Telehealth Benefits & Tips
COVID-19 brought us a lot of change, including therapy and mental health appointments. The increase of Telehealth services during COVID-19 has proven to be beneficial for clients and clinicians, and will hopefully continue to benefit and expand access to mental health care in the future. Some benefits of telehealth therapy include:
No travel time or traffic to worry about. If you have an hour between meetings or a lunch hour off, you now have time to log on to a Telehealth session. It is easier to carve out one hour of appointment time and not have to worry about drive time, parking, check-in, and then driving back.
Telehealth allows therapists to reach individuals that may have previously been unreachable. Therapists can see clients via Telehealth services from anywhere in the state(s) they are licensed in. In-person therapy is bound by transportation access to an office. (NOTE: Different state laws, health insurance, and different therapist license requirements can vary on telehealth accessibility.)
No more waiting room.
Clients can attend appointments from the comfort of their own home, in an environment that makes them feel safe and comfortable.
Telehealth services are a safer option during inclement weather. Instead of traveling to an office in snow, or having to cancel because of weather, clients can still be seen for Telehealth therapy during inclement weather.
Telehealth offers expanded access to disabled populations.
Some tips and recommendations for making the most of your telehealth appointment:
Make sure you are in a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed or heard. This may be in a bedroom, home office, basement, a large closet, or even in your parked car.
You could put a white noise machine, small fan, or speaker with music playing outside of the door to the room you will be in so that roommates or family members cannot overhear your conversation.
Check your internet connection before your telehealth therapy session.
Consider using headphones or earbuds plugged into your device to improve sound quality and maintain privacy.
Be flexible with the format you use to connect with therapy. Just like all technology, there are adjustments that may need to be made. Give yourself a learning curve to get use to the technology side of telehealth therapy (i.e. internet connection, telehealth platform login, the device you are using).
Don’t be afraid to ask your therapist questions or voice concerns if you are having trouble with the technology, telehealth set up, or any other concerns.
Using your smartphone can bring interruptions if you get calls or text messages during your session. It is recommended you turn off notifications and block incoming calls (if possible) during your session.
Treat your telehealth therapy session as if you are meeting with your therapist in person. Avoid engaging in any tasks you wouldn’t do if you and your therapist were meeting in their office, such as cleaning, texting, smoking, or cooking.
All you will need is ONE of the following devices:
Desktop computer with a webcam
Laptop computer with a webcam
Tablet device with a webcam and speakers
Smartphone with a camera and speakers
