Telehealth
Telehealth, also known as telepsychology, telemental health, telebehavioral health, or telemedicine, which is video conferencing for our appointments. It's a great alternative option to in-person, in-office visits especially given the current COVID-19 pandemic. You can be in the comfort of your own home and flexibility of your schedule. Many people work during the day and can't make a 12 noon appointment across town or have inconsistent schedules that prove difficult to accommodate with an in-office model. I can see you during your lunch hour or between kids' extracurricular activities or when the baby is napping. It makes it so much easier to fit self-care in to your busy day.
Online therapy has been proven to be as effective as in-person therapy. Some advantages of online therapy or teletherapy include:
Easier access: Clients who live in remote areas or who have limited mobility or limited access to transportation may be more motivated to participate in online therapy.
Reduced cost: Online therapy eliminates the costs associated with travel time and gas.
More consistent therapy: Online therapy decreases absences due to poor weather conditions or sickness, allowing clients to participate in therapy on a regular basis.
More intense therapy: Online therapy can be scheduled more frequently, as clients do not have to commute long distances.
Increased progress: Since online therapy provides more intense therapy, it can accelerate progress.
Better access to specialists: Online therapy can allow individuals in remote areas to get help from specialists who may not be available in their geographic location.
Psychological comfort: Online therapy can help with eliminating the social stigma related to receiving mental counseling or other therapy.
Flexibility: Clients have access to more specialists and can select the specialists who can work with their schedules.
Online therapy DOES NOT lend itself to crisis situations and a timely response. Online therapy is not appropriate if you have suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, or a serious psychiatric illness that lends itself to instability.
Telehealth Appointments
My primary telehealth platform is powered through Simple Practice, which is a private-practice, HIPAA compliant, management program.
If you're using a desktop or laptop, you will receive an appointment reminder in your email that you will be able to click on or you may go to their website client/patient portal; you don't need to download or install a software program to attend your appointment.
If you're using a smartphone or tablet, you'll need to download the free app Telehealth by SimplePractice in the Apple Store or Google Play Store. To start the video appointment, you'll click on the link in the email appointment reminder or in the client/patient portal that will be sent to you. It is very simple.
SimplePractice resources: web-based guide to telehealth, PDF of the telehealth FAQs
Prior to your tele-mental health session, make sure to:
Check for internet speed.
For additional security, use a VPN and change your router password to your own password and not the factory or service provider password given at installation.
Make sure you are in a private room. Children and pets should be cared for to prevent interruption during the session. If you are calling from your office, you may want to consider an after-hours call when you are alone, or make sure you are in a spot where you will not be interrupted.
Set up your computer before the session. Make sure you are not back-lit. Your head should be centered on your screen.
Some potential concerns:
Pixelation and video or voice lag.
technical setup issues
computer not working correctly
no internet or poor internet speeds
These concerns can happen both at the client location and at my location. If these concerns happen, we will attempt to correct the issue, but if we are unable to correct the issue within five minutes, we will continue the session via telephone.
While on the video, I will be utilizing a head-piece with a microphone in order to reduce background noise and to help with your privacy. I would recommend the same for clients. My office location has a white noise machine to help protect your privacy. I use software with multiple layers of encryption to help protect your privacy. I do not have control of privacy on your end. I would recommend not sharing your client portal password with anyone and I would suggest changing it every couple of months. Also, you are in charge of your location and making sure it is safe and private.
At the start of your session:
I will ask for a driver’s license or another photo ID to verify your identity at the initial session.
I will ask for your location at the start of each session. This is necessary in case of an emergency so I can make appropriate contacts. Also, I am licensed in the state of North Dakota and Florida. If you are out-of-state, I may not be able to provide services as I will need to follow the state laws in your physical location.
I will ask for a release of information for an emergency contact/physical support person. This is a support person over the age of 18 that I can contact in case of an emergency and who can physically be with you if needed. I will only disclose information to this person during an emergency crisis situation.