Teletherapy, Does it Really Work?
I never thought I would become a Teletherapist. I prided myself in creating a safe therapeutic environment and being in the room with people so they can really feel my compassion for them. When job opportunities came up in Telehealth, I quickly dismissed them. I really believed that Teletherapists couldn’t do as good of work as Therapists who worked in-person.
When shutdowns happened due to COVID and the world went virtual, my perception of Teletherapy began to change. I saw so many traditional therapists having to change their practice and enter into the world of Teletherapy. I listened to these therapists talk about their challenges and also celebrate the many gifts they were able to offer their clients. At the time I was on maternity leave so I did not have the opportunity to experience this for myself but when it came time for me to work again, my newfound openness to Teletherapy brought me to DotCom Therapy.
When I discovered DotCom Therapy I was immediately attracted to a line in their mission statement, “therapy for everyone, everywhere.”
It made me think about my own experience as a therapist and a client, and how many times the barriers of time, transportation, policy, the agency's treatment focus kept me from seeing people who were in need of support and/or kept me from going to my own personal therapy. After receiving an offer to work for the company, I kept this in my heart and decided to give it a try!
Now it’s been about seven months since I started with DotCom Therapy and I have a lot of positive things to say about Teletherapy. Here are some specific things I have discovered that I hope will support you in your decision-making of whether or not to see a Teletherapist, or continue seeing a Teletherapist!
Teletherapy Meets You Where You’re At, Literally. One of the things that makes it difficult for people to access therapy is just getting there. I have found that the convenience of hopping on a Zoom call or another virtual platform, can be a lot easier than having to drive to an office, find parking, in some cities pay for parking, and then trek to an office. There were so many times I did not want to go to my own therapy because when I thought about what it would take to get there on time, I would feel completely overwhelmed. Sometimes I would be 5-10 minutes late to therapy just because of traffic which would leave me entering therapy frustrated. Fortunately, Teletherapy allows you to choose a time that works best for you, in a space that is most supportive to you. If you are really busy this can be a lifeline. I have met with people while they drive in their car or sit in their car, while they are on their lunch break, or while they finally have some time to themselves during their children’s nap.
Even Virtually, You Can Feel Supported. Shortly after starting with DotCom Therapy, I also started my own therapy. I did not intentionally seek a Teletherapist but since most therapists are following the CDC guidelines and State regulations around social distancing, it was all that was available. When it became time for my first session, I worried just like I did before about Teletherapy not being able to offer the same kind of support in-person therapists can offer. I feared I could not really experience the feeling of being held and seen when talking to someone through a computer. To my surprise, I was so wrong! The rapport I built with my therapist was effortless and swift. It transcended beyond the virtual space and it was as if she really was sitting in the room with me. During every session, I could feel her care and concern. Like a good friend, it felt easy to be open and vulnerable, and express what was on my heart without needing her to be physically in the room with me. Of course, there were times that it felt awkward or the connection wasn’t strong, so her words were delayed, the screen pixelated, and I had trouble hearing her. However, she was always there, patiently working through whatever technical challenges and personal challenges that came up. Much like traditional in-person therapy, therapy is about working through the challenges, together, which I’ll explain more in number 3.
You Have to Enter Teletherapy with an Open-Mind. If you enter Teletherapy thinking it’s not going to work, it’s not helpful, and/or with the belief that in-person therapy is better, you most likely won’t have good results. In order to best enter Teletherapy, you have to be open; open to the ways in which you can experience deep healing and attunement, and open to the possibilities that there may be some challenges that make accessing Teletherapy and sticking with it, difficult. This is the same with traditional therapy. There is no “easy” therapy. Therapy always comes with problems that will have to be ironed out. Whether that be miscommunication and/or understanding between the therapist and client, getting to a session on time, paying for a session, and/or getting a strong WiFi connection. When you have a willingness to roll with the punches, you will have a better outcome.
With Teletherapy You can be Creative. What I love about Teletherapy is the opportunity it gives me and the client to use our creativity. Teletherapy takes you out of the box of how therapy should be and into the world of what therapy can be. For example, when I thought about supporting youth, I worried that without a sandbox and toys, I wouldn’t be able to do good work with children. My mind immediately went to the box, everything I am used to but as a Teletherapist, I am forced to go outside of the box and think innovatively. So I started researching different ways I can still offer play therapy to my young clients and it expanded my thinking and sparked new creativity which led me to online games and creative worksheets that my young clients and I are able to do together. These kinds of innovative interventions have been very successful but are they always ideal? No. However, I am still able to offer effective therapy. From the client-perspective, there are a lot of possibilities as well. You can create your therapeutic space for yourself. You can bring whatever is most comfortable for you in the room (including your dog or your favorite scented candle). You can also share your screen with your therapist and show things you have written or are working on, or if you are a child/teen a game you want to play with your therapist. In addition, you can also offer more glimpses of your world to your therapist. The sounds of siblings or children yelling in the background, the worry of a particular parent/sibling overhearing your conversation, the neatness or messiness of a room, or the hiding in a car or closet, tells the therapist a lot about who you are and what you are experiencing without having to really talk about it. You may feel embarrassed or ashamed about this, but for the Teletherapist, this is completely acceptable and helps increase compassion and understanding.
Teletherapy might not be right for everyone. For some people, it might feel too strange, they might not have a good Wi-Fi connection or have a phone/laptop, or they might just need a safe place to go to outside of the confinements of their home or car. Some people also might really yearn for physical space with a physical person. All of this is totally understandable but if Teletherapy is your only option or if you are curious about whether or not it might work for you, and you are willing to give it a try, then I encourage you to schedule a consultation and feel it out for yourself.
The first session can be a little awkward and intimidating, so be sure to feel it out in more than one session. Building rapport, trust, and a strong connection takes time.
I attached some things you can try here to make your experience more enjoyable. The important thing is to make sure that whatever you do, makes sense for you and helps you to fully engage. If you have questions about Teletherapy and/or interested in booking a consultation with me, feel free to reach out to me here.
I can honestly say I am happy with my decision to offer Teletherapy and to be a Teletherapist. There is so much healing, attunement, validation, and support that can be offered in Telehealth, and it is these things that matter most.