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girl does telehealth for mental health
Our new normal continues to be defined as the ways in which we meet our everyday needs evolve. Distancing doesn't just apply in the social sense––many of us are accessing our food, education, supplies, and work from behind a screen. And health care appointments are no exception: The trend toward telehealth—from text bots to virtual video chats—is having a moment, and one that is (probably) here to stay. As providers like mental health professionals are bringing their face-to-face interactions with patients online, we asked a local clinic how an in-person visit can––and can't––be replicated from the confines of our own homes.
"Research shows telehealth can provide benefits to healing anxiety and depression," says Soo Moon, M.A., Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Parker Collins Family Mental Health, PLLC. "With people social distancing at this time, many are struggling with feeling isolated. A lot of people have fears of how the pandemic will impact their loved ones and themselves medically, financially, academically, and socially."
Soo says telehealth doesn't just tick off one or two boxes for our mental health needs; having a virtual touchpoint with our provider carries implications that span beyond just providing a safe space. Via telehealth, therapist and client can share resources, learn coping techniques, hash out new routines, and provide an outlet for the client to talk about their fears and worries. "We're all in this together and telehealth can provide some emotional relief when there isn't the option to connect in person," she says.
While clinicians work from home to adhere to the social distancing recommendations, Parker Collins utilizes RingCentral Meetings (powered through Zoom), which serves as the primary platform to deliver telehealth services. "The virtual platform includes audio and video so we can attend to client's affect, emotion regulation, and nonverbal communication," says Moon.
There are instances, however, in which an in-office visit would be warranted. "One of the limitations to telehealth is we do not recommend trauma reprocessing using telehealth due to risk of clients getting emotionally flooded, leaving the room or shutting down," adds Moon. "It would be difficult to help clients get back in their window of tolerance and stabilize via telehealth, so we minimize the risk by not engaging in certain interventions.
"Play therapy for kids and family therapy are also limited [in terms of] telehealth. In-office visits for those sessions would provide a better experience for clients."
