Telehealth involves the use of electronic communications to interact with you. This means that you do not have to come into a counseling office to receive counseling services!
This therapy is between a practitioner and a client who are not in the same physical location. The technologies used in telehealth incorporate network and software security protocols to protect the confidentiality of client information transmitted via any electronic channel. These protocols include measures to safeguard the data and are HIPPA compliant.
Benefits
People like telehealth because they can receive counseling services anywhere they get internet service, especially from the comfort of home. This is a great ability for people who may not be able/feel comfortable leaving home, or who live in rural communities. It is also practical for people who have a busy schedule.
Risks
There are also some risk to consider before starting telehealth services. Some people benefit from in-person treatment because of their mental health needs, or benefit from forms of therapy that are not strictly talk-based. A session may end abruptly due to technical issues, and your counselor may not be able to reach you back. Emotional reactions may be hard to understand/see over technology. Telehealth is also relatively new, so the research (although promising) is still being conducted to show if it is as effective as in-person services.
You should also consider your confidentiality and goals of counseling before choosing telehealth therapy. Some people want to have telehealth counseling on a work break. The counselor may not be able to protect confidentiality if the client is using a work or public internet connection. The client may also not want to talk about sensitive topics when in a public setting. The counselor at this center will always conduct telehealth counseling in a confidential setting. Finally, some people perform other tasks (such as household chores) while in a telehealth session. This may distract from the counseling session, and impact treatment results.
Finally, you must be a Wisconsin resident to receive telehealth services from this practice according to state licensure laws.
If you would like more information about telehealth services, or would like to schedule an appointment, reach out to us! We are also happy to offer a combination of telehealth and in-person sessions to meet your needs. We look forward to hearing from you.