What is Tele-Therapy?

What is Tele-Therapy?

Online counseling, virtual counseling, e-therapy, e-counseling, remote therapy, tele-therapy and tele mental health are all terms used to describe therapeutic counseling that takes place via the Internet.

How Does It Work?

In my practice, I use HIPAA-compliant, secure video conferencing to provide real time assistance. My office is private and our conversations cannot be overheard there. I encourage clients to find a quiet, private space and to consider using headphones. Sessions are not recorded. You can connect from anywhere in the state of Washington, so long as you provide your location at the beginning of the session.

Why Choose Tele-Therapy?

Convenience, Affordability, Safety

Demands on your time can make it difficult to take care of yourself. Nowadays, many busy folks keep in touch with the people they care about by text messages, email, social media as a way of keeping in contact with ease. Unlike social media, however, virtual counseling takes place on a special website that is designed to protect your privacy. I am able to keep my overhead lower by reducing the cost of office rental. Online therapy is the safest way to provide treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s also safe and convenient. You can connect from home, the office, or just about any location with privacy in Washington.

Accessibility for People with Physical Limitations and People Living in Remote Areas

By eliminating the burden of travel to an office, people facing limited ability to go to an office for therapy have greater access to therapy. This allows me to provide care to people living anywhere in Washington State.

Why Not to Choose Tele-Therapy?

Not Appropriate for All Counseling Concerns

Online therapy can help with many concerns, but may not be appropriate for all concerns, including serious substance dependence, thought disorders, very deep depression or crisis situations like risk of harm from suicidal thoughts, self-harming behavior or other concerns that might require emergency-level help. We can talk about your needs and decide if online therapy is right for you.

Technology Concerns

While most cell phones can transfer data fast enough for online therapy, unreliable or low-speed internet service may not work well enough. Sometimes you might experience a cell phone call suddenly being “dropped”. Or, a website you want to use is down for service. Technology is a wonderful tool, but it doesn’t always work perfectly. We will always have a backup plan for sessions if there is a technological problem.

You will have to do more to keep the session confidential: you will have to make sure that you’re in a confidential location when we have a session, away from places where you might be overheard. You also must refrain from recording your sessions.