Why I Love TeleTherapy, and Why You Should Too!
TeleTherapy can be more authentic
I notice when clients have to get dressed, leave their homes, drive to a therapy office, and sit in a room designed to be calm and pleasant — a change happens. They do not present as authentically by the time they get to me. With TeleTherapy, I come to you!
TeleTherapy is convenient
You are in the same space where you experience your normal stressors and symptoms, and I get to see you in your natural habitat. Therapy is already a very vulnerable and uncomfortable experience, and I notice that clients tend to open-up more and faster when they are in their own space. You can be in your PJs, wrapped in a blanket, with your pet on your lap as we process things together.
Plus, you never have to cancel sessions if you don’t have transportation, if you’re feeling a little sick, if you’re out of town, or if you are experiencing heavy emotions or symptoms that would make you hesitant to drive somewhere to get the help you need.
*Bonus - There’s a good chance you’ll get to meet my cat.
Wait, what’s it called? TeleTherapy, or TeleHealth, or Online Therapy, or…?
There are many names for Therapy provided outside of the usual face-to-face setting:
Telehealth
Telemental Health
Etherapy
Distance Therapy
Online Therapy
Internet therapy
etc…
ALL boil down to the same thing — Convenient access to mental health services in the privacy and comfort of your own home.
Is Online Therapy as effective as face-to-face therapy?
It depends on the presenting problem and the type of therapy provided. Research has shown that online therapy is just as effective as face-to-face therapy with certain conditions, such as the services I offer. It is important to me that I provide excellent therapeutic services, and online therapy isn’t right for everyone. If you are a client that needs a different type of therapy through a different medium, I will gladly refer you to one of my trusted colleagues.
Is TeleHealth secure and confidential?
I understand how having therapy in front of a camera, via phone, or through messaging can make some people a little nervous. Rest assured that I have made meticulous and diligent efforts in ensuring that sessions take place on a secure platform, and that your information is kept confidential and HIPPA compliant. You can trust that I will never share your data with anyone.
As with any mandated reporter, there are a few situations where I may need to break confidentiality in order to protect you or someone else from harm, or if your records are subpoenaed. However, these limits to confidentiality are no different from face-to-face therapy. I go more in-depth on these types of scenarios in my informed consent and privacy policy, so before we even begin therapy, you will be well aware of what to expect so you can make an informed decision.
What are some of the potential risks with Online Therapy?
With any online platform, there are some risks with TeleMental Health that don’t come up in face-to-face therapy. One example is our connection being lost or interrupted. Technology in 2020 is pretty cool—but still not perfect. That’s what contingency plans are for! If technical difficulties are distracting from our session and aren’t fixable by standard refreshing and calling back—we pivot to a different medium, such as call or text. Rest assured that I have invested in a professional, high-quality, and secure platform, so these types of hiccups are rare and have never prevented me from having online sessions on my platform. These types of risks are much more common on free or cheap video platforms that are surprisingly common with many other TeleTherapy providers.
Another “risk” is that if a crisis happens, I physically won’t be there to help you. That’s why before we even begin our work together, I have your emergency contact’s information, as well as the phone numbers and locations of local services that can help you. However, Etherapy isn’t meant for crisis situations anyway, so there is a strong likelihood that this won’t apply to most clients.
Is Telehealth right for me?
Overall, I believe that the benefits outweigh the risks for clients that qualify for TeleTherapy. If you are interested in learning more about what Internet Therapy is and what to expect, I encourage you to begin clicking around my website.
If you like what you read, and interested in talking to me directly, contact me to schedule a free 15 min consultation with me in order to begin your online therapy journey.
Maybe you aren’t ready to try therapy online, or maybe you just prefer face-to-face therapy; that’s okay too! I also have a book that might satisfy your interest in personal growth & development, as well as improving your relationships with others. Click my “Book Publication” tab to learn more about my book, The Root of Relationships: How to Know Yourself, Understand Others, and Create the Relationships You Want, sign up with your email, and claim your free workbook that will give you the space to practice what you learn in the book.
The more you know, the more you grow!
