A Discussion of Teletherapy/Online Therapy
Are you finding it difficult to juggle personal, professional, and other commitments? Some people might refer to this as “being too busy” or feeling “stressed out.” Because you are looking at a blog published by counselors and psychologist, you may anticipate that stress needs to be addressed in some way, but where does one find the time to do this?
High amounts of unresolved, negative stress is “America’s leading health problem,” according to the American Institute of Stress (AIS, 2014). The American Psychological Association indicates that within any given month, 75% of Americans experience negative stress symptoms such as irritability, anger, anxiety and lack of interest/motivation (APA, 2015). Therapy is a highly effective tool to discover solutions for this common, yet treatable and preventable problem. However, the idea of carving out time from your weekly schedule to commute to therapy might seem nearly impossible, and even add additional stress. Perhaps your work travel prevents you from being able to commit to traditional, in-person therapy. For some, it might be difficult to leave the home due to anxiety and/or depressive symptoms.
In circumstances such as these, the option for teletherapy, or online therapy, could be a great solution. Teletherapy addresses several of these barriers when it comes to participating in psychotherapy. Clients can connect with a therapist via secure video conferencing directly from their home. Treatment outcomes for teletherapy are virtually identical to that of traditional, in-person meetings (Langarizadeh et al., 2017). For example, teletherapy was found to be as effective as in-person therapy in several cases when it came to treating symptoms of PTSD in veterans (Turgoose, Ashwick, & Murphy, 2018).
Below, we will discuss what you can expect from teletherapy, address common concerns, and present ideal candidates.
What is Teletherapy?
Teletherapy is a broad term that refers to counseling services that can be accessed digitally or through phones. At Insight & Change, we provide counseling via secure video conferencing - clients just log-in to a client portal and connect with one of our therapists, meeting virtually. The ingredients of teletherapy are very similar to traditional, in-person therapy, in which a therapist and a client, or group of clients, work to develop a trust, a therapeutic relationship and collaborate to create an environment that leads to personal growth and goal achievement.
Common Concerns
Empathy doesn’t disappear behind a screen. One of the most common concerns about teletherapy leads individuals to wonder if a relationship can be built and maintained through a virtual environment. The short answer to this is, yes, the same components of traditional therapy can be established through teletherapy. Our therapists are trained and cognizant of such concerns, and will focus on developing these critical therapy factors just as they would in-person. Some may also worry about privacy. Clients have access to a private, secure portal, that ensures confidentiality. Client forms, billing information, and secure messages are only accessible by clients and their therapist.
Ideal Candidates
Although teletherapy is currently utilized by clients under a multitude of circumstances, it may be particularly beneficial to clients facing unique challenges. For example, teletherapy is able to remove the challenge of transportation. This includes those who live in remote areas, as well as clients who don’t have access to transportation. Schedules can be particularly challenging for those who travel frequently and for college students. The flexibility of teletherapy addresses these issues by offering evening and weekend availability. Teletherapy removes barriers for those who are physically disabled or injured. Whether you’ve benefited from the experience of in-person therapy before, or you’re on attempting to decide about therapy in general, teletherapy offers another option.
In sum, teletherapy meets you where you are. While time, family, stigma, and symptoms can all contribute to existing barriers in managing one’s mental health, teletherapy attempts to bridge the gap between access and service. Our reliable, efficient, and flexible teletherapy services allows you to make changes and improve your outlook on life.
References:
1. American Institute of Stress. (2014). https://www.stress.org/stress-research. Last accessed, March 11, 2020.
2. American Psychological Association. (2015). Stress in America: Paying with our health.
3. Langarizadeh, M., Tabatabaei, M. S., Tavakol, K., Naghipour, M., Rostami, A., & Moghbeli, F. (2017). Telemental health care, an effective alternative to conventional mental care: A systematic review. Acta Informatica Medica, 25(4), 240.
4. Turgoose, D., Ashwick, R., & Murphy, D. (2018). Systematic review of lessons learned from delivering tele-therapy to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of telemedicine and telecare, 24(9), 575-585.