About Teletherapy

Teletherapy is the use of technology to gain access to mental health services. Technically, you can receive teletherapy through phone, text, video, and e-mail. Currently, when people talk about teletherapy, they are most often referring to online counseling provided through video conferencing. Video conferencing is the primary mode of counseling that I use. 

The primary benefits of teletherapy are convenience and flexibility. Using your computer or smartphone, you can access therapy in a place that is most comfortable for you. 

Teletherapy for mental health applications also offers a variety of unique benefits. 

These include:

• Treatment windows that can accommodate your schedule
• The capacity to receive treatment anywhere, as long as you can establish a secure internet connection
• Virtual therapy group availability, allowing you to share thoughts and feelings in a      non-judgemental, confidential setting
• Improved comfort during treatment, since you’ll receive the help you need from the comfort of your own home
• No obligation to drive to treatment, especially beneficial to college students, disabled      individuals any anyone in especially remote environments
• Reduced wait times

If you are having suicidal thoughts or are actively suicidal, Teletherapy may not be right for you. We can discuss and evaluate your needs in our initial free consultation.

• Make sure your teletherapy room is comfortable
• Use headphones during the session
• If you’re worried about other individuals in the house overhearing, use a noise machine or white noise app on your smartphone
• Test all technology – computer, headphones, microphone, internet connection – before your teletherapy session begins
• Use the restroom and change into comfortable clothes, to set yourself at ease

Ultimately, teletherapy is not the same as traditional mental health therapy. You won’t be in the same room as your healthcare provider, and your therapist won’t be able to read body language and nonverbal cues as easily. Still, teletherapy for mental health can help deliver positive, consistent benefits in helping you understand, recognize and mitigate the mental health challenges you face.