Martha Higgins, LCSW

How therapeutic approaches shape online care

Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns influence current emotions and behavior. Online sessions use that frame to help people notice repeating patterns, practice new ways of connecting, and reduce feelings of abandonment or emptiness. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, teaches people to notice difficult thoughts without getting stuck in them. It focuses on identifying personal values and taking small actions toward them, which can help with anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes respectful listening and helping people find their own path. In conversation, the therapist reflects concerns and supports self-directed insight and growth. Finding the right mix of approaches is part of the process. The therapist collaborates with each person to choose strategies that match their goals, needs, and preferences. That may mean combining relational work from attachment theory with skills from ACT or CBT. Online formats make regular work easier to fit into life. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation when nonverbal cues matter. Phone sessions are useful when bandwidth is limited or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text-based messaging support brief check-ins, skill practice between sessions, or ongoing coaching-style contact. These options increase flexibility and make it simpler to maintain momentum between appointments.