The pandemic has accelerated technological innovation in mental health treatment, and telehealth is one of the areas of exponential growth.

In my practice, I specialize in providing services via telehealth, also known as telepsychology. What does that mean? I screen clients before starting therapy to determine if telehealth is an appropriate modality for the type of help the client is seeking. In my opinion, telehealth is not appropriate for all psychological services and individual needs must be taken into consideration. Clients that may benefit most from telehealth services are individuals who are experiencing mild-to-moderate anxiety and depression, significant life changes, difficulty finding transportation to a traditional office, or individuals who need more flexibility. Because telehealth is conducted via the internet, a client can complete a session from wherever they are most comfortable. Once a client has been deemed appropriate for telepsychology, I send them introductory paperwork and a link for the therapy session. All sessions take place via HIPAA-compliant videoconferencing platform (all information is protected and confidential). The important part of telehealth is finding a quiet private space for the session. I see several individuals who are parked in their car on a break from work or prior to starting work.  The flexibility of not having to drive to an office helps people fit therapy into their lives, and I am strong proponent of therapy for all!

Does it work?

Ashley Batastini, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research at the University of Memphis and her colleagues recently published a large meta-analytic study (a study that takes statistics from several other studies and combines them to see the overall picture) that compared clinical interventions and assessments delivered via videoconferencing with those delivered in-person. Overall, they found that in-person and virtual interventions produced similar outcomes. Likewise, assessments produced similar opinions across modalities, she says.

The result was not a surprise, as their conclusions were in line with the existing literature on telepsychology, including a 2016 meta-analysis that focused on correctional and forensic telepsychology. Batastini and her colleagues did uncover one interesting surprise in the new study: Women appear to have better outcomes following virtual interventions than in-person interventions, something that merits further research.

Can I see any psychologist at any time?

At the moment, most psychologist are limited to seeing only patients who reside in the state where they are licensed. For my practice, this means I am limited to providing services to those who reside in the state of California. However, PSYPACT is an interstate compact that allows the practice of telepsychology across state boundaries with residents of states that have joined. Licensed Clinical Psychologists in the participating states have to apply to get permission from the PSYPACT Commission to be able to provide telepsychology services to residents in the states that have joined PSYPACT. The states that are part of PSYPACT are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky,  Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia

Resources:

Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) (site-ym.com)

Online therapy is here to stay (apa.org)

References:

Batastini, A. B., Paprzycki, P., *Jones, A. C. T., & MacLean, N. (2021). Are videoconferenced mental and behavioral health services just as good as in-person? A Meta-analysis of a fast-growing practice. Clinical Psychology Review, 83. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101944