This article will teach you what telehealth therapy is. It will go over what to expect with this type of mental health treatment.
I will provide pros and cons of this treatment option and explore whether it is a good fit for you and your needs!
In today’s world, technology plays a huge role. It can be a tool or a barrier depending on who you are and what you need it for.
During the global pandemic, people had to get creative in order to safely engage in different types of health care. Telehealth (virtual) mental health treatment became more popular than ever before!
Now, almost all agencies and programs will offer a virtual option in addition to in-person services.
Some agencies, such as BetterHelp & TalkSpace are completely virtual and don’t offer any in-person options.
This post will cover what telehealth therapy looks like and what to expect with this treatment option. It includes a list of pros and cons of telehealth therapy to consider in your decision-making.
This post is all about telehealth therapy. It will discuss what this virtual treatment is and includes advantages and disadvantages of telehealth therapy compared to more traditional, in-person treatment.
What is teletherapy (telehealth therapy)?
Telehealth therapy, or teletherapy, is essentially therapy done virtually. This can be over the telephone, or done through a video appointment.
You can do telehealth therapy on your phone or mobile device or through a laptop or computer if you are choosing to use the video option.
Your entire treatment can be done through telehealth, starting with your initial appointments, intakes & assessments.
There are a few requirements to engage consistently in telehealth (online) mental health treatment which I will elaborate on later in this article.
Types of teletherapy
The mental health treatment options offered virtually can provide a variety of treatment options
These can include individual (one-on-one) counseling, couples, family and group therapy options.
Individual
There are many individual online therapy websites and programs if you are looking for private, one-on-one counseling sessions.
Like I said before, almost all agencies are offering a telehealth option, and some agencies are specific to telehealth only, such as Betterhelp & Talkspace.
You can engage in individual therapy, build a therapeutic relationship with your counselor and use different features included in some treatment options, such as a chat space which allows you to send your counselor messages in between sessions.
Couples or family
Virtual therapy can be a safe and productive way to engage in couples or family therapy depending on your needs.
If you live farther away from your partner or family members, telehealth gives you the option to all log in and participate in sessions together, despite the distance.
It can be a great option for people in long-distance relationships.
This option can also provide a space for someone who might want to work through challenging family dynamics but doesn’t feel safe to be in the same room or physical environment as their family members.
It gives you the option to engage in treatment together even if you are physically apart.
Group: support groups
There is such a range of virtual support groups & types of group therapy.
Support groups typically have a specific focus, for example: Support groups for those grieving the death of a parent; support groups for those in recovery from anorexia; supports group for survivors of Domestic Violence; support groups for anyone living with PTSD (or any specific mental health diagnosis).
The point is, whatever topic you are interested in, likely there is a support group for it. And likely, the group will be offered virtually (telehealth) to make it easier for people to engage from wherever they are.
Group therapy can also be focused on building a specific skill set of framework. For example there are many different DBT support groups which means these groups teach the skills covered by DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy).
Group settings can be a very helpful way to connect with and learn from other people going through similar experiences. It can be insightful and help you feel less alone with what you are experiencing and feeling.
Telehealth Therapy with Insurance
Telehealth therapy costs can run the full range of expenses. Some programs might offer free services and some might charge hundreds of dollars per session.
This is why it’s important to consider whether your insurance includes mental health coverage, cause most plans do.
In some cases insurance can cover your treatment entirely ($0 for you to pay) and in other plans, the insurance will cover a portion of your sessions and you are responsible for a co-pay.
This is determined by your specific insurance plan and I encourage you to call the # on the back of your insurance ID to ask these specific questions.
Typically insurance will cover the same for telehealth (virtual) sessions as they would for in-person sessions, but this is definitely something to check on!
If you are unsure where to begin the process with finding a telehealth therapist, begin by reading my comprehensive guide to finding a new therapist.
Guidelines for Telehealth: What you can expect
Every treatment agency and program will have their own expectations for engagement which they should provide you when you are beginning your care.
However, there are a few general rules that will apply to telehealth therapy in just about any program.
Telehealth Essentials
For almost any telehealth (virtual) session, having a device & service/ wifi to connect to is essential.
Baseline, you need a phone or computer or tablet to use in order to participate in your sessions. Depending on the type of session (telephone call or video), Wifi or data might be required.
In some programs, the location you are in is a factor in treatment.
For example, if you are engaging in a program that requires you to be in a specific state for your sessions, then that means even if you can log onto your phone from another location, this program & their professional licenses require you to be in that specific state at the time of your sessions. There are also programs that don’t require any location details, meaning you can engage in your appointments regardless of where you are in the world!
So this is something to check with when you are considering the options of telehealth versus in-person and what flexibility that would actually give you.
Telehealth Therapy: Pros & Cons
Telehealth therapy can be a great and accessible option for many people. For other people, the thought of doing their therapy through a phone might instantly cause them to shut down in distress.
Below I will go into detail about the specific pros and cons for telehealth therapy that might apply to your and your life.
There is no right or wrong answer here, and what is best and most effective will look different for everyone. For many people, you could benefit from both in-person and telehealth so these are just some considerations to take into account when thinking about your options for care.
Pros of Telehealth therapy
Below I will discuss specific advantages and benefits of telehealth therapy. As a licensed therapist who practices both virtual and in-person, I have expert knowledge around the reasons people choose both and what factors are important to consider when deciding.
Accessibility
Bottom line, telehealth therapy makes care more accessible for a TON of people. For a variety of reasons further detailed below, this option can make it easier for people to engage in mental health treatment.
Transportation doesn’t have to be a barrier
Whether you live in a city or more rural area, getting to in-person appointments can be a challenge depending on what you have access to for public or personal transportation.
Many people face barriers to attending their in-person sessions due to not having safe and consistent transportation.
Telehealth allows you to participate from where you are, eliminating the need for transportation in most cases.
This removes travel as a barrier to being able to attend and access care.
Scheduling
With the option of telehealth, it can open up more availability in your day for appointments.
Consider someone who works 9-5 and has an hour-long lunch break in the middle of her day.
They likely would not be able to make the commute to the therapist office, attend their full session & commute back to work within that break time.
However, if they were doing telehealth, they could probably sign onto their computer, attend their full session & have a few minutes extra to transition back into work mode.
Because of the time it takes to get to an in-person office appointment, by engaging virtually, you have much more availability timing wise.
It might be easier for someone to fit a 45 minute session in once/week when they have the opening versus needed to block out hours of travel time for in-person.
Flexibility
This ties into the above advantages, but in general, telehealth services provide more flexibility to treatment, which tends to make it easier for people to engage.
When thinking of mental health services, they can be difficult to understand, navigate & get plugged into. So anything that makes it easier, is something we, as helping professionals, welcome!
Allows for engagement regardless of distance or physical location
This benefit was briefly touched on earlier in the article. If you are trying to do family, group or couples therapy, it can sometimes be a challenge trying to all be in the same place at once.
Especially if you are in a long-distance relationship or live far away from the family members you are hoping to attend family therapy with.
Telehealth allows you to sign on from wherever, so it can allow people to still connect and heal together even if there is physical space between them.
This could be helpful if someone is living far away, but it is not limited to that.
It can also be useful if it’s unsafe to be in the same room with someone but you still want to work through therapy together.
It can allow you to have structured and guided discussions with a professional’s support to work through some challenging experiences or emotions.
For group settings, virtual sessions allow for further connection as well.
Think about if you lived in a rural town and only one other person was able to attend the in-person group therapy.
If it was remote, you could ideally learn from and connect with many types of people (not limited to your local radius).
This could allow for you to learn new perspectives, and meet people who are from different regions or walks-of-life than you are.
Cons of Telehealth Therapy
Above detailed some identified advantages of virtual therapy. Below I will discuss the disadvantages of this type of treatment option.
Remember, everyone is different and what is a benefit for me, might be a disadvantage for someone else, so use your judgment as you self-reflect and decide which would be a better option for you personally!
Might not have privacy
This is the barrier I run into most, as a therapist doing telehealth. Often the idea can feel very enticing to be able to do sessions anywhere in the state on your device, but the reality of that might look a little different.
Some people have very little to no private space in their personal or professional lives. Meaning they don’t have a room or area to do the session in that will be completely private. This could be applicable if you share a living space with someone, or don’t feel safe to do your sessions with anyone listening close by.
This is a big thing to consider, as therapy is very personal and intimate and there are often things worth discussing that can feel very private. If you are considering telehealth as an option, try to think about where you could do your sessions safely and privately from each week.
I’ve seen people get creative with this, doing their sessions in a parked car in a parking lot each week, doing their sessions in a separate room from their loved ones, or planning a reserved office to use at work to ensure privacy during your session time.
It is definitely something to consider and if you cannot think of any space for you to do your sessions and have privacy, in-person options might be a better bet for you!
Technology challenges
This can be a HUGE challenge for some people, and understandably so! Telehealth typically requires baseline knowledge of using your mobile device, accessing your account info and using the camera features to enable video sessions.
For some, this might feel manageable and for others, the idea of having to use their phone each week to try and navigate and sign onto the online platform might instantly cause panic or dread and cause them to shut down.
Think about whether technology is a tool or a stressor for you, and in particular how you would feel about using your device for ongoing sessions.
This is definitely a personal preference so be honest with yourself, without judgment please, about whether this would be helpful or hurtful for you to have as a part of your treatment.
Also, I’d like to point out on an even simpler level, some people might not have access to a device to use regularly.
Anyone should be able to access mental health treatment, regardless of financial status, and if you cannot afford a phone & phone plan, you shouldn’t feel discouraged from getting care.
You might want to find a program that offers in person appointments to reduce any obstacles about necessary technology.
Easier to get distracted
If you are using your phone or computer for your appointments, odds are, you will have more distractions coming in versus an in-person appointment.
If you are doing a telephone only session it is very easy for people to try and multi-task or do something else while they are on the phone for their sessions.
This leads to challenges with engaging and less effective clinical work.
If you know you are prone to getting distracted especially when you’re already on your phone then this is something to consider.
It’s okay to have the self-awareness to know you won’t be as focused and engaged with a decide in your hand
less opportunity for non-verbal communication
Along these lines, another disadvantage of telehealth therapy could be that it reduces the opportunity for non-verbal communication.
When you think of therapy, verbal forms of communication likely come to mind. However, there is a lot of significance on somatic (body-related) healing and non-verbal means of communication and interaction.
What I mean by this is that through your healing, yes there are lots of things you will discuss and talk through, but there might be additional ways to feel connected, seen, healed, that are more about your body & the messages your body’s sensations are communicating.
This could be the messages your body is communicating to you or the messages your body is communicating to your therapist which might impact the direction the treatment goes in.
In virtual therapy, body language and non-verbal means of communication can play a role as well, especially if you are doing video. However, they are typically less observable since the therapist is not in the room with you.
This isn’t to say you absolutely need to be in person to do somatic healing or listen to your body. You can just as effectively communicate what is coming up for you through telehealth sessions, this is just something to consider.
So… Which is more effective?
This article reviewed what telehealth therapy is, what the guidelines & expectations are to consider and explored in depth advantages and disadvantages of doing your therapy virtually.
As I’ve said before, there is no right answer here, and that is the beauty of having options!
For someone who might have a packed schedule and the idea of commuting to an in-person office every week is just not an option, telehealth might be the better option.
For someone who avoids using their phone at all costs and values speaking to someone in person, telehealth would not be the best choice for you.
The effectiveness of therapy depends on a lot of things, including your relationship with your therapist, the effort you are willing to put in, your comfortability with vulnerability… and yes the role of technology!
The conversation should not be about replacing in-person therapy with virtual because both offer specific benefits and strengths and I find both useful for different reasons.
The reality that most places offer a combination of both is essential. Even for one person, there may be periods of life that are more suitable for telehealth treatment and other times of life where having a private & safe space in-person to go to each week is the better option.
So, this is a long way to say, consider all the points in this post, reflect on where you stand with them and make your decision accordingly.
You can also try out both options and see which feels more effective for you!
This post discussed what telehealth therapy is, what to expect out of this treatment option and factors to consider when deciding between virtual and in-person for your therapy needs!
