WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE TELETHERAPY OR ONLINE THERAPY?

Do you wish that you could receive quality therapy by a therapist without leaving your home?

Does your work schedule not allow you time to drive to, attend and drive back from therapy?

Are all the therapists you’re interested located far from you?

Do you dread having to sit in traffic and deal with drivers just to receive treatment?

Do you get sad, mad, or frustrated when sessions get cancelled due to snow?

Do you wish that you could just receive online psychotherapy?

You no longer need to worry about your work schedule, the weather or even traffic affecting you with getting to your therapy session.  If you can just find 1 hour during your day, you can attend therapy without having to factor in travel time.  All you need is a place that you feel comfortable participating in online psychotherapy.  As we approach winter, many buildings get closed, the roads are filled with snow, or you may not be able to leave your residence if it’s not plowed yet.  Online therapy plows through these reasons.  Some people always get stuff in traffic, have longer routes or have very tight schedules making it difficult to get to just one more thing on time.  You no longer have to worry about this.   

The Therapy Process Explained

Through teletherapy or online therapy, we’ll start off by completing the initial assessment.  This will consist of gathering background information about yourself, your family, the reasons bringing you to therapy and your goals for therapy.  We’ll also touch upon your reasons for choosing online therapy.  The remainder following sessions, will be addressing the reasons that brought you to therapy. 
              As a therapist, I primary utilize cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy, client centered therapy, relational therapy and brief solution focused therapy.  The therapy modalities vary by your needs and each person’s therapy treatment is individualized to meet and address their unique needs.  This approach discusses the connection between your thoughts, feelings and behaviors.  I also teach you relaxation skills to alleviate any stress you may be experiencing.  This may consist of muscle relaxation, grounding, guiding imagery or other techniques.  Together we will identify coping skills to utilize as needed.  Through therapy, we will continue to address the reasons that brought you to therapy.  Treatment goals will be identified, developed and implemented.  At times you may receive homework such as utilizing the new skills you have been learning.  We will continue to discuss these in online therapy sessions.  Other interventions that may be utilized include cognitive reframing, cognitive refocusing, communication skills, problem solving, exploring emotions/feelings and exploring relationship patterns.
              As you near reaching your therapy goals, we will shift our focus on how you can continue to utilize the skills you learned in therapy after therapy ends.  We will take time to discuss ending therapy and address any fears, concerns or worries that you may have about ending therapy.  While ending therapy can seem like a scary thing, it’s also a happy and proud moment.  It shows that you possess what it takes to continue living your best life.    

Online Psychotherapy, Online Therapy, Online Counseling, Teletherapy, Telehealth… 

By now you’ve probably heard about online therapy services and have probably seen commercials about it too.  Online therapy is referred to and called many things.  It’s called online psychotherapy, online counseling, teletherapy, telepsychology, telehealth, e-therapy, e-counseling or cyber-counseling.  As you can see it goes by many names; however, they’re all referring to the same thing.  Online therapy or teletherapy refers to receiving therapy live over the internet as opposed to in person face to face.  It is also defined as “the application of telecommunications technology to deliver professional counseling, mental health or therapy services at a distance in real time by using the internet to connect the client and professional counselor or therapist.”  Depending on whom you are seeing will determine the platform or system that will be used to conduct online psychotherapy.  Some methods used to receive online therapy are through video conferencing, online chat or an app on your phone.

But how will online therapy services help me?

By using online therapy services, we can begin to address many problems.  Clients dealing with anger management can benefit from relaxation exercises and cognitive behavioral therapy.  This is done by teaching them how their thoughts are causing them to feel angry which is resulting in negative behaviors.  Coping skills are utilized to teach you how to deal with your anger in a healthy and appropriate manner.  Relaxation skills are also very important when working with clients experiencing trauma.  Clients experiencing trauma or PTSD are taught how to self-regulate their bodies and regain back control of their mind and body.  Perhaps, you’re grieving and unable to leave your home to attend therapy.  Online therapy is still beneficial and allows you to reap the same benefits as face-to-face therapy.  You’re still able to learn how to process your grief and loss, address the different emotions you may be feeling and identify methods to help you cope.  You do not have to experience this alone.

Is online psychotherapy, online therapy or online counseling legitimate and are the therapists licensed?

Yes, online psychotherapy, online therapy and online counseling are all perfectly legitimate.  You still get the same quality service as face to face.  You are also covered and protected by the same state laws whether you receive therapy online or in person face to face.  Any therapist that practices or portrays themselves as a therapist or licensed clinical professional counselor should be licensed.  Many clients may find a therapist online on therapy directories.  Any reputable therapy site will already have a system in place to vet their therapists before allowing them to advertise on their site.  If you’re ever uncertain, you may contact the state board for that therapist.  I can assure you that I am certified by the Board of Professional Counselors as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor.  

Are online counseling or online therapy services even safe? Does this mean my sessions are recorded or my text therapy session messages may not be secure?

Yes, online counseling and online therapy services can be very safe.  It stays safe by utilizing an electronic health records system or platform that is HIPAA compliant.  You are protected by the same privacy policies and confidentiality laws as face-to-face therapy.  Conversations or sessions are never recorded, images are never taken, and messages are never shared without written consent from you the client.  As with all technology and the internet, there are some risks whenever anyone sends or shares electronic information.  While conducting online therapy or telehealth therapy, I do not utilize messaging or texting to conduct therapy sessions.  Texting may be utilized outside of therapy sessions to confirm, reschedule or cancel a session though.  

Do I need special equipment or be tech savvy to use online therapy?  Is it going to be more expensive?

The only online equipment you need are access to the internet or Wi-Fi, a computer or tablet and access to an audio and video streaming application on one of your devices.  Nowadays laptops and tablets provide a camera attached to them.  Some of these are very good quality; however, you don’t need a high-quality camera.  The electronic health record system that I utilize has an online therapy or telehealth option built right into it.  All you need to do is log in to access your client portal.  From there it is easy to use.  Online therapy and online counseling services are not more expensive.  Online therapy sessions and face to face therapy sessions are charged at the same rate.  Although, it may be cheaper for you if you consider the gas, you’d save by not having to travel to an office for sessions.

A New Norm

Online therapy, online counseling and teletherapy has become more and more common.  Nowadays many clients are taking advantage of this therapy method.  You’ll also see many therapists are offering this service too.  For example, you’ll notice that in the news and on television there are more advertisements for online therapy and online counseling.  It is no longer consider taboo.    

Contact Us Today

If you are ready to sign up for online therapy, online counseling or teletherapy just fill out our contact form.  The good news is that help is available from the convenience of your home.  Please specify if you are interested in receiving online therapy.   If you still have more questions about online therapy, online counseling or teletherapy, feel free to include them in your message.  We will get back to you with a reply.  We can also be contacted at 410 205-9631.  Just leave your name, number and reason for calling.