than traditional therapy. Many prominent organisations (like the American Psychological Association - APA) are becoming increasingly supportive of online therapy, further lending to its credibility.

Although web therapy has been around for some time, it has only gained significant popularity in recent years. In an article in Family Therapy Magazine, (May/June 2009), Derrig-Palumbo, PhD, stated that “Dr. Albert Ellis, founder of Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, used online therapy from the early days of the Internet to meet with clients who sought him from all over the world”. There is now a great deal of research available strengthening the notion that web-based therapy is as, if not more effective than face-to-face therapy. See snippets from various reputable sources below:

Online counseling may be more effective than face-to-face sessions | Daily Mail “…in this digital age, online therapy is just as beneficial - if not more so - than conventional therapy”

Online therapy beneficial in treating mental health problems | University of New South Wales "In findings that could revolutionize the way psychologists treat their patients, researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and St Vincent’s Hospital have shown online treatments are just as effective as face-to-face therapies for a wide range of common mental disorders. Anxiety, social phobias and depression are all conditions that respond well to clinician-supported internet-based treatments, the researchers found, with program participants recording recovery rates comparable to those in face-to-face therapy."

Study: Increased benefits noted in online therapy | The National Center for Biotechnology Information “This study shows that an internet-based intervention for depression is equally as beneficial as regular face-to-face therapy. However, more long term efficacy, indicated by continued symptom reduction three months after treatment, could be only be found for the online group”

Online behavioral therapy found effective in depression | ModernMedicine.com “In a study in the United Kingdom, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) sessions conducted online with a therapist reduced depression better than usual in-person care with a general practitioner…” - "42 percent with online therapy recovered from depression versus 26 percent with usual care."

Therapy online: Good as face to face? | CNN “The level of benefit shown in the study is about the same as could be expected from traditional therapy” - “Online therapy of almost any sort can prove helpful to the many people who are reluctant to take time off from work to travel to a therapist's office”

In conventional forms of therapy, therapists rely partially on body language and other non-verbal cues for therapeutic information that could be missed in technological forms of therapy. However, Sigmund Freud was very successful in treating his patients without looking at them and one might consider that some people are more comfortable and thus, more likely to share freely about themselves when not sitting face-to-face. Another drawback might be potential glitches in technology. That is, poor call connection or a sudden drop in internet connectivity. Barring these issues, there has been nothing to show that online therapy isn’t every bit as successful as conventional therapy.

During your first meeting with your therapist, your precise needs will be assessed and a provisional treatment plan will be proposed. When you agree to the treatment plan, you can then set a date and time to begin your sessions. The number of sessions needed differs per client and you are under no obligation to continue your treatment if you feel it no longer satisfies your needs. This will be discussed in detail with your therapist. When and where needed, you will have access to worksheets, which you will complete and discuss with your therapist. You will have access to live chat with your therapist seven days a week with pre-arranged appointments. For full details, click HERE.

Our online therapy process is set up to be very quick and very straightforward. After making your payment and booking you will be sent a link that you will later use to take you directly to your session with one simple click. If you are still unsure about anything throughout the process feel free to contact us with a request for technical assistance and a tech will quickly guide you through the process.

It is not expected that you must accurately self-diagnose before accessing a therapist. Our programme listing is there as a guide and to inform you of what our treatments look like. Any programme that you choose will get you access to a qualified therapist who will be able to assess your needs and get you the help you need.

This varies on a case-by-case basis. Sessions last 45 minutes and some clients see their therapist as much as bi-weekly while others may have sessions bi-monthly. As your programme runs on and your needs change, the frequency of your sessions may change. You and your therapist will mutually decide on such changes. However do be mindful that you’ve had your whole life to learn and unconsciously process negative behavior; it may take time and practice to reprogram your frame of mind into thinking positive automatic thoughts.

Yes. You may extend your access as many times as you want. Your therapist will discus this in detail with you.

In the event of an emergency, online therapy is not adequate in providing the help you need. You may call your primary care physician, the police (999), emergency medical assistance (811), or seek help at your local emergency room. Additionally, you may call the emergency hotline that refers to your needs. See Trinidad and Tobago hotlines HERE. For suicidal tendencies, you can also log on to suicidestop.com, which offers crisis and suicide prevention chats and resources around the world. Your therapist will discuss an emergency plan that is right for you.

Your initial consultation meeting is FREE!
View our online therapy price listing HERE

You can pay using a credit/debit card via PayPal, gift card, online bank transfer or a manual deposit into HICOL’s bank account.
NOTE: If you intend to pay via bank transfer/deposit or via cash, you must do this before completing the booking form.

Online therapy is considered by many, as secure as, if not more than, conventional therapy. Any information that you provide via our online forms will be held in the strictest confidence. The security of confidential patient information is our top priority. Multiple layers of data security have been built into the messaging service. Critical information in the database is encrypted, information flow to and from the database is encrypted, and passwords are encrypted. Additionally www.hicoltt.com is McAfee Secured. Read more >

Note: Encryption is an electronic means of protecting a communication by altering it so that it is unintelligible to unauthorized parties. A message is encrypted by software that encodes the message, or wraps it in information so that only the designated recipient can open (or decode) it.

Yes. Once you’ve formally begun your treatment, you will have the same therapist throughout the duration of your programme.

All therapists on HICOL’s website are duly qualified, certified and vetted to ensure that you always receive efficient and effective therapy.

Another great benefit of our online service is that you can usually find a therapist online more or less 24 hours per day (Monday-Sunday) with appointment.

Yes. Whatever reason you have, you may change to any available therapist simply by sending us an e-mail to [email protected]

Of course. You have no obligation to continue therapy. Goals are set when you first begin therapy and if you feel you have achieved those goals, you can stop therapy at anytime. It is recommended however that you consult on this with your therapist.

There is no fee for rescheduling and you may reschedule a session at any time. However, if you do not call in or email your request to reschedule at least 30 minutes before the start time of your session, a rescheduling fee of $50 TT is imposed.

If you need to put your programme on hold for a while, that’s ok. However, because your sessions are hosted online, you can continue with them anywhere that you are in the world.

If you are currently seeing a therapist or psychiatrist, it is not recommended that you also use online therapy unless this is deemed appropriate. For instance, online therapy may be recommended by your therapist as a supplement to your existing treatment (e.g., when seeing a psychiatrist primarily for medication management, when on a long waiting list for services).

• Where possible, use your personal computer instead of a computer in a shared spaced (e.g. internet cafe or office).


• Do not share your login information with anyone.


• Always log out when you finish your session.


• Create a password that is difficult to guess.


• Delete any typed correspondence there may have been with your therapist in the messaging service or set it so that it does not store your chat history.


• Keep an up to date firewall running.


• Use anti-virus software.

See more information about your online safety in the "Your Privacy & Safety" section.