Telehealth is the modern-day house call. Telehealth includes the option of virtual mental health counseling services via real-time video and audio platforms. This option for virtual therapy services comes with many advantages and increases access to services.
Many of us transitioned to attending virtual gatherings during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, telehealth services for mental health, also known as telemental health services, have been around long before 2020.
Telehealth – the provision of professional healthcare services, such as therapy or medication management, via HIPAA-secure video services – allows you to connect with your mental health provider in real-time without the need to be in the same physical location. Telemental health can offer a much-needed opportunity to address your mental health concerns in a way that fits into your life.
Research has shown that services provided via telehealth can be just as effective as in-person services. The training, skill, and credentials of your provider do not change, nor does the level of confidentiality your provider ensures. However, therapy via telehealth is not just FaceTime with your mental health provider.
Advantages of Telehealth Counseling
While telehealth may not be the best option for everyone, there are a variety of advantages to the availability of therapy via telehealth services.
- Increased access to a qualified mental health professional. The option to receive therapy via telehealth means that you can work with any mental health professional who is licensed in your state. This can be especially important for folks who live in rural areas with limited access to in-person services. This can also be important for those who want to work with someone who specializes in a specific concern or type of therapy.
- Ability to control your environment. Going to therapy in an office includes lots of factors that you can’t control. What is the parking situation? How might I be impacted by lighting or scents within the space? Are there seating options available that work for my body? Telehealth allows you to control your environment. You can set the lighting just the way you want. You control the temperature, the scents, and the seating options. You may even choose to have your favorite cozy blanket or your pet nearby during your therapy sessions.
- No need to factor in commute time. Lots of the folks I work with in therapy have busy lives and lots of different commands on their time. Adding in the time needed for a commute to an in-office appointment would likely decrease the number of therapy sessions they could fit into their schedule and/or create another stressor in their life. Meeting via telehealth means they are able to block out the hour of our appointment time and not have to factor in additional time on either side for a commute.
- Greater sense of confidentiality. Meeting from your own space can allow for an increased sense of confidentiality. On my side, I meet with clients from my private office where I don’t share space with anyone else. I also use earbuds during session so only I can hear what the person on the other end is saying. The door to my office has a keypad lock so no one else is entering, both during sessions or at other times. Clients don’t have to worry about entering a building where other people may be present or crossing paths with someone if they prefer others not know they’re attending therapy. We don’t have to worry about other providers talking loudly in the hallway or hearing noises from things happening in nearby rooms. Some folks even prefer to attend therapy from their parked vehicle in order to ensure an even greater sense of confidentiality.
Getting the Most Out of Your Appointment
There are a few things you can do to ensure that you get the most out of your telehealth appointment with your therapist. Most importantly, remember that telemental health sessions are different from video chats with friends. Your therapy session is an appointment that you scheduled with a professional. You are investing in your wellness!
Prepare Physically
From a physical standpoint, it can be helpful to prepare for your appointment by getting out of bed and getting dressed as you would for visiting an office. Not only can this help you feel more positive about your day, it also creates a mindset that you’re doing something important.
Some folks may need to attend their therapy sessions from their bed. Things like chronic illness, desire for privacy, or preference for that area of your home are all valid reasons that attending therapy from bed makes sense. To the extent possible, sitting atop the bed covers (rather than snuggled up in sheets and blankets) and changing from night clothes into daytime clothing can help create a mindset that you are taking part in an important appointment.
Clients are always encouraged to talk to me about any concerns related to being physically prepared for therapy sessions. I’m happy to collaborate to figure out what will work best for specific needs and situations.
Location, location, location.
This is another important consideration in being physically prepared for a successful telehealth appointment. Your provider is responsible for providing services from a private area and ensuring your confidentiality on their end. You are responsible for doing the same on your end. This means not connecting to your session while driving in a car or in the check-out line at the store.
You want to find a private place where you can speak freely. If privacy is a concern for you, speak with your provider to determine a plan that will allow you to get the most out of your sessions. Also, be aware that many mental health professionals are licensed to provide services in specific states, so discuss this with your provider prior to scheduling an appointment while you will be traveling.
I am currently licensed to provide services in North Carolina. That means that I can provide therapy to someone when they are physically located in the state of NC. I’m happy to discuss options with folks about location for sessions if privacy is a concern. For many of the individuals I’ve worked with, their vehicle was the most secure place for them to attend therapy. We figure out where they had good wifi connections or cell signals and always ensure they are parked during the session.
Prepare Mentally
Your therapy session is your time to discuss your concerns and work toward your goals for taking care of your mental health and overall wellness. Use that time in the way that works best for you! This could mean looking over any notes you might have from the time between sessions, or considering where you want to focus for the session.
Telehealth allows you to meet with your provider from any private location with a strong internet connection, which means there may be times when you don’t have much transition between a virtual work meeting and a therapy session. Allow yourself to mentally transition, even if you’re not changing physical locations. You can take a few deep breaths, stretch a bit, or grab the non-alcoholic beverage of your choice before beginning your session so you can get the most out of your time.
Some clients struggle to figure out how to best prepare themselves mentally for therapy sessions. I’m always happy to talk through options and figure out what might work for a particular person or circumstance.
Prepare Technologically
How can you be sure that you are prepared for your session from a technology standpoint? Be certain that you know how to access your session prior to your appointment time. This may include a program or app to download or a link to utilize that is provided by your therapist. If you have questions about accessing your appointment, ask your therapist. Part of our job is to ensure you feel comfortable accessing services.
Your video and audio clarity will be influenced by your internet connection, so while you can utilize cell data or wi-fi to connect for your appointment, you are going to get the strongest signal by using a wired connection. Ensuring that no additional browser windows are open and that no one else is streaming over the same connection will also enhance your session’s audio and video clarity.
I encourage my clients to use headphones or ear buds to assist with blocking outside noise and reducing audio feedback. You want to be able to give your undivided attention to your appointment, so avoid checking texts or scrolling on your phone. If connecting from a smart phone, many folks find it beneficial to place their phone on “Do Not Disturb” during their therapy sessions to avoid distractions and technological interference.
There may be cases where using only audio makes the most sense for a session. Talk with your therapist about your needs and preferences. I have had a variety of situations where it made sense to shift the format of a session. This can include things like needing to take a break from screens due to eye issues or headaches, difficulty with connection to allow for streaming video, or a client finding it beneficial to utilize a phone session so they could move around more freely while discussing something. You can always ask your therapist about making adjustments, and it’s our job to determine if the shift would benefit or harm the therapy experience (and to explain our reasoning).
We are continually recognizing the impacts of various parts of life on our mental health, and the importance of finding support in our mental health journey. Telehealth offers another option for doing that by allowing you to see licensed mental health providers for therapy and medication management without needing to go into the office. With these tips, you’ll be prepared to experience the benefits of an effective telehealth appointment with your provider.
What’s Next?
Are you curious about telehealth? Have you tried it before and found it helpful? I currently have a few openings for individual adult clients located in NC, and would be happy to discuss if we might be a good fit for working together. You can look around my website to learn more about me and my approach to therapy. Use this contact form (also linked at the top of every page) to schedule a free, virtual 15-minute consultation so we can discuss what therapy might look like if we were to work together.
**A previous version of this information was posted on this blog in November 2021.**
Michelle F. Moseley is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in NC. She believes ALL people deserve respect, compassion, and access to mental and physical healthcare. Michelle specializes in working with survivors of religious trauma, and with those who have body image concerns, finding there is frequent overlap in these areas. She also frequently supports late-identified neurodivergent individuals as they navigate the grief and relief of a new understanding of self. You can learn more about Michelle by visiting her website at MichelleFMoseley.com or following her on Instagram – @therapy_with_michelle
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