Hello parents–by now, you have probably heard from your current (or perhaps prospective therapist) about switching to online counseling or telemental health options to continue therapy services for your little one(s) during this time of “social distancing”. Or, if you’re new to our practice and are looking for some additional support at this time, welcome! We are happy you’re here!
We wanted to take a little time to explain to you what Online Counseling looks like and some of the benefits associated with implementing it as a part of your current quarantine routine–long story short, we’ve been heavily researching the best way to provide ethical and quality services to our current and prospective clients, and we are pretty excited about what we’ve found!
First, let me cover a few basics–like,what is Online Counseling? To put it simply, online counseling is virtual therapy. Your therapist connects with you via a HIPAA compliant (meaning all of your private information is safe/protected) platform and you, along with your kiddos, meet with them from the comfort of your home (yes, you can wear jammies!) for your regularly scheduled therapy appointment.
Is this new? No, actually it isn’t–While Online Counseling or Telemental Health has been growing in terms of popularity over the years (and given the recent COVID-19 outbreak has spiked in terms of mainstream use), it has been around for a while. Fun Fact: Telemental Health was originally developed as a way to serve veterans with PTSD who were reluctant to leave their homes for services and has since grown as a method for therapists to serve a broader clientele.
Does it work? Absolutely! In fact, there are therapists who have been using Online Counseling services for clients of all ages since before it was a necessity. If you have questions about how Online Counseling could work specifically with your family, give us a call. We will be happy to answer any questions you have and fill you in on all the exciting things we have to offer you and your family via our selected Online Counseling Health platforms.
While Online Counseling sounds like it would be better suited for teenage and/or adult clients, practitioners have had wide success utilizing it to connect with children as well! In fact, according to a study published in 2013, satisfaction rates for Online Counseling services among children, teens, and adults often reach above 90%, indicating that Online Counseling is both effective and enjoyable! It allows for clients to connect with their therapists in comfortable surroundings while using a familiar mode of communication–technology!
How does Online Counseling work with children? Or, better yet, what makes it so successful? Well–firstly, kids are naturally resilient! In fact, they seem to enjoy being able to connect with us online! They enjoy showing us their homes, their pets, and their toys–which, easily enough, we can incorporate into their sessions to supplement the toys we have in our playrooms! Second, a lot of what we do in the playroom we can do, through the screen, with your child. Sure, it looks a little different but we are fortunate to live in an age where technology provides us with flexibility in this regard.
In fact, you can even join in on the fun! This is a good time for us to get together and include some fun family sessions! Last, but definitely not least, researchers remind us (especially during times likes these) the most important aspect of therapy remains the therapeutic alliance (i.e., the special relationship that exists between your child and their therapist.) Continuing to connect with your child on a consistent basis, no matter the platform, is essential to maintaining their therapeutic progress.
Luckily, because Online Counseling offers both you and your therapist increased flexibility in regard to scheduling, you have more opportunities for you and your child to connect with their therapist! Interested in learning more or have additional questions? Feel free to give our practice a call and one of our therapists will be happy to talk with you more about your needs at this time and how we can best utilize our Online Counseling services to address those needs.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662387/
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