Is Online Therapy for Men in Alberta Actually Effective?

ryan filax-wylie
Dec 10
4 min read

Short answer: For most of the problems men bring to therapy, anxiety, burnout, anger, trauma, relationship stress, online therapy works about as well as in-person when the therapist is solid and the fit is good. Large reviews of telepsychology and internet-based CBT show little to no difference in outcomes compared with face-to-face care for common mental health concerns like anxiety and depression. American Psychological Association+3JMIR Publications+3CMAJ+3

So if you are in Alberta, live busy or remote, and hate Calgary traffic, online sessions are a legitimate option. Not second-rate therapy over Zoom.

What the research says about online therapy

A pile of studies over the last decade have looked at therapy by video or secure online platforms.

Meta-analyses of internet-based CBT show comparable improvements in anxiety and depression to in-person CBT, especially when there is an actual therapist involved rather than pure self-help modules. JMIR Publications+2PMC+2
Recent reviews of telepsychology conclude that video-based therapy is as effective as in-person for many clients, with similar symptom reductions and high satisfaction. CMAJ+2OUP Academic+2

Translation: online therapy is not a watered-down version of “real” therapy. It is another delivery method for the same work.

Why online therapy fits a lot of men’s lives in Alberta

For a lot of men I work with, the biggest barriers are not “I do not believe in therapy.” They are:

“I do not have time.”
“I do not want to sit in a waiting room and bump into someone I know.”
“I work shifts / out of town / odd hours.”

Online therapy can help with that:

Flexibility around work and family. You can do a session from a parked vehicle on a break, from home between meetings, or from a camp room if the internet is decent.
More privacy. No reception area. No one seeing you walk into a counselling office. Just you, your phone or laptop, and a secure link.
Rural and small-town access. If you live outside Calgary, Edmonton, or a bigger centre, online therapy lets you work with someone who feels like a fit instead of whoever happens to be in town.

For men who already spend half their week driving, the fact you can do a meaningful session without adding another commute matters.

When online therapy might not be enough on its own

Honest caveat: online therapy is not the right fit for every situation.

You might need in-person or team-based support if:

You are in immediate crisis or at high risk of harming yourself or someone else
You have active psychosis or very severe, unstable symptoms
You have no private space at all and cannot safely talk at home, work, or in your vehicle

In those cases, online work can still be part of the picture, but usually alongside family doctor, psychiatry, crisis services, or in-person supports.

What online sessions with me actually look like

If you are a man in Alberta and we work together online, here is what to expect.

A clear starting point. We map what is happening: anxiety, anger, shutdown, burnout, relationship strain, trauma. I want a picture of your nervous system, your stress load, and what “better” would realistically look like.
Evidence-based tools, not just venting. I blend CBT, ACT, IFS (parts work), EMDR principles and nervous-system work. We look at thoughts, beliefs, and body reactions, and we build concrete things you can try between sessions.
Straight talk. You do not need therapy jargon. We name what is actually happening in plain language. Where possible, I connect the dots between your past, how you cope now, and how that shows up at work, in bed, and at home.
Video, phone, or a mix. Most clients use secure video. Some prefer phone when they are on the road or do not want to be on camera that day. The work itself stays the same.

How to tell if online therapy is right for you

Online therapy for men might be a good fit if:

You are juggling work, family, and limited time, but can carve out forty-five to fifty minutes with a phone or laptop
You care about privacy and like the idea of not walking into a clinic
You live in rural Alberta or move around for work
You are comfortable talking by video or phone once you settle in

It might not be ideal if:

You can literally never find a quiet space
You know you will multitask during a video call instead of being present
You are in an emergency situation and need urgent, in-person help

If you are a man in Alberta thinking about online therapy

If your life looks good from the outside yet inside you feel anxious, numb, angry, checked-out, or like you are one more stressor away from snapping, you do not have to white-knuckle it on your own.

I offer online counselling for men anywhere in Alberta, and in-person sessions in NE Calgary. You can: