Increasingly people are seeking out psychotherapy via the phone, webcam or secure chat rooms, says experts and these methods may be just as effective as face-to-face methods.
Stéphane Guay, a psychiatry professor at the Université de Montréal, studied 17 post-traumatic stress patients who underwent 16 to 25 therapy sessions via teleconference and compared them with a control group who received face-to-face therapy.
Guay found that the tele-therapy group and the control group both benefited equally from therapy. No one in the teletherapy group felt uncomfortable with the process; and, in fact, comments were more in favor of tele-therapy, said Guay in a Université de Montréal press release. "It seems patients appreciate a certain distance from their therapist."
Guay said that while tele-therapy wasn't appropriate for all situations, it would lend itself well to the treatment of depression, phobia and eating disorders and could open up treatment options for those currently living in remote areas where specialized treatment might not be available.
I wonder if insurance will pay for this type of therapy? It would be interesting to know the ins and outs of Teletherapy also. Maybe the blogger can write more on this if she hasn’t already done so.
Sometimes it is good for patients to get out of the house and going to therapy will force them to do so. I speak from personal experience. Once I am out of the home I will go to therapy and do other things like walk that I may not do otherwise.
I can see a huge benefit with this therapy dealing with those suffering a major depression. It is a lot of times almost impossible to leave the home to go to therapy when in the chains of depression.
So like the article says it depends on a lot of factors whether Teletherapy will work for any individual better than in-person visits.
I think this is a good idea. When I have suffered with depression and did not want to go out, this would have been a good option. That way I could at least get my therapy without leaving the home. Even if not covered by insurance, I would definitely consider it.
Just a side-note: I know of a group of psychiatrists in south Florida who make home visits to their patients. This group does not take insurance.
Denise
I would use a tele-therapist. I think for some people who are soooo depressed it would be a way to get them started. People with anxiety or fear or agoraphobia might take the step and after they are comfortable with therapists they might leave the house for sessions which help the agoraphobia.One problem might be that depressed people tend to isolate and this would give them one more excuse to not be around people. Down side, I need to be in the same room with the therapist because they lean forward to listen, rub your arm when your crying and give a hug when you leave. Also people might say it is too robotic. But it is worth a try for lots of people. Also, a good way to interview the therapist. Some people don’t like to encounter the secretary, other patients, and just people that they may run into if going to the office. But its a thought
How do I find out more about Tele-therapy? I am one of those people who nearly have to be pried from home.
Don’t therapists watch for body language during therapy? And if you’re always late, they’re watching that, too.
I have been putting off looking for a therapist because I don’t like going out. If I could get a therapist who would do phone sessions, I’d start tomorrow.
Hi
This would be so great. I HATE going to Doctors and have yet to find one that I trust completely. Trust is something I have lost along the way with this illness. If I can’t get out of the house, having an appointment is not going to make it happen – getting on the phone or computer would be heaps easier.
My therapist and I utilize both the face-to-face and tele-therapy. Sometimes it’s more beneficial because of the fact that I’m busy and don’t want to have to drop doing something just to go see her in person.
So she calls me and we chat over the phone. I haven’t never done internet therapy…but over the phone is cool.
How does one go about finding someone to do therapy via the telephone or the internet (i.e., a chat room)? I have been in therapy a couple of time, for depression, and find after a few sessions it is difficult to open up to the therapist because at that point I feel it will damage the relationship and the therapist will no longer like me. Yes, I know that in and of itself is a problem, but it’s there. I think for me a nonface-to-face situation would work better, but am afraid of contacting someone who is not qualified or has hidden motives. Thanks.
Once a dialogue is opened between you and your therapist, it shouldn’t matter whether the communication takes place in the office, or on the phone, or on the internet, via skype.
I have therapy sessions, both on the phone, and in the therapist’s office and the visits are covered by my medical insurance. There are benefits to both methods of meeting with your therapist. We started speaking on the phone due to winter weather that was too dangerous to drive to the appointment. Now we alternate and it has proven to be very interesting as there are certain things that can be said on the phone that I normally would hesitate to say person to person.
Try it, you might like it.