Teletherapy has been shown repeatedly in research studies to be equivalent in effectiveness to in-person therapy. Thanks to recent improvements in videoconferencing technology, there are fewer and fewer differences between the experience of a video session and a face-to-face session.
Therapy is often helpful for reasons that have little to do with how it is delivered. For example, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness and Collaborative Problem Solving are effective largely because of the strategies and skills you learn from your therapist. If you practice the recommendations you learn in session, your chances for improvement are good. This is true whether you’re seeing them virtually or in person.
While it has recently become much more common, teletherapy has been around for decades. Historically, large health systems used teletherapy as a way to ensure that people in rural areas could receive treatment without traveling great distances. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, teletherapy use expanded exponentially due to social distancing requirements. As research revealed it's high level of effectiveness, it quickly developed into a delivery-method accepted by most insurance companies without hesitation. Quantity of published research studies on mental telehealth, 1995-2019. (PubMed.gov)
Benefits of Teletherapy
People who benefit from teletherapy are the same people who benefit from in-person therapy. If you are committed to do the work it takes to improve, and to prioritize that process, you will likely do well regardless of whether the sessions with your therapist are held in person or remotely. Teletherapy is extremely convenient and has been shown to result in fewer missed sessions since clients can logon and participate in sessions from anywhere in the world. Weather, transportation issues, work travel and busy schedules are no longer barriers to therapy. Teletherapy is also extremely useful for people who suffer from limited mobility or physical difficulties. When medical limitations make visiting a therapist’s office difficult, remote visits can be a primary means of getting care.
For young children, short teletherapy sessions (30 minutes or less) incorporate movement, media, games and other interactive strategies to keep them engaged while they learn and practice new skills and strategies. As with in-person therapy, young children benefit most when caregivers are involved in some portion of the teletherapy session, usually about 50% of the session time.
Some clients report that doing something as personal as therapy over video feels a bit strange initially, but after getting familiar with the therapist, they describe it as feeling “normal.”
One of the most potentially problematic aspects of teletherapy involves privacy. If a family member is in the next room, you might be more reserved during a therapy session. However, with some thoughtful planning, you may be able to arrange sessions for times when you’re unlikely to be disrupted or disturbed.
The first step is for you to contact us via phone or email to schedule an intake appointment. We will send you intake forms to complete and return to our office. When we receive your forms, we will check your insurance benefits or discuss other payment methods, and then will schedule your initial appointment using our secure, encrypted video platform. This first appointment typically lasts 55 minutes. You’ll meet your therapist over video, explore your strengths and struggles, and by the end of the intake will determine if our modalities are a good fit to help you reach your goals.