Why Choose Telehealth / Online for Therapy?
In the time of Coronavirus/COVID-19, Telehealth / online therapy allows you to access the mental health care you NEED.
Telehealth therapy appointments offer flexibility during this time when you are feeling fear, anxiety, anger, sadness, disappointment etc. We are living during an unprecedented time in our lives and change in our world. Telehealth offers you the support and connection you need and wish for.
- It is convenient…Telehealth / online therapy increases your access to therapy and it increases your therapist choice.
- It reduces costs…Telehealth /online therapy can reduce the time you have to take off of work, reduce transportation costs, it is less money you spend on child care.
- It can create a different but better experience for you as an individual…Telehealth / online therapy offers you the option of receiving the therapy you need in a space that you are comfortable in such as your home…or car!
- It can create a feeling of more confidentiality…Telehealth / online therapy can offer you a feeling of increased confidently because you aren’t driving to my office and sitting in my waiting room. It is a safe and discreet place for you to process how you are feeling.
- Telehealth / online therapy can offer continuity of care…Life gets busy. Maybe you travel for work and you need and want weekly therapy but you are not in your home town every week. Or maybe you are concerned about your confidentiality and don’t want to see a therapist in your home town.
- It can offer creative scheduling…Telehealth / online therapy can work with your schedule; maybe on your lunch break or after you have made the kids dinner.
- Telehealth / online therapy may be what you are more comfortable with…Let’s be honest. We are all doing more and more things online now, shopping, school, etc. Almost all of us had tried FaceTime or Facebook Video.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Telehealth / online therapy? – It allows you, the client, and me the therapist, to meet through audio and video over the internet.
- How does Telehealth / online therapy work? – You will be sent a link for the video appointment. You will click on the link when your appointment is scheduled to start or open it through the Telehealth by SimplePractice (you can download this app in the app store). You will then use the camera and audio on your camera, tablet or mobile device.
- Is it confidential? – The platform I use through SimplePractice is 100% HIPAA compliant and secure.
- But does tele-health / online therapy work? Yes it does! The Veterans Administration has been using it for over 10 years so we have evidence that it works. All governing mental health organizations such as the National Association of Social Work, The American Association for Marriage & Family Therapists etc. and individual states have published best practice guidelines that therapists have to follow.
Just like in person therapy, it will be the same in Telehealth / online therapy, and it will take 1-2 sessions for a client and therapist to begin to know each other, to see if it is a good match and you the individual are sharing your story. Tele-health does have a different “feel” than in person sessions but research shown it to be that it is almost as effective for individual therapy and research is ongoing for couples and family therapy.