Now we can’t completely promise that your therapist’s cat or dog won’t briefly stop in to say hello – but don’t worry, they have been fully trained in our HIPAA protocols!
If you wish to meet by phone, your therapist will call the number you provide.
Is it covered by my insurance?
Most healthcare plans provide coverage for telehealth just like in-office therapy. Even if you think you don’t have coverage for telehealth, or can’t afford payment, please give us a call — we continue to get updates from insurance plans that are expanding telehealth benefits as our culture adapts to the developing needs.
I’m home with my family and don’t know if I have a private space to talk — any advice?
We appreciate that that can be a tricky dynamic. Some of our clients meet for virtual sessions while on a walk, sitting in their car, or from their backyard. Often our therapists can adjust their schedules to connect with you during less busy times for your household — such as providing sessions on different days and earlier or later than usual. You can also try just doing a phone session if that’s easier for you.
I’m still not sure telehealth is right for me – maybe I should wait until I can see my therapist again in person?
It’s understandable to want to continue an in-person connection with your therapist. However, in these very unpredictable times, it is unclear how long this will be our new normal. There are a variety of estimated time frames suggested for social distancing measures lasting from 6 weeks to 6 months.
Connecting with your counselor via video or phone is an easy way to avoid disrupting your care — and to receive consistent support toward your goals. This can become even more important during these stressful times.
If you are hesitant to try telehealth we encourage you to try a brief sample session to see what it’s like. Your therapist would be happy to provide a free 5-minute video meet-up to show you what to expect. Or just CLICK HERE between the hours of 10 am – 2 pm weekdays to try it out with one of our office staff, who will be happy to speak with you about how it works.
Have telehealth therapy sessions been proven to be effective?
Yes. There have been numerous studies conducted showing that telehealth is just as effective as in-person counseling.
The American Psychiatric Association(APA) published a physician reviewed article that notes the following:
“There is substantial evidence of the effectiveness of telepsychiatry and research has found satisfaction to be high among patients, psychiatrists and other professionals. Telepsychiatry is equivalent to in-person care in diagnostic accuracy, treatment effectiveness, quality of care and patient satisfaction. Patient privacy and confidentiality are equivalent to in-person care.” https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-telepsychiatry
According to an article in the World Journal of Psychiatry:
“Telepsychiatry is comparable to face-to-face services in terms of reliability of clinical assessments and treatment outcomes . . . telepsychiatry performed as well as, if not better than face-to-face delivery of mental health services.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4919267/
More research on the effectiveness of teletherapy:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662387/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130730091255.htm
