Mental Health Teletherapy Rehab, Benefits, Access, Privacy, Costs, Tips

Free Teletherapy Rehab Assessments

Are you considering exploring getting the help of a therapist or mental health center? If particular behavioral issues have been causing problems in your life and you aren’t certain how to make the essential changes, treatment can help. With the help of a specialist, you can turn unhealthy negative cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns into more positive rational ones.

When completing your teletherapy rehab health assessment from the safety and comfort of your home, please be sure, to be honest in answering questions. It is important to truthfully share your complete disposition. Where the entire process appears overpowering or complex, know that you can lean on our specialists for help. They possess in-depth experience and are accustomed to health assessments. They will provide a professional view and guide you. Get the help you deserve. Get a free mental health assessment. Call us today.

We Level Up FL is a primary mental health center providing secondary co-occurring treatments. We treat the whole of behavioral health illnesses including dependent-related disorders to promote long-term recovery outcomes. Depending on the extent of secondary behavioral disorders such as substance abuse disorder, we can first help assess your health and thereafter lead you to suitable treatment options. We do not offer teletherapy, PHP, IOP, or outpatient level of care at this time. Programs, services, and treatments vary. Call to learn more.

What is Mental Health Teletherapy?

Teletherapy is mental health therapy or counseling over the phone or online. As videoconferencing software improves, more therapists incorporate this form of virtual mental health support into their practice. Teletherapy rehab can be convenient for both the client and the therapist. In addition, most research suggests that it works just as well as in-person counseling.

Teletherapy is also known as telepsychiatry, telemedicine, and telepsychology. Be it by webcam, phone, email, or text message has been around in one form or another for more than 20 years, often used by military members. But the popularity of smartphones, users have created new opportunities for app-based companies to offer more convenient and affordable therapy.

Some examples of teletherapy include:

• Doing counseling sessions over the phone
• Having a group chat for group therapy
• Using video conferencing for individual, couples, or group therapy
• Receiving treatment via instant messenger or email
• Using apps that connect clients to therapists and offer therapy within the app

Few studies have demonstrated that remote delivery of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment is feasible, safe, and efficacious. These remote delivery methods are generally still in the early stages of development, and existing studies generally lack the scope required to inform dissemination into clinical practice. Therefore, there is a need to develop new remotely-delivered SUD treatments and expand the dissemination of those already evaluated. This is according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) [1].

Benefits of Teletherapy Rehab

A more convenient delivery method with the same quality of treatment

Addiction treatment delivered through teletherapy is by no means a “watered down” version of traditional, in-person therapy. Instead, you’ll experience the same core benefits to rehab, presented through a new method of communication.

Greater Access to Care

Some people cannot use traditional therapy due to physical disabilities, geographic location, or scheduling issues.

As long as you have a reliable power source, access to a computer, and a stable internet connection, you may enjoy all of the benefits of addiction rehab through teletherapy. This means that individuals who had trouble getting to the rehab office can now access all of the same benefits without having to drive anywhere.

In addition, not having a car is no longer an inconvenience for receiving addiction treatment, given its new online format. You’ll save on gas, and reduce all time spent in the car and an office waiting room, once you take advantage of rehab’s new teletherapy option.

More Privacy

Individuals who choose teletherapy do not have to sit in busy waiting rooms but can seek treatment in the privacy and comfort of their own homes. For many, this alleviates privacy concerns.  

You’ll enjoy a secure, HIPAA-compliant online conferencing connection through a confidential network that prevents any of your call details from leaking. In addition, your information will only be available to two parties: you and your therapist.

All the comforts of home

Possibly the most obvious benefit to rehab through teletherapy, you’ll be able to enjoy all of the benefits of home even while completely participating in addiction rehab. Feel free to take your teletherapy call from anywhere in the house, as long as you can establish a secure, steady internet connection. You can wear a cozy outfit of your choosing.

The COVID-19 health crisis proves that seeking medical care at home can slow the spread of illness and protect vulnerable populations. Teletherapy allows individuals to get mental health treatment at home without risking the spread of infection during pandemics.

Lower Cost

Teletherapy may help clients save money on rehab. Clients are also likely to acquire fewer therapy-associated costs when they do not have to travel to get treatment. 

Are Teletherapy Sessions Private?

Therapists are legally and ethically bound by privacy laws, also known as the HIPAA Law, to not share details about their teletherapy sessions with third parties, just as with face-to-face sessions. Therapists must guarantee they are in a secure and private room before joining in any teletherapy sessions. Sessions and information should not be recorded or shared unless with explicit approval from the patient.

From the patient end, it is also their responsibility to ensure they conduct their end of the session in an equally private area to ensure their confidentiality.

Some therapists have claimed that teletherapy is more private than traditional face-to-face sessions, where clients who know each other have the potential to bump into each other on the premises where therapy takes place.

Tips to Prepare for Your Teletherapy Session

It has been a very challenging and stressful time for people across the world. Many of us have felt helpless and concerned about our health given the unknown timeline of the Covid-19 virus. Mental health has been a critical concern, with 45% of adults in the United States reporting that their mental health had been negatively affected by stress and worry over the virus.

To make the most out of your experience, here are some tips on preparing for your teletherapy session:

Write Things Down

Try keeping a list of the things you want to talk about. You may write it in your journal or on your phone. Have this on hand during the session so that you can easily refer back to the key points you were hoping to discuss.

Be Comfortable 

Your therapist wants you to feel at ease and comfortable during a teletherapy session. Prepare your space so that it feels easy for you – make it cozy with blankets and pillows.

Be Honest 

It is okay to tell your therapist if you are feeling nervous or anxious. It is perfectly normal to feel that way, and your therapist will understand. Meeting somebody in a new environment and in a new way can sometimes throw us off and lead to feelings of discomfort and anxiety.

Test your device

Examples of such devices are mobile phones, laptops, internet connections, and the platform or links your therapist uses to meet with you. Double-check any links you received for the session, and test your audio and camera in advance. Let your therapist know if you’re experiencing any technical difficulties.

Just Relax 

Try and relax before the session. Take deep breaths. Diaphragmatic breathing, belly breathing, or abdominal breathing is a type of breathing exercise at the center of meditation practice. It is known to help manage a wide range of health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and sleeplessness. It helps lower your heart rate, blood pressure and, above all, reduces stress levels.

Time to be Real

Therapy is about actual people connecting. Your therapist is human too, and in times like these, we are all just working to stay flexible. You might hear their dog in the background or their kids. It is not about looking perfect. Sweatpants or pajamas are just fine. Remember, showing our vulnerability and humanness is healing.

Is Teletherapy Behavorial Rehab For You?

Online care, including teletherapy, is not for every client. For example, individuals with more serious mental illnesses or addictions may need more treatment than teletherapy can provide. And some clinicians may find certain teletherapy modalities difficult. 

Some clients find it tough to feel a real connection during teletherapy. Also, a lot of people stop responding.

If you are experiencing severe mental health primary disorders and need help beyond teletherapy rehab as part of an inpatient mental health treatment program, call our 24/7 hotline at We Level Up FL.

We Level Up FL is a primary mental health center offering secondary co-occurring treatments. We treat the entirety of behavioral health disorders including their secondary corresponding illnesses to improve long-term recovery outcomes. Depending on the extent of secondary behavioral disorders such as chemical dependence, we can first help assess your condition and thereafter guide you to suitable treatment options. We do not offer PHP, IOP, or outpatient level of care at this time. Programs, services, and treatments vary. Call to learn more.