Telemental Health FAQ

What can I expect with virtual therapy appointments compared to in-person therapy appointments?

I’ll start with the great news, it is effective, available, and convenient. For those who have considered starting therapy for a long time, some of the obstacles that might have been in the way are no longer an issue (i.e. I don’t have time, the commute isn’t feasible, the person I want to work with is too far away, I’m nervous about being seen in a waiting room by others, etc).  All you need is a phone or a laptop, internet or cellular data, and a confidential space to do virtual therapy. 

Let me clarify that Telehealth, Telemental Health, virtual therapy, distance counseling, and Teletherapy mean the same thing. In this new virtual world, many different terms are used to describe the same thing which can be confusing. It all means that you are making a therapy appointment and seeing a therapist virtually using a videoconferencing platform for a therapy session. While some therapists offer phone sessions, video sessions are ideal, so we can experience more of your nonverbals like we would in person. 

I know some individuals are wondering about starting virtual therapy and then switching to in-person therapy in our offices. I can only speak for Avalon Psychotherapy in saying that we take the safety and health of our clinicians and clients very seriously, so we will not be returning to in-person therapy until it feels safe to do so.

When we do transition back to being in the office, virtual appointments will still be available. 

While there are many advantages to doing therapy virtually, it is important to note the limitations and drawbacks as well. “Please be patient. We are experiencing technical difficulties.” This commonly heard phrase occurs occasionally depending on the connection, access to the video platform, microphone issues, camera issues, etc. The limitations surrounding nonverbals is also a drawback for therapists. In the office, we are able to experience and observe you verbally in addition to your nonverbals which can be important to the therapy process. 

Telehealth sessions has provided an opportunity to inform you of our legal and ethical boundaries. Licensed professional counselors/psychotherapists are only authorized to treat clients who are located in the state they are licensed. We can only work with clients who are in the state of Georgia because we are licensed in the state of Georgia. 

In working with your therapist virtually, it is important to review what forms of contact are secure and confidential and which ones are not. At Avalon Psychotherapy, we use Zoom which is a HIPAA-compliant video platform which means it is as safe and confidential as possible according to HIPAA guidelines. HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act which exists to keep your information confidential. Google email, phone, and text are not HIPAA compliant, so we minimize how much sensitive information is communicated on those platforms. We use Simple Practice which is a HIPAA-compliant electronic health record where we store your client file (intake paperwork, contact info, form of payment). This client portal is safe and secure. 

My intention is for you to feel more informed about virtual therapy to help you in your therapeutic journey. Feel free to contact us when you are ready to connect.