A young woman seated in her apartment receiving teletherapy services from her psychiatrist
Published On: April 27, 2020|Categories: Treatment|

Telepsychiatry, or teletherapy, allows patients to use telecommunication software and devices such as computers, tablets, or phones, to receive online mental health and substance abuse treatment. Telepsychiatry offers a number of benefits to both patients and their therapists, including increased accessibility to services, more comfort, and convenience, among others. We’ll detail some of the top benefits of telepsychiatry below.

Telepsychiatry Provides Comfort To Patients

For patients with extreme anxiety or who feel uncomfortable in a clinical or unfamiliar setting, telepsychiatry allows patients to meet with their therapist virtually from the comfort and safety of their home. Similarly, for patients who suffer from agoraphobia and panic disorders, teletherapy can help relieve the anxiety of travel. In turn, this can make sessions more therapeutic and effective.

Teletherapy Is Convenient For Patients And Therapists

Teletherapy offers a number of conveniences for mental healthcare providers and their patients. Online therapy eliminates travel and wait times for patients and can reduce scheduling conflicts for therapists. Additionally, telepsychiatry can help reduce the number of no-shows or canceled appointments by offering scheduling flexibility to patients.

Teletherapy at High Focus Centers

Improved Accessibility for Patients

For patients who are disabled, elderly, or located in remote or rural locations, teletherapy makes mental health services far more accessible. For some patients, traveling can be a burden and cause unnecessary stress. This can cause scheduling conflicts and lead to canceled appointments. Telepsychiatry makes it much easier for these patients to schedule and keep appointments, which ultimately leads to better treatment for their condition.

Online Therapy Helps Reduce Stigma

Unfortunately, for many people, there is still a stigma about seeking mental health care. This stigma can discourage some people from getting the treatment that they need. Telepsychiatry provides added confidentiality to people who feel uncomfortable about the idea of potentially being seen visiting a therapist. Additionally, when communicating through technology instead of in-person, some people can more easily open up to their therapist.

Reduce Delays In Mental Health Treatment

While telepsychiatry can be helpful for those who have added challenges of attending sessions, such as the disabled or elderly, it also has the benefit of reducing delays in care for all patients. Telepsychiatry allows therapists to easily address emergency situations and, when part of an integrated healthcare system, quickly share information with physicians or other mental health care specialists.

Start Your Recovery Through Telepsychiatry

With the COVID-19 pandemic making new public health and safety precautions a necessity, High Focus Centers continues to provide safe, effective treatment for all of our patients. As a result, we are offering teletherapy solutions for all of our outpatient programs, including group, individual, and family sessions, alongside medication management.

High Focus Centers’ team of mental health experts are here to help you and your loved ones during this time. Please contact our team to learn more about our telepsychiatry offerings or to schedule a virtual appointment.

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