Since the COVID pandemic, telehealth has expanded drastically. This opens up new doors for so many people in terms of accessing care. Not to mention, it is convenient too! You don't have to factor driving time or potential traffic into your schedule, support is available without leaving the comfort of your safe space, and you have greater access to treatment providers with particular specialties.
While telehealth can offer many benefits, it isn't for everyone. The option of a virtual therapist can provide more freedom, but the truth is that there are still limitations. If you are trying to decide between virtual or in-person therapy, here are a few questions to ask yourself.
Do I have a safe space for sessions?
Your space is familiar, but does it feel like a zone where you can get into the nitty gritty of therapy? If the answer is yes, then great! If you are unsure, it might be helpful to consider whether or not telehealth will be the best fit.
Therapists have a responsibility to help their clients feel safe and contained in the therapeutic space. In a physical therapy room, we have some more control over that by using calming decorations, creating a quiet space, and ensuring that your privacy is upheld. When we are in a virtual therapy "room", the client is responsible for making sure they feel safe and contained in their physical space. This means that you will probably want to be able to control the noise level, reduce distractions, and have a private space where others in your household cannot hear. If this is not available to you, maybe consider in-person therapy where a therapeutic physical space is built into the session.
Is my technology capable of virtual sessions?
Technology is always unpredictable, but there are some technological considerations we can look at in advance to make sure you have the best chance at success with virtual therapy. For example, how is your internet connection? Most telehealth platforms recommend a bandwidth of at least 10 mbps. Do you have a device with a built in webcam and microphone? If not, can your device support external video conferencing devices? Some therapists will provide telehealth over the phone, but many prefer to see their telehealth clients through HIPAA compliant video calls.
Additionally, for virtual sessions, you should be comfortable with navigating technology enough to where you are able to join a video or phone call. Telehealth platforms try to make this process as straightforward as possible, but think about considering in-person therapy if you tend to struggle with using email, joining video calls, or text messaging.
How can I feel connected over the phone?
By using the word "connected", I mean a couple of different things. The first thing I mean by this is: Are you able to feel connected to the conversation and remain in the present moment? Especially for people who struggle with a diagnosis such as ADHD, it can be easy to get distracted by things in your environment, succumb to the urge to check your phone, or pull up a second tab on your laptop for multi-tasking purposes. Virtual therapy offers a less accountability with these things than in-person therapy simply because we can't really see what is going on around you.
The second thing I mean by "connected" is: Are you going to feel safe enough in the relationship with your therapist if you do not meet with them in person? I think for a lot of people, going into a telehealth relationship with a therapist can feel different than an in-person one. What I have noticed with many of my telehealth clients is that it can take a longer to build that secure base over video calls, but it often does happen. Some people, however, never really feel like they are able to build a secure relationship with therapist via telehealth. Therapy can be a pretty vulnerable space, so it makes sense if you need to take care of yourself by opting for an in-person therapist.
Still curious about virtual therapy? Let's talk!
Overall, telehealth can be a great option and help you to reap the same benefits as in-person therapy. If you are interested in giving virtual therapy a shot, feel free to reach out. I offer a free, 15-minute discovery call. At this time, I am only offering telehealth services to clients in California, but check back in the future to see if Makenzie Collins Therapy has expanded to other states and/or in-person services!
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