Telehealth (Secure Online Video Sessions)

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

You may access my secure, HIPAA compliant video platform using any internet connected computer, smartphone or tablet with video and audio capability. My telehealth system is simple and easy to use. You can join sessions by either clicking the link that is included in all appointment reminders, or by using my telehealth system app.

At your phone consult I will explain the process of logging into my video conferencing platform. After you login, we will continue on with the session just as we would if it were in person. During the first session (the 50 minute Psychiatric Diagnostic Assessment), we will review your paperwork including your consent to treatment, and my practice policies. We will discuss your current symptoms, your history of symptoms, family history, treatment history, etc. I will then give you my preliminary diagnostic impression, if applicable, and make my treatment recommendations.

After your intake session, you can schedule ongoing appointments in the client portal. These sessions will work just like in person sessions, and will focus on your individual goals and treatment plan. Each session is 45 minutes. The only difference between in person and online sessions is that we will not be in the same room! When I have handouts or homework to give you, I will send them to your client portal, and you will be able to access them to download or print whenever you would like. You will also have the ability to upload pictures of your homework as needed through the client portal.

Although telehealth is different than in person sessions in that we will not be in the same room when we work together, the data we have shows that telehealth is just as effective as in person treatment. My personal experience lines up with the data as I have found telehealth is equally effective, and provides the same feeling of connection, as in person therapy does. In fact, since I have been providing exclusively telehealth services, my experience has been that not only are online sessions just as clinically effective as in person sessions, they actually have many benefits that in person sessions simply can’t provide.

• Convenience - Online sessions mean you don’t have to spend time driving back and forth to an office, and it is easier to schedule sessions in between work, school or family activities.

• Comfort - Online sessions allow you to attend sessions in comfort of your own home. For some, the process of driving into an office can feel intimidating or anxiety provoking, so online sessions can feel like a less stressful way to start treatment. Also, online sessions mean you can work on your mental health while wearing sweats and slippers, and that is a good thing!

• Consistency - When I provided therapy in an office, I found that occasionally either I needed to close my office, or my clients needed to cancel appointments, simply due to logistical issues. For example, bad weather, school closings, sick kids, lack of childcare, minor illnesses or injuries all disrupted appointments. Not to mention a global pandemic and the need to quarantine! Telehealth means that in many of these situations, you may be able to keep appointments, and stay consistent in treatment, even when life happens.

• Accessibility - Telehealth is hugely beneficial for those with physical limitations, disabilities, sensory sensitivities or chronic illness. Attending sessions at home can save energy, feel less stressful, and can simply be more comfortable. With online sessions, you don’t have to worry about transportation or the accessibility of an office building. You can also control the sensory input of your environment, and keep needed medical devices or medications close by.

• Flexibility - As long as you have a secure internet connection, some privacy, and a device, you can attend your session from anywhere in my practice area.

• Simplicity - When you become a client, you will gain access to my secure, online client portal. This portal provides many features to make your treatment convenient. All forms and consents can be signed electronically, which means that you don’t have to keep track of paperwork or worry about printing forms. We can also securely share documents back and forth as needed, which means you don’t have to keep track of paper handouts or remember to bring in homework to sessions. You can also use the client portal to self-schedule appointments (no calling back and forth to schedule!), send and receive secure messages, and access billing records. I am proud to provide such a user friendly, feature rich, and convenient client portal.

• Tech requirements - If you do not have access to secure, high-speed, and reliable internet, you may find it difficult to get a good connection during telehealth sessions. If your connection isn’t strong, I’ve found it helps to close out other apps, clear your cache, move closer to your router if using WiFi, use a hard wired connection, and/or reduce the internet use of others in your home.

• Technical difficulties - As we all know, technology isn’t perfect, so when attending telehealth, we sometimes have to work around technical difficulties. I have found that my system works well the vast majority of the time, and when there is a problem, I use one of my two back up systems. I think of the occasional technical problem as actually less disruptive than the issues I used to have when providing in office therapy. For example, when doing in person therapy, bad weather, school closings, minor illness, and not to mention a global pandemic, all disrupted my and my clients’ ability to attend therapy sessions at times.

• Security - As with any electronic form of communication, there is a small risk to data privacy when seeing any health care provider that either uses telehealth or uses electronic medical records (which almost all do). However, the systems I use are HIPAA compliant, and I feel confident in the security of your protected health information.

.• Getting used to a new form of therapy - Some people may not feel comfortable with trying telehealth, especially if they are used to in-person therapy. If so, that is OK! Before I moved to telehealth I also felt a bit uncomfortable. I was worried telehealth would feel weird, or that it would make therapy more difficult, or less effective. I have been happily proved wrong and have instead found that the main difference between telehealth and in-person treatment, is that telehealth is simply more convenient!

Sure! As long as you have some privacy and a good internet connection, it doesn’t matter where you are during our sessions (as long as you are located in one of the states that I serve).