5 minute read

Time to Talk: Telehealth

Telehealth, also known as, teletherapy, e-therapy, internet counseling, telepsychology, and telemedicine, is a form of therapy in which patients receive counseling from a licensed therapist or other professional via phone or through a video-conferencing app. It’s as simple as using your phone, smartphone or laptop with a shared link to enable video, or other electronic devices. Clinical settings often intimidate children and adolescents, and building rapport can be difficult in an office setting.

Childhood sexual abuse is an adverse childhood experience (ACE) that negatively effects children who will eventually become adults with mental, physical and emotional issues that are battled throughout life. Having a conversation about the things that hurt our children the most can be gut wrenching, but it is necessary. Even if the conversation about childhood sexual abuse causes eyes to roll and individuals to profess, “that doesn’t happen in my family,” research tells us that parent and professional education programs, like Stewards of Children, can actually prevent child sexual abuse by increasing protective factors and reducing risk factors.

Kasey Witherington is a mental health counselor at Healthpoint Center in Monroe, Louisiana. She has an independent practice, Kasey Witherington Counseling, LLC, and sees children, teens, and adults in order to diagnose and treat mental health disorders. After graduating in 1996 from NLU, she worked as a certified teacher in public and privateschools. However, she felt that her calling was somewhere else. Therefore, she decided to go back to school to pursue her master’s degree in counseling; and in 2006, she finished her master’s degree in school counseling and community counseling which gave her the ability to work in a hospital or clinical setting. One of her proudest moments was receiving the “Heroes for Patients” award in 2017.

Q: What is the most important thing parents need to know about telehealth?

A: The National Alliance on Mental Illness explains that children, teens, and adults, report 90% satisfaction regarding telehealth. Many teens prefer online therapy for sensitive issues, like sexuality, and selfharming behaviors. Teens, especially show high satisfaction rates since they are often reluctant to participate in traditional therapy sessions for fear of being labeled of stigmatized by their peers. The fear of anxiously sitting in a waiting room worrying someone they know will see them is eliminated via teletherapy. Parents, over 80% of teens own smartphones and use them daily. Simply put: today’s teens are more comfortable on screen than communicating face-to-face. If you are questioning whether your teen would be interested in teletherapy and the validity of such a method, an Australian study shows 72% of teens with mental health problems say they would access online therapy if given the opportunity, and 32% said they would choose online therapy over face-to-face meetings.

Q: Why should you consider teletherapy for your child or adolescent?

A: Teens are comfortable using technology, so they may be more likely to open up about difficult issues. Online therapy is more convenient; for example, teens do not have to leave school or work to make an appointment. Teletherapy is much more assessible to everyone, especially rural clients. There is less of a stigma attached with online therapy. Therefore, meeting a therapist online can reduce many of their concerns and allow them to see for themselves what therapy entails. Teens can assess therapy during difficult times such as physical illness or quarantine, shelter-inplace orders. They can even meet while wearing their pajamas. Teens, in general, have very high stress they days. Social pressures, the everchanging family dynamic, academic pressures, mood swings, and risky behavior put teens at higher risk for mental illness. Although teletherapy is a way for teens (under age 18) to privately share information with their counselor, HIPAA and the LPC Board require that counselors disclose high risk behavior such as suicidal ideation, self-harming, or intentions of hurting others. A parent does have the right to access the child’s diagnosis and treatment plan; however, psychotherapy notes are discouraged from being shared with parents as these notes are for personal use by the therapist rather than official diagnosis. If you suspect your teen has a serious health issue, such as a mood disorder, serious depression/anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, teletherapy is not recommended during the initial diagnosis and treatment.

Q: What are some of the short- and long-term outcomes of telehealth?

A: Therapy, in general, is not just for those who are looking for a diagnosis and medical treatment. Seeking therapy as a source of support is a great way to heal and grow mentally. Therapy looks different for everyone. The therapist is someone to get an objective perspective from in order to set a treatment plan in place. Others may be need to explore why they are repeating unhealthy patterns of behavior and guidance on how to stop the self-defeating pattern. Whatever struggle is holding a client back from growing, unbiased help from a licensed therapist can be explored in telehealth. Short term outcomes of teletherapy involve building rapport virtually and building a positive attitude regarding the use of e-therapy. Long term outcomes involve following through with a written treatment plan created with the therapist after the first or second session, and thus meeting objectives for each goal at each session- all through teletherapy in thecomfort of your home or office. At a time when the need for mental health care is greatly growing, teletherapy holds great promise for providing parents with resources for addressing their child’s well being and addressing gaps in mental health -especially in rural areas.

Q: How can I find help for my child if they are looking for telehealth services?

A: If you believe teletherapy can help yourself or your adolescent, contact your insurance company to see if online therapy is covered. Many companies have opted to drop a co-pay for telesessions during this pandemic. You will need to check with your insurance company for details on coverage and suggestions for licensed providers. Should you prefer an online app or website, there are several available for mental health counseling: Betterhelp, Regain, Talkspace, Moodfit, Headspace, Happify, and Moodmission. If online therapy is something you would like your child or teen to engage, please talk with your loved one about the potential benefits and drawbacks of seeing a therapist online versus face-to-face. There are pros and cons to both. If your teen has a serious mental health condition, face to face therapy is suggested. Take your teen’s best judgement and opinion into consideration. Whether your teen chooses face-to-face therapy or online therapy, his/her investment in getting help will make a difference in the effectiveness of therapy. If they are threatening to hurt themselves or others, please call 911.

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