By: Isabelle Siegel

“Teletherapy” describes the delivery of therapy sessions via video or phone conferencing. Even before the age of COVID-19, teletherapy was quickly rising to popularity. However, COVID-19 has forced those who were on the fence about teletherapy to begin engaging in video- or phone-delivered sessions. This begs the question: Is teletherapy as effective as in-person therapy? If so, what are the benefits of teletherapy?

Is Teletherapy as Effective as In-Person Therapy?

Therapy has historically been referred to as “the talking cure,” and therefore one would presume that the therapeutic process would easily translate to talking via video or phone. Is this the case? The overall consensus of scientific research is that teletherapy is equally as effective as in-person therapy. More specifically, scientific studies support the use of teletherapy for depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and other psychological disorders.

Benefits of Teletherapy

Teletherapy may even have numerous advantages over in-person therapy, as it generally makes therapy much more accessible to the average person. Some benefits of teletherapy include:

Greater Flexibility and Efficiency: Teletherapy can enable patients to easily engage in therapy sessions while simultaneously working from home, taking care of children, etc. Patients can schedule sessions during their lunch breaks, while their children nap, or whenever else is most convenient for them. With reduced wait times and travel times, teletherapy sessions almost always occupy less time than in-person sessions and, thus, afford more flexibility and efficiency for the average busy patient.

Increased Accessibility: Teletherapy allows more people access to highly-qualified therapists, regardless of where they live or their ability to travel. This can be especially helpful for people who live in rural areas, college students, and people with disabilities or lack of access to transportation.

Comfortable Environment: Teletherapy allows patients to engage in therapy sessions where they are most comfortable: in their own homes. Rather than having to travel to an unfamiliar office, patients can feel free to open up while staying within their comfort zone.

Overall, teletherapy represents a promising future direction in the field of psychology. With the potential to eliminate barriers to therapy, teletherapy may ultimately serve to render psychotherapy more accessible to the average individual.

If you or a loved one is interested in teletherapy, the licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and psychotherapists at Arista Counseling & Psychotherapy can assist you. Contact our Paramus, NJ or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) 368-3700 or (212) 722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, visit http://www.counselingpsychotherapynjny.com/

Sources:
https://positivepsychology.com/teletherapy/
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/02/online-therapy
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/millennial-media/201901/14-benefits-teletherapy-clients
Image Source:
http://www.brownedhi.org/the-cultural-revolution-of-teletherapy/