The Blog

Technology is one of the fastest growing areas of our lives, with new and radical innovations every year. It has the power to help many who feel disconnected become connected no matter where they might live or what they are going through. One area that has become popular is the video call, commonly utilized through FaceTime or Skype. The video call allows you to interact with the person you are speaking to face to face even if you live on the other side of the planet.

Teletherapy is simply a video call, like the ones described above, in which you meet with your therapist and have your therapy session. Teletherapy uses HIPAA compliant software in order to keep your information private. You can curl up in your pajamas with a cup of tea and speak in real time with your therapist from the comfort of your own home.

Psychology Today lists 14 benefits of teletherapy. I summarize the top eight below:

• Easy to access: there is no driving to a therapist’s office across town, no waiting in line in a waiting room. You simply dial in from wherever you are and you are connected in moments.
• Privacy: there is always a chance you might run into someone you know while waiting for your appointment at the office. Teletherapy maximizes your privacy by completely eliminating this possibility.
• Efficiency: Got a long commute? Don’t want to be stuck in traffic? Perhaps you are a busy parent and it’s tough to make it out the door for one more appointment. Once again, teletherapy allows you to have your appointment whenever and wherever is easiest for you.
• Flexibility: Need an evening or weekend appointment? Maybe something really hard happened and you need to see someone as soon as possible. Because both you and the therapist can dial in from any location, teletherapy is more easily scheduled or rescheduled.
• Safety: If there are inclement weather conditions, heavy rain or snow, it can be difficult and even dangerous to head out on the road. And, with the sun setting earlier and earlier with winter fast approaching, evening appointments can feel unsettling if you have to walk in the dark. Teletherapy removes the uncertainty weather or other circumstances might bring by eliminating the expectation altogether that you meet in person in the office.
• Illness or disability: if you are sick, injured, or have a disability that makes it difficult for you to leave your home you can still reach your therapist and have your session.
• Access for rural or remote populations: For many people living outside a city’s limits, the long commute in for appointments is exhausting and can take an entire day. Teletherapy gives immediate access to those who live in rural areas who otherwise would not be able to see a therapist.
• Ideal for college and high school students: College behavioral health clinics tend to be overloaded and often end up referring out into the community. High school counselors also tend to refer students out. With the heavy workload that many students face, and with the higher level of comfort with technology that students have, teletherapy is a natural and convenient choice.

Teletherapy has some great advantages. But what are the disadvantages? The biggest disadvantage of teletherapy is the reliance on technology and the internet for a successful session. If the technology fails, although rare, the session will need to be rescheduled.

Many people who are unsure about teletherapy wonder if it is the “same” as in-person therapy. Will I really get to know my therapist? Will they really get to know me? Most people who have tried teletherapy would say that teletherapy is, well, therapy! You are still interacting with your therapist face to face. And researchers agree. Studies have found that teletherapy is as effective as in-person therapy (Turgoose, Ashwick, & Murphy, 2017; Hilty et al., 2013).

So, what do I need to begin? All you need is a smartphone, tablet, or computer with a camera and internet access.

At Stone Creek we have two therapists exclusively dedicated to teletherapy: Stella Lessert, LCSW and Elisa Flynn, LMSW. Stella provides therapy appointments during daytime and evening hours, and Elisa provides appointments on evenings and weekends. Please see their staff profiles for more info and you can email them with question or to schedule at stella.lessert@stonecreektherapy.com and elisa.flynn@stonecreektherapy.com

References:

Bocci, G.S. (2019, January 28). “14 Benefits of Teletherapy for Clients.” Psychology Today. Accessed at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/millennial-media/201901/14-benefits-teletherapy-clients

Hilty, D.M., Ferrer, D.C., Parish, M.B., Johston, B., Callahan, E.J. & Yellowlees, P.M. (2013). The effectiveness of telemental health. Telemedicine and e-Health. Accessed at: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/tmj.2013.0075

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. https://doi.org/10.1177/1357633X17730443