Telehealth is a commonly offered service that many organizations and therapist offer clients.
But what is Telehealth therapy and how can it benefit?
Information on Telehealth Therapy
Telehealth therapy is mental health therapy provided through the means of technology. That technology can vary based on you and your providers access and comfortability. Telehealth technology may include telephone-based therapy or video-based therapy.
Whichever form of technology used, it should be a secured form to ensure your privacy and the responsibility of ensuring the security is on your provider.
All providers are required to ensure that the mediums they use to provide Telehealth are secured and HIPPA compliant to ensure client privacy.
There are many programs and services available that provide data encryption to ensure safe and secure Telehealth. To know if your provider is utilizing such services, you can ask if their software is HIPPA compliant and it doesn’t hurt to look up that software yourself for your own peace of mind.
For example, our agency uses Simple Practice Telehealth services for our HIPPA compliant video sessions.
However, with whichever form of technology used, there are always risks and possible interruptions. Knowing those risks is important and weighting that potential risk to the benefit and convenience of Telehealth Therapy is the client’s choice.
Potential concerns and risks of Telehealth Therapy
Any used technology presents the possibility of failing and with that, it is important for you and your therapist to have a backup plan. If a video session fails on either end, having a plan of how to reconnect is essential for the continuity of your treatment.
Ensuring your privacy and that you are in a private area is key to ensure you have a safe and comfortable session.
With Telehealth it is up to both you and your therapist to assess if this is the best means for you. In some instances, you or your therapist may change the format to be in person if that is determined to be a better option.
Benefits of Telehealth Therapy!
Research shows that the therapeutic results are the same as in person treatment. This should provide some peace of mind when considering starting with Telehealth therapy.
In a previous article, Finding the right Mental health Therapist, we discuss that the most important element is the relationship with your therapist. This is still the the most important element of ensuring successful treatment and true progress.
One of the main benefits to Telehealth Therapy is ease of access. With Telehealth Therapy you can attend session from anywhere! From the comfort of your own home or even when you are out of town, you can access your appointment anywhere you have the medium to access your safe and secure Telehealth appointment.
Without the need for traveling to an office, you get increased privacy and save on travel costs.
With the ease of access that Telehealth Therapy provides, availability increases for both you and your therapist meeting. This can allow for more frequent visits and more flexibility in scheduling.
All of that being said, with the technology offered today, Telehealth Therapy is a great alternative to in office visits with ease of access. If you are interested in Telehealth Therapy you can find available providers as previously mentioned through psychologytoday.com and goodtherapy.org.
Soaring Families Counseling also offers Telehealth services along with a free 15 minute initial consultation.
Feel free to contact us for more information.