What is Teletherapy and
5 Simple Steps to get started with Teletherapy
What is Teletherapy?
Quite simply put, teletherapy is the use of technology to provide therapy services remotely.
Teletherapy comes under the broad umbrella of TeleMedicine or TeleHealth which according to Mayo Clinic is the “use of digital information and communication technologies, such as computers and mobile devices, to access health care services remotely and manage your health care.”
Although Teletherapy has been around for years, the pandemic has made it imperative to be adopted on a much bigger and wider scale. According to Positive Psychology, “Teletherapy has been around since the 1990s in the United States and is considered a highly effective method for therapy delivery.”
Teletherapy most often entails the use of video conferencing tools to provide remote sessions of therapy services.
You can get started with Teletherapy with these 5 simple steps.
Step 1:
Choose your Teletherapy provider
Find out if your provider has added Teletherapy to their services. Check for referrals through your insurance company, from your school, and from your network of family and friends. You can also find them online and check their reviews, since remote sessions make it possible to work with therapists who are not in your area.
Step 2:
Choose your Platform
Consider privacy, utility and accessibility when choosing your platform. Zoom, WebEx and Google Meet are some good options for choosing a platform. Your provider can also help you with this step to get you started.
Step 3:
Gather Your Equipment
The Basics
Things you will need for Teletherapy are:
- Desktop, laptop or iPad
- Stable internet connection
- Access to a charger during your call
The “Nice to Have” and Best Practices
- Headphones with microphone
- Portable Chargers
- Back-up device for technical emergencies
- Laptop stand
Step 4:
Ready Your Space
Check to see if there is enough light in the room for video conferencing. Can more light be added with turning on lights/lamps or opening window shades? Is the room quiet enough with no distracting sounds and noises in the background?
A few extra things to consider
- Background: A clean, clutter-free background is ideal for your video calls.
- Camera Position: Laptop stands can put you at eye level for best results.
Step 5:
Set a Schedule with the Therapist and Be Involved
Teletherapy empowers parents to be a part of the therapy session. It allows children to generalize skills to their home environment. It has many benefits like saving time and money since you do not have to travel to receive treatment. It gives you greater flexibility and more choice of therapists. And it is, of course, safer during the current pandemic times.
Conclusion
When the pandemic hit last year, we at Ascend wanted to continue to provide our services to children under our care. We had to quickly pivot to teletherapy to minimize any disruption in service to those who needed it the most. Contact us to find out if our teletherapy services are the right fit for you, and can help you.
Email:
