Whitney Johnson

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Does Telemental Health work?

Prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic I had not done any formal online counseling. When the world shut down and it seemed everything went virtual, I did too! I had been somewhat skeptical that a therapeutic relationship could be formed (or grown) effectively through a screen. I hadn't attended any in depth training on Telemental health services and it was all new to me. In the years since, I've done extensive training in Telemental Health and Digital Ethics. My practice switched from solely in person to solely Telehealth during the height of the pandemic, and now to a hybrid model of services which includes both in person and virtual. I found that I really enjoy virtual counseling and have started and maintained a great number of therapeutic relationships with clients using Telebehavioral Health. Distance counseling has been very effective with clients who were seeing me before the pandemic and also with clients I've met virtually. Key components of the therapeutic relationship still remain virtually - empathy, listening, presence, dialogue and emotional safety can all be conveyed through Telemental Health sessions. Some clients still choose in person services due to their preference or the fact that most of their day is on a screen and they prefer an opportunity to be face to face with someone. Some clients just form a better therapeutic relationship face to face rather than virtually. Many clients love the convenience of Telehealth. It allows them to save time commuting and put that time into their families, friends or other self-care activities. Many clients are able to actually be more vulnerable because they are in the comfort of their home or other safe space they choose for their therapy session. Coming to a new office and being in public can be jarring for some clients working on their anxiety or emotional regulation. Taking this obstacle away helps them to work even deeper on their counseling goals and then allows them to progress towards in person sessions or challenging themselves to work on their goals out in public with coworkers, friends or family. I encourage new clients to give Telebehavioral Health a try. I'm thankful I was pushed into trying it myself and have found a new avenue for counseling services that I plan to keep a part of my practice going forward!