What to Expect with TeleHealth

Confidentiality is Priority

Confidentiality bedrock of counseling. It is critically important to building a trustworthy relationship between therapist and client. For this reason, counselors take extra precautions to protect you when offering services through the phone or online. Information transmitted online offers more opportunities for privacy leaks and hacks. Counselors are required to use HIPAA-approved online platforms that protect your personal information each step of the way. These platforms reduce the risks of breaches occurring over the internet and your private information being compromised.

Increased Accessibility

Physically traveling to and from a therapy office can be cumbersome or even impossible if sick or disabled. Telemental health expands care to those prevented from meeting in person. Additionally, telemental health creates a safe, reliable alternative when adverse weather prevents travel or in the case of a pandemic as we are experiencing now with COVID-19.

Greater Options For Care

If you are looking for a therapist who specializes in a particular subject such as trauma, marriage, grief, finding a therapist may be limited by physical traveling distance. Telemental health extends access to therapists across your state and helps increase your options for care. Teletherapy also makes it easier to find a therapist who speaks the same language or is more experienced working with a specific cultural group.

Quality Treatment

The rapport between you and your counselor is important. It’s not unusual to feel that the screen or phone could create a barrier that makes therapeutic process impersonal. Many studies have found, compared to face-to-face therapy, there are no significant differences between the working relationship quality between the client and the teletherapist. There was also no significant difference in overall satisfaction with services. When one study controlled for technological difficulty, the study indicated that session smoothness and depth were not significantly different from in-person treatment either.

Your Safety is Important

Since teletherapists are physically removed from you, responding to a crisis is more tricky than in the office. For this reason, your teletherapist will establish an emergency contact with you before the first session begins just in case!

Personalized Options

Telemental health can be a new and exciting way to experience therapy during this time. At the same time, teletherapy is not for everyone and it is important to share any concerns with your therapist who has expertise in navigating telehealth benefits and challenges. Your therapist work with you to help you choose the best course of treatment for you!