Online Therapy in Utah

Online therapy lets you meet with a therapist or provider from home, work, or another private space, instead of driving into the office. It is still real therapy and real medication support, just through a secure video platform instead of in the same room.

Purple Sky offers online therapy and online medication management to clients anywhere in Utah, in addition to in-person sessions at our physical offices. Many clients switch between online and in-person at different points in their care, depending on what life looks like.

What online sessions are like

Online therapy sessions are structured a lot like in-person sessions: you and your therapist talk about what is going on, what you are working on, and what needs attention that day. You still build a relationship with your therapist, you still practice skills, and you still work through hard things—you just do it through a secure video visit.

If you are working with a medication provider online, your appointments will focus more on symptoms, side effects, how your medications are working, and whether anything needs to be adjusted. You and your provider decide together whether medications are part of your plan and how to track how you are doing over time.

For most people, an online therapy or medication session will feel like:

  • Clicking a secure link or logging into the client portal at your scheduled time

  • Seeing your therapist or provider on screen and checking in about how you are doing

  • Talking through what is working, what is not, and what you want to focus on

  • Getting tools, feedback, or support, and deciding what you will work on between sessions

Who online therapy is for

Online therapy can be a good fit if:

  • Getting to an office is hard because of work, school, childcare, disability, chronic illness, or driving anxiety

  • You live far from one of our physical locations but are still in Utah

  • You prefer to do therapy in a space that already feels safe, like your home

  • You need flexibility with your schedule or commute and virtual is more realistic

Some people choose online therapy because:

  • Their energy or pain levels make getting out of the house difficult

  • Their job or caregiving responsibilities make it hard to leave for appointments

  • They do not drive or share a car and cannot reliably get to an office

  • They feel less anxious opening up when they are in their own home

What you need for online sessions

To use online therapy or online medication management, you will need:

  • A private space where you feel comfortable talking openly

  • A device that can connect to the internet (phone, tablet, or computer)

  • A stable internet connection, as much as possible

  • Basic comfort using a link or logging into the client portal at your appointment time

You do not need to be “good with technology.” If you can click a link and join a video call, that is enough. If you run into trouble, you can call the office for help troubleshooting.

Online therapy and privacy

Online sessions are held through a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform connected with our client portal. That means your therapist or provider is joining from a private, professional setting, and the video connection is encrypted.

Your part of privacy is about where you are on your side. If you live with others, you may want to:

  • Use headphones so other people cannot hear your therapist or provider

  • Sit in a room with a door you can close, or in your car if that feels safer

  • Use a fan or white noise outside the door if you are worried about being overheard

If privacy is complicated where you live, you can talk with your therapist or provider about options for adjusting timing, format, or what you cover in each session so it still feels as safe as possible.

Online medication management can support conditions such as:

  • Depression and anxiety disorders

  • PTSD and trauma-related symptoms

  • ADHD and related concentration difficulties

  • Bipolar and mood-related concerns

  • Sleep and other mental health symptoms where medication may help

What can be addressed through online therapy

Most of the same concerns people bring to in-person therapy can be worked on online, including:

  • Anxiety, panic, social anxiety, OCD, and generalized anxiety

  • Depression, grief, and feeling numb, stuck, or burned out

  • Trauma, PTSD, and complex trauma

  • Relationship stress, communication issues, and boundaries

  • ADHD, executive functioning, and related struggles

  • Faith transitions, religious trauma, and identity questions

  • Parenting stress and family or teen concerns

In some situations, online care alone may not be enough—for example, when there are safety concerns that require closer in-person monitoring, when technology access is unreliable, or when a higher level of care is needed. In those cases, we will be honest with you about what we can and cannot safely offer online.

Insurance and online sessions

Many insurance plans cover online therapy and online medication management similarly to in-person visits, but coverage can vary by company, by plan, and by provider. Being in network with an insurance company does not guarantee that every online service or every therapist and provider will be covered the same way.

Before starting online care, it can help to call the number on your insurance card and ask:

  • Are online (telehealth) therapy visits covered?

  • Are online visits with a medication provider covered?

  • Is Purple Sky Counseling in network with my plan?

  • Is my specific therapist or provider in network?

  • What are my copay, deductible, and coinsurance for online visits?

Our team will also do our best to verify benefits on our side, but we cannot control how your insurance company processes claims. You are always welcome to ask us questions if something on a statement or Explanation of Benefits does not make sense.

Pros and limits of online therapy

People often notice some clear upsides to online care:

  • No commute or parking

  • Easier to fit into a lunch hour or tight schedule

  • More realistic when you are sick, exhausted, or caring for others

  • Able to see a therapist or provider who is not in your immediate area

There are also limits:

  • Technology issues can disrupt a session

  • It can be harder for some people to feel fully “dropped in” over a screen

  • Not every concern is clinically appropriate for online-only care

  • For some people, home is not a private or safe-feeling place to talk

Part of the work with your therapist or provider is to notice how online sessions feel, talk honestly about what is working and what is not, and adjust as needed.

How to switch between online and in-person

If your therapist or provider offers both in-person and online sessions, you may be able to switch between them over time. For example:

  • Starting in person and moving online once you feel more comfortable

  • Doing mostly online sessions but coming in occasionally when needed

  • Switching to online during a busy season at work or school, then back in person later

Whether switching is possible depends on your therapist or provider’s schedule, office location, and licensing rules. If you are thinking about changing formats, bring it up in session or reach out to the office so we can see what is realistic.

How to get started with online therapy

If you know you prefer online therapy or medication support, let us know when you reach out. It can be helpful to share whether you want online-only care or are open to in-person sessions sometimes, any location preferences, and whether you plan to use insurance or self pay. We’ll use that information to look at therapist and provider options and follow up about who may be available for online sessions that fit what you need.

Questions about whether online care is the right fit for you? Contact the intake team.