Tele-therapy

The short answer is yes. Research conducted to date suggests that therapy delivered online is effective at comparable rates to therapy delivered in person. The long answer is that there are still some unknowns, because online therapy simply has not been studied to the same degree as traditional in-person therapies. This means we could yet discover that certain types of therapy interventions, client problems, or individual client and therapist characteristics don’t benefit as much from an online format. In other words, online therapy certainly works, but that doesn’t mean it will work for everyone. Therefore, it is important to think about the advantages and disadvantages of online therapy to decide whether it is the right option for you. 

We all know that during the COVID-19 pandemic, online therapy has been a crucial alternative to help mitigate the risk of spread. But this is not the only advantage. Perhaps the main advantage of online therapy—beyond the pandemic—is convenience.

You do not need to commute, find parking, or spend time in a waiting room. For those living in more remote areas—with limited access to qualified mental health experts—online therapy is even more advantageous, because it opens access to services that are otherwise unavailable. Even locals can find it difficult to commute because of physical or psychological disability, caretaking obligations, or some other limitation. If you find yourself in any of these circumstances, online therapy may be the right fit for you. But online therapy may come with some notable disadvantages that are important to consider. 

The main disadvantage of online therapy is that—depending on your situation—there may be compromised privacy. If there are others in your home and you do not have a sound-secure room, or your internet or phone lines are open to unauthorized interference, others can gain access to your confidential private health information. In addition, you may encounter technical issues—such as a lost internet connection, software bugs, and hardware malfunctions—which can significantly disrupt a therapy session. You may experience frustration when this occurs—and in the event of extreme technical problems—could lose precious time. Another kind of disadvantage relates to the client-therapist connection and interaction. In some instances, video or phone sessions could make it more difficult for the therapist to tune in to non-verbal cues. Certain gestures of support—such as offering a glass of water or a box of tissues—are not possible. An office can provide certain other comforts and conveniences as well, such as coffee/tea, iced water, cash/cheque transactions, and printed invoices and receipts. Not all disadvantages are significant, but it is important to think about your situation and needs to decide whether online therapy is a good option for you. 

If you are unable to travel to a therapy office because of long distances, physical disability, psychological limitations, caretaking or occupational obligations, or any other circumstance that prevents access to the office, the benefits of online therapy likely outweigh the costs. But do consider the disadvantages as well and take steps to limit them. 

There are a few basic steps that every person should take to prepare for online therapy: 

1. Make sure you have a private space that is sound-secure, so that others cannot eavesdrop on your session. 
2. Make sure your internet server and connection are private and encrypted. 
3. Make sure your internet signal is as stable as possible and fast enough to support the video stream.
4.  Update your operating system, browser, and other apps relevant to your sessions. 
5. Do your utmost to ensure that you will not be disturbed. 
6. Talk to your therapist about setting up a backup plan in the event of technical failure. At Riven Psychology, we ask you to provide a phone number (preferrable your personal cell number) that we can call in the event of signal loss. 

Many private insurance plans provide the same coverage for online and in-person formats. Nevertheless, insurance policies vary widely, and you should always double check with your broker to confirm.