Written by: Zeenat Hatami
Edited by: Morgan Diep
Following the COVID-19 Pandemic, teletherapy has been on the rise, which is a shift from traditional in-person therapy to virtual, remote teletherapy. Teletherapy, a method of mental health services that are done remote through telecommunication apps, comes with unique therapeutic challenges and opportunities. Overall, teletherapy is largely inclusive as its design greatly services those living with disabilities, and for those living in remote areas. The way teletherapy is designed means that it can be done remotely, and patients have more agency in choosing when and where to receive treatment.There is also a sense of comfort and familiarity from attending therapy from your own home. But the limitations of teletherapy lies in the efficacy and the therapeutic relationship, and whether teletherapy can lead to the development of the same strong therapeutic relationship that is built overtime in a traditional psychotherapy setting. Although therapists will have to adapt their approaches and techniques to engage with clients effectively, teletherapy is a flexible and effective way to meet clients needs, as well as normalizing the process of seeking out therapy in a cost effective way.
One question that has been raised with the rising popularity of teletherapy is whether or not it is as effective as in-person therapy. Several things are lost during teletherapy, such as non-verbal cues. These presentations are important to the therapist, as it allows the therapist to assess these nonverbal behaviors, and also allows patients to express themselves without using words, “There is a loss of affective nuance on telephone or screen, a factor that seems to bother therapists more than patients. We believe this affective diminution makes the experience less emotionally vibrant, particularly for patients with the psychological tendency to dissociate…physical remoteness appears to aggravate these patients’ avoidance of uncomfortable affects and experiences” (Markowitz et al., 2020). As well as emotional vibrance being lost during teletherapy, video treatment also has clients in home environments that are surrounded by distracting stimuli. Notifications, pets and people, and outside noises are all things present in the home that can cut attention from the client, and make it hard for the client to stay focused and remain attentive to the therapist. Although these limitations can affect how the treatment is delivered, there is no significant difference between the treatment outcomes of teletherapy and traditional therapy. In a study conducted by Bulkes et al. (2021), two groups of patients received either in-person therapy and virtual therapy, but the outcomes – tested by two questionnaires of depressive symptoms and life satisfaction – there was no significant differences between the two groups scores, signifying that teletherapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy.
Teletherapy has many great strengths as well, and introduces a new level of accessibility to therapy that previously wasn't seen before. Teletherapy can be viewed as a more complimentary service and reduce certain burdens that come with attempting to seek out traditional therapeutic services. It can cater to the needs of those who live in remote areas and don't live nearby treatment centers and to individuals who are disabled, or partially hospitalized “Teletherapy enables a service user to create a virtual support network, thereby widening their access to services and care to beyond their local region. The capabilities of this network extends connections beyond people with clinical or lived experience in the immediate vicinity, and provided the opportunity for improved collaboration, coordination and support” (Bulkes et al., 2021).The ability to choose the time and locations also reduces the burden for working parents who need to find childcare for in-person therapy appointments. Teletherapy increases the potential for consistency. For instance, virtual appointments tend to have a higher rate of attendance than in-person appointments. Teletherapy is also convenient, and can lead to more engagement from clients with social anxiety, because of the increased confidence that comes with being in a familiar environment. Overall, teletherapy offers a flexible and accessible alternative to traditional therapy, breaking down barriers and meeting the diverse needs of individuals in ways that were previously impossible.
Virtual therapy has made accessing mental health care more accessible, and easier to navigate treatment services. Although there are certain drawbacks to virtual therapy, the outcomes for virtual therapy are no different than the outcomes that come from in-personal therapy, showing that there is no significant difference between the two modes of treatment. Although every individual has different needs, teletherapy still proves itself to be effective, with high rates of attendance, consistency, and treatment completion. Furthermore, therapy is now becoming more common, and although its prevalence has now shifted to the digital world, teletherapy meets the needs of society's growing demand for more accessible mental health treatment.
References
Benz, C., Norman, R., Hendrie, D., Welsh, M., Huntley, M., & Robinson, S. (2022). Use of teletherapy for allied health interventions in community‐based disability services: A scoping review of user perspectives. Health & Social Care in the Community, 30(6). https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.14105
Bulkes, N. Z., Davis, K., Kay, B., & Riemann, B. C. (2021). Comparing efficacy of telehealth to in-person mental health care in intensive-treatment-seeking adults. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 145(1), 347–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.11.003
Gangamma, R., Walia, B., Luke, M., & Lucena, C. (2021). Continuation of teletherapy post COVID-19: Survey data from licensed mental health professionals . JMIR Formative Research, 6(6). https://doi.org/10.2196/32419
Markowitz, J. C., Milrod, B., Heckman, T. G., Bergman, M., Amsalem, D., Zalman, H., Ballas, T., & Neria, Y. (2020). Psychotherapy at a Distance. American Journal of Psychiatry, 178(3), appi.ajp.2020.2. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20050557
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