Teletherapy

Teletherapy

Have a schedule that makes it difficult to find time for therapy sessions?  Want to avoid a long drive to a therapist’s office? Would you be more comfortable at home sitting on your couch instead of speaking to a therapist in-person?  If you answered, yes, to any of these questions, teletherapy may be a great option for you.  Call The Counseling Center at (317) 754-0808 to discuss whether teletherapy options.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is teletherapy?

Teletherapy is a mental health service that is provided by using long-distance technologies. Therefore, clients and therapists do not have to be in the same place at the same time. At The Counseling Center, we use secure, HIPAA-compliant video conferencing. This allows clients to reach their providers wherever the provider may be.

How do online therapy sessions work?

Teletherapy sessions work much the same way as traditional therapy sessions with only one significant difference.  Of course, there are notable exceptions. Among them, the client and therapist are not in the same room.

Sessions are scheduled at an appropriate and suitable time and day for each part.  Then, the therapist and and client log-in via an agreed, secure video platform. The therapist and client can see and hear each other in real-time during the session via the use of a computer or mobile device featuring a camera and microphone. Through this virtual environment, they can interact with each other, and the therapist uses the same traditional techniques and activities they would use in a face-to-face therapy session

What are the benefits of teletherapy?

1.  Makes therapy accessible to more people.

For individuals living in rural communities, living with a disability that makes travel difficult, or those who are just unsure about trying therapy for the first time, teletherapy is a highly beneficial option. Teletherapy removes many of the barriers – physical, emotional, or mental – towards seeking out therapy and makes it accessible for more people.

Research has found that those who participate in teletherapy are also more likely to seek out face-to-face therapy as a result of a positive experience.

2. Offers greater flexibility

It’s easy to put off attending therapy when sessions are offered during limited office hours. For many people who already have a lot of commitments to juggle, seeking out this form of support can easily be bumped down the priority list. When a therapist can be readily available at a time that suits the patient, it offers greater flexibility and could even encourage more people to seek the right support when they need it most.

3. Reduced wait times

It might seem like a small benefit, but increased flexibility also means reduced waiting times for patients wanting to speak with a therapist urgently or for the first time. It can take a lot of courage making an appointment for therapy, and the less time someone has to wait, the more likely it will be they’ll follow through and get the help they need.

Taking time off from work to battle traffic while going to the therapist, wasting even more time in the waiting room, having the session, and then battling traffic to return to work, is also a huge deterrent to many. Being able to brew a quick coffee, step into a private room for the scheduled therapy session, and ready to return fairly soon to ‘work-mode’ is a much more viable solution for many office workers.

4. Creates a safer environment

That feeling of anxiety many experiences when sitting in the waiting room of the dentist or doctor surgery? It’s the same anxiety experienced when waiting for a therapy session. The process of going to a new environment to meet with a therapist can be a stressful one. Teletherapy alleviates this stress by allowing patients to familiarise themselves with the process in the comfort of their own home.

If you’re interested in discussing whether teletherapy would be a good option for you, call The Counseling Center today at (317) 754-0808.