Is Teletherapy for Me?
The current Shelter-in-Place Order makes accessing mental health treatment more difficult for those with pre-existing needs and for those who have developed anxiety or stress due to the current situation. Tabono is here to help. We are offering Teletherapy for those in need of mental health services. If this is something you may be interested in, please contact us to find out if Teletherapy is right for you.
What is Teletherapy?
Teletherapy is the provision of therapy, mental health services, and treatment remotely. Teletherapy can occur at the diagnostic, assessment, and maintaining phases of treatment. Teletherapy technologies include, but are not limited to, email, video conferencing, and phone calls. Research has been conducted and found that teletherapy allows for reliable assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. Research has also shown that it is possible to establish a similar rapport and sense of trust with our staff as it is during a face to face session. Our staff will take every measure to ensure they are competent in performing Teletherapy. We will also work with our staff to ensure that their professional and ethical standards of practice during in-person consultations will extend to their practice of Teletherapy. Policies and procedures will be developed to ensure that you are informed of how teletherapy will work specifically for you.
What are the benefits?
Teletherapy makes mental health treatment accessible for everyone. Teletherapy removes barriers to access such as higher costs, transportation difficulties, and conflicts with work schedules. Most of the things done during face to face sessions can also be done remotely. Teletherapy works for people of all ages. It also protects those who may be vulnerable due to health conditions, which is certainly relevant now. Teletherapy follows the same guidelines for youths as it does adults, just with modifications considering the developmental levels, abilities, and age of the child. In summary, Teletherapy allows for remote care, services, and treatment, and is comparable with traditional face to face treatment.
What measures are taken to ensure my privacy?
Our staff will follow best practices to ensure your privacy and safety will be protected during your work together. Our staff will discuss with you your home environment, presence of any distractions, availability of emergency services, and how to best deliver teletherapy services. Our staff will also learn about the tools used for teletherapy to obtain knowledge about any risks and develop practices to protect your information, data, and confidentiality.
Do I have to buy expensive equipment?
Not at all! Teletherapy is very consumer friendly. All you need is a smartphone (or access to a webcam), secure internet, a private room, and 40-60 minutes to spend on you.
If you interested in Teletherapy, we encourage you to contact us for a consultation to determine if teletherapy is for you. If you would like more information, please refer to our Informed Consent for TeleHealth.
References:
American Psychological Association. (2013). Guidelines for the practice of telepsychology. American Psychologist, 68(9). 791-799.
Gonzalez, M.S., McCord, C.E., Dopp, A.R., Tarlow, K.R., Dickey, N.J., McMaughan, D.K.., & Elliott, T.R.. (2019). Telemental health training and delivery in primary care: A case report of interdisciplinary treatment. J. Clin. Psychol, 75. 260-269.
Langarizadeh, M., Tabatabaei, M.S., Tavakol, K., Naghipour, M., Rostami, A., & Moghbeli, F. (2017). Telemental health care, an effective alternative to conventional mental care: A systematic review. Acta Inform Med, 25(4). 240-244.
Telemental Health Standards and Guidelines Working Group. (2009). Evidence-based practice for telemental health. American Telemedicine Association. 6-20.
