Being online is nothing out of the ordinary for us - but doing therapy online is. Since COVID-19 almost 100% of medical and mental health services quickly transitioned to providing services via secure online video/audio platforms and now it is here to stay. So let’s answer some common questions asked and clear up some of the misinformation out there about online mental health counseling.
What is tele-mental health?
Also referred to as Telemedicine, Tele-Mental Health, E-Health, and E-Counseling. The definition for telemedicine or telehealth is the use of electronic communication and information technologies to provide or support clinical care at a distance. Using the telephone, text, e-mail, or interactive tele-video-conferencing technologies.
What are the benefits of using technology with my therapist?
· Crisis intervention or other contacts between in-person sessions.
· Conducting sessions with clients who are not able to attend in-person sessions for a period of time.
· Conducting psychotherapy with an individual in a different geographical area with or without in-person face-to-face contact.
· Providing assessment, prevention or treatment of mental health presenting concerns or related services to an individual in a different location.
· Conducting psychotherapy via phone or Internet synchronistically (i.e., at the same time, such as on the phone or via video-conferencing) or a-synchronistically (i.e., sequential, via text, e-mail or chat).
How do I know online services are right for me?
Talk to your therapist and see! Whether you are in relationship with a provider now, or if it is during a free consultation call - inquire about their offerings with online services and ask about appropriateness of fit. In regard to how I navigate this with my clients - if at any time while we are engaging in tele-therapy, I determine, in my sole discretion, that tele-therapy is no longer the most appropriate form of treatment for you, we will discuss options of engaging in face-to-face in-person counseling or possible referrals to another professional in your location who can provide appropriate services.
What are the benefits of doing online sessions?
There are risks and benefits to using online platforms for therapy. One of the benefits of tele-therapy is that the client and therapist can engage in services without being in the same physical location. This can be helpful in ensuring continuity of care if the client or therapist moves to a different location, takes an extended vacation, or is otherwise unable to continue to meet in person. It can also increase the convenience and time efficiency of both parties. Important to note that for most mental health services the client must be in the state that the clinician is licensed in. For example, all clients of mine must be in the state of KY during time of service because my practicing license is only for the state of KY.
What are the risks of doing online sessions?
Although there are benefits of tele-therapy, there are some fundamental differences between in- person psychotherapy and tele-therapy, as well as some inherent risks. For example:
· Risks to confidentiality. Because tele-therapy sessions take place outside of the typical office setting, there is potential for third parties to overhear sessions if they are not conducted in a secure environment. I will take reasonable steps to ensure the privacy and security of your information, and it is important for you to review your own security measures and ensure that they are adequate to protect information on your end. You should participate in therapy only while in a room or area where other people are not present and cannot overhear the conversation.
· Issues related to technology. There are risks inherent in the use of technology for therapy that are important to understand, such as: potential for technology to fail during a session, potential that transmission of confidential information could be interrupted by unauthorized parties, or potential for electronically stored information to be accessed by unauthorized parties.
· Crisis management and intervention. As a general rule I will not engage in tele-therapy with patients who are in a crisis situation. Before engaging in tele-therapy, we will develop an emergency response plan to address potential crisis situations that may arise during the course of our tele-therapy work.
Written by: Shannon Gonter, LPCC in Louisville, KY in practice with Therapy by Shannon, LLC
The information and resources contained on this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to assess, diagnose, or treat any medical and/or mental health disease or condition. The use of this website does not imply nor establish any type of therapist-client relationship. Furthermore, the information obtained from this site should not be considered a substitute for a thorough medical and/or mental health evaluation by an appropriately credentialed and licensed professional.