As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, many therapists have had to quickly pivot and offer their clients online sessions in an effort to  continue the important therapeutic work and progress clients have already made. These changes were also implemented to help abide by the social distancing guidelines to flatten the curve. Fortunately, many therapists were already practicing online like myself so the switch was pretty seamless! There were many frustrations for others though but, as a whole, mental health providers have been able to practice telemedicine longer than other medical providers because there are fewer barriers to care. Yay therapy!

Now, we are closely watching as our country and the rest of the world are slowly opening back up. Through this ongoing crisis, many of us have learned something very important during this crisis: telehealth offers clients something very valuable – therapy on THEIR terms. It’s really not so surprising that telehealth is currently a $6 billion industry that is expected to reach $20 billion by 2025.

If you have been curious about finding a therapist and worried about what it would be like to meet with them online, let’s explore some of the benefits of “virtual therapy”:

Privacy

Traditionally, many people, especially those that live in smaller towns and cities, were hesitant to seek help from a therapist due to the ever-present stigma of mental health treatment and fears that others might find out. Telehealth helps overcome this barrier because clients can easily receive help from the comfort and privacy of their own home. This can also be helpful for therapists who treat teens and young adults who go to the same school/college and are worried about protecting their privacy.

Telehealth is a Time Saver

Living in Houston, I know that in order to plan my day, I have to factor in LOTS of time for driving (outside of COVID-19 times of course). For many people, going to a doctor’s appointment can be a full day adventure and honestly, who has time for that?! Telehealth is such an amazing timesaver in this way – it totally cuts out traffic, parking, and all the other hassles that go along with racing around town so that a 50 minute therapy appointment is really just 50 minutes, not 3 hours of your day.

Flexibility

I have found in my own practice that those clients who need my services the most are also the ones who are overworked and have scheduling conflicts. Telehealth has helped me to not only provide more flexible time slots for these clients but also gives clients the freedom and convenience of meeting from anywhere their smart phone has reception! Never thought your car would become a therapy office in between appointments? Think again.

These are just a few of the many benefits of telehealth. I love talking about this stuff so don’t hesitate to reach out with your questions and comments!

Until next time,

Jenny

SOURCES:

• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/modern-mentality/202004/telemental-health-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/millennial-media/201901/14-benefits-teletherapy-clients
• https://psychcentral.com/blog/its-probably-time-to-switch-to-telehealth-with-your-therapist/