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Mental health and wellness is an ongoing conversation for everyone. Life has ups and downs, so sometimes you might need support more than others. Teletherapy is an easy way to access that support in a flexible, affordable and convenient way. Learn more about this modern mental health resource to decide if it’s right for you.
What Is Teletherapy?
Teletherapy is a virtual appointment between a therapist and their client. You can attend teletherapy as long as you feel you need support. Licensed mental health professionals conduct sessions via video chat, phone calls and even text messages. It depends on how they operate their business and how you can most comfortably stay in touch with them.
Is Teletherapy as Effective as In-Person?
Therapy is beneficial as long as you’re speaking with a licensed mental health professional using the type of therapy that works best for you. The private conversations and therapeutic techniques are equally effective as in-person sessions as long as your internet or phone connection remains stable.
Benefits of Teletherapy
You could enjoy numerous benefits of teletherapy if you find a therapist specializing in the type of treatments you need. These are the primary ways teletherapy could strengthen your mental well-being with recurring appointments.
1. You Won’t Feel Alone Anymore
Mental health struggles can feel isolating. You might wonder if you’re the only one feeling a certain way and get too embarrassed to ask for input. Research estimates that 20% of U.S. adults have some form of mental illness, but that doesn’t make those struggles any less isolating.
Teletherapy allows people to get help right away. You’ll have a friendly face ready to listen and help you unravel how your mind works. The comfort of having someone who understands and empathizes with you can be life-changing, even before the therapy starts to heal you.
2. You’ll Have More Free Time
Driving takes time out of your day. You’re likely already on the road commuting to work, running errands or driving your kids to school activities. Adding another 30 minutes or more with a commute to your therapist’s office steals valuable free time you might not want to give up.
Teletherapy doesn’t have a commute. The time you give to your therapist will be the only hour you need to consider. It makes therapy sessions easier to schedule.
3. You Could Gain Additional Availability Resources
In-person therapy only happens when you’re in your therapist’s office. Teletherapy clients can reach their therapists via video chat, phone calls or texts. If your therapist offers more than one option, you could text them when you feel like you’re struggling outside of your standing appointments. You might have more resources to get help than if you had to wait for your next in-person appointment.
4. You’ll Have a Broader Selection
If you don’t live in the heart of a city, you may have limited therapy options near your home. There might not even be a practice specializing in your preferred type of therapy within your health insurance coverage area. You should be able to get help with identifying unhealthy thought patterns or other symptoms specific to your health or trauma history. Accessing a broader selection of therapists with teletherapy makes that possible, no matter where you live.
5. You Might Save Money
Traditional therapy may cost the same as a teletherapy appointment, but it comes with associated costs too. You might have to find childcare to attend appointments and refill your gas tank more often to reach your therapist’s office. Teletherapy eliminates those extra costs, making it more widely accessible to people in various financial situations and insurance plans.
Pay attention to quotes sent by potential therapists after you reach out. Some may offer discounted rates for teletherapy appointments to make it more convenient. Others may only work via teletherapy, reducing their appointment fees because they don’t need to pay for a workspace outside their home office.
6. You’ll Have Extra Privacy
Therapy requires vocalizing things you might not even feel comfortable thinking about. If you’re sitting in a therapist’s office, you could worry about saying things with a receptionist sitting outside the door. You’ll also have to manage walking past the next client in the waiting room, even if your session left you teary-eyed and out of breath.
Teletherapists maintain their client’s privacy with soundproofed offices or headphones. Meanwhile, you could feel more comfortable confronting your emotions because you’re sitting in the space where you feel safest — your home.
7. You Might Avoid Post-Appointment Stress
Some therapy sessions are easy. Clients discuss things that happened the previous week and how they’ve dealt with minor life events since their last session. Other times, a session leaves clients feeling drained. Techniques like eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) or brain spotting might make you more exhausted than a sleepless night.
Exhaustion makes driving home riskier. You could also have distracting thoughts you can’t push away if your session involves unearthing trauma. Telehealth patients get to end their video call, process it for a few minutes and head to the next room to continue their day.
8. You Can Attend Sessions Anywhere
Your daily routine might stay relatively the same, but some things will disrupt it. You might need to travel for work, take a vacation or visit family for the holidays. A traditional therapy appointment would require postponement. Teletherapy patients can continue their appointment schedule from anywhere in the world.
This is crucial when you’re at essential points in your healing journey. You may uncover something with your therapist that leaves you uneasy until you work through it over days or weeks. Prolonging that process with vacations or work isn’t easy. If you have your phone, an internet connection and a private room, you won’t have to worry about postponing your therapy.
Consider Teletherapy to Improve Your Mental Health
Teletherapy is a modern tool anyone can use to improve their mental health. Consider if it’d be a good fit for your busy lifestyle and budget. You’ll get the same quality care from a licensed professional without some of the traditional hassle. It’s worth considering as you search for local therapists and find one with the specialties you need to start healing
