For some patients, getting to therapy is tough. One major reason for this can be anxiety. Those with anxiety are often unable to leave their homes, so getting to therapy can be nearly impossible.
Living in rural areas can make finding a therapist difficult. Nearly 80 million Americans live in a mental health professional shortage area, according to the U.S. Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration.
City life also can offer challenges when it comes to getting therapy in general. According to the American Psychological Association, psychologists are plentiful in urban settings, but cost, transportation and time constraints may prohibit people from seeking mental health services.
At one point, these individuals were unable to get necessary assistance. But today’s patients are choosing to seek out other options when it comes to psychological health. That’s why a new type of therapy has grown in popularity.
Welcome to the world of telephone therapy -- where a therapist can meet with clients wherever there is a phone or video conference calling capabilities. This brilliant concept is changing the landscape of the mental health field.
According to the APA, “Over the last decade, more psychologists have begun offering ‘telepractice,’ also often referred to as ‘telepsychology’ or the newer term, ‘telemental health’ and the older, more generic ‘telehealth.’ The terms refer to providing psychological services remotely, via telephone, email or video conferencing.”
Not only do these services help people get the therapy they need, but they also allow mental health professionals to check in with patients between sessions. In other words, the days of not being able to get a hold of a therapist have passed.
“By insisting that patients come to our offices, we’re excluding potentially millions of patients who need care,” Carolyn Turvey, Ph.D., a professor of psychiatry at the University of Iowa and vice chair of the American Telemedicine Association’s Telemental Health special interest group, tells the APA. “Being more open to telepsychology is really going to help many needy people who just can’t meet the requirements of current face-to-face practice,” she says.
Statistics associated with this type of therapy appear promising -- especially when it comes to dependability. In fact, people seem to be more reliable when they participate in therapy remotely.
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that participants are more likely to stick with telephone therapy. In fact, only 20.9 percent of patients discontinued therapy done by telephone as opposed to 32.7 percent who engaged in therapy face-to-face.
Patients who engaged in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression over the phone had nearly the same improvement as those who sought therapy face-to-face. However, six months post-therapy, those who participated in therapy face-to-face had lower rates of depression, which shows that the results of teletherapy may not last as long.
Remote therapy can be helpful for issues other than depression, particularly anxiety disorders.
A 2010 study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that video conferencing can be successful in treating post-traumatic stress disorder. In that study, researchers compared the effectiveness of 12 sessions of anger management therapy delivered via video to in-person delivery of the same treatment to 125 rural combat veterans with PTSD. The researchers found that the video-based anger management therapy was just as effective as the face-to-face care.
That said, some therapists have concerns when it comes to this type of therapy. The APA says that these concerns revolve around privacy and billing matters. Those in the mental health field worry about training -- especially when it comes to e-mail.
According to the APA, “Some say that while email is often the ‘easiest’ technology, it has serious limitations as a clinical tool, including the absence of the ability to ‘see’ non-verbal cues from a client.” That’s because therapists often rely on body language to determine how a patient really feels. But if he or she can’t see how a patient reacts, this can be tough.
Licensing can be a gray area. This is because therapists are required to be licensed in the state where they practice. While it would seem logical that a remote patient/therapist relationship should continue once a patient has moved, in most cases it can’t due to legal requirements. This can be confusing to a patient.
In this case, a therapist often will help a patient to find a new therapist. Further, he or she will brief the new therapist on the patient’s history once the patient signs an information release. However, this entire process can be tough on the patient because the bond is broken, and the patient must begin anew.
Further, both patients and therapists become frustrated because insurance companies often don't cover telephone therapy. Therefore, patients are often hit with out-of-pocket expenses. Over time, this can easily rack up a bill of thousands of dollars.
Now that you know all sides of the equation, you’re probably wondering how to find a telephone or Skype therapist. Really, it’s not much different than finding a traditional therapist in the office sense.
To begin research, you can check out Psychology Today’s therapist finder. This tool allows users to choose therapists by state. You then can sort through the options you’ve compiled to see which therapists offer phone or Skype therapy.
If you don’t want to research who actually offers these services, check out theravive. This site allows patients to search for therapists who specialize in this concept, and it highlights various therapists on the landing page of the site.
Just remember to do your research when it comes to therapists in general. A great website with a fancy picture isn’t the sign of a trustworthy mental health professional. It’s the sign of a good marketing firm. Look for medical reviews and patient testimonials so that you know the real deal. And don’t be afraid to interview your potential therapist before signing up. After all, it’s your health we’re talking about.