Mindful Connections: Finding the right Tele-Mental Health Counseling

In the ever-evolving landscape of mental health care, tele-mental health has emerged as a transformative and preferred approach for patients as it integrates technology, convenience, and anonymity with therapeutic expertise. Here, we’ll explore the pros and cons of Telehealth in mental health counseling and specifically highlight the key benefits and disadvantages you need to remember.

The Sunny Side of Tele-Mental Health: Advantages

1. Accessibility: With the advent of the 2016 21st Century Cures Act, the expansion of high-speed, always-on Internet indirectly contributes to the use of new technology to reach more Americans, promoting the service for improved patient care. With Telehealth, it is now possible to deconstruct geographical barriers, allowing more and more individuals in remote or underserved areas to gain access to mental health services. The accessibility of mental health services online provides an outlet for those suffering in silence to gain access to online mental health counselors. For those who have limited mobility or reside in areas with a scarcity of mental health professionals, the accessibility and convenience of telemental health is the perfect solution.

2. Cost-Effectiveness: According to a Harvard study, the average medical visit takes 121 minutes. That two-hour block accounts for the total time devoted to the appointment, including travel, waiting, paying, and completing paperwork; only 20 minutes is typically spent actually seeing a doctor. Online virtual appointments typically last 30-45 minutes with all the time-related costs associated with seeing health care professionals in person. Virtual mental health counseling is usually more affordable than an in-person visit, with an average session cost anywhere from $49 to $77 per week if you pay out of pocket. It can be a more economical option for many.

3. Flexibility: The flexibility of Telehealth for mental health is unmatched. It enables clients to schedule sessions at times that suit them, fostering a better work-life-therapy balance and again from the comfort of home whether they gain access through a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Tele-Mental Health’s flexibility benefits various demographics, including working parents, students, elderly individuals, and mobility-impaired individuals. For parents, juggling personal health and childcare can be difficult, and telehealth provides them with the perfect solution as parents can consult with a healthcare provider while their children are at home, eliminating the need to arrange child care or time off work

4. Anonymity, Convenience, & Comfort: Many patients find it easier to open up and share intimate thoughts with a licensed mental health professional from the comfort of their home, away from the potential stigma of visiting a mental health clinic or office. Many services can be scheduled or accessed 24/7/365.

5. Reduced Exposure to Illnesses: Evidence suggests that telehealth’s impact on patient access has varied among different patient groups. While the pandemic forced many patients and providers to switch to telehealth to minimize the risk of contagious disease, the utilization of online mental health counseling has helped minimize the risk of spreading or contracting illnesses during in-person interactions.

6. More Tele-Mental Health Options: As the demand for mental health services increases, the use of Telehealth to deliver behavioral health care is more pragmatic and convenient as more specialized telemental health care providers come online, including MDLIVE, GetCerbral, Better Help, Talkspace, Brightside Health, Regain Therapy, Online-Therapy.com, Sesame care. It is important to understand that each of these telehealth companies often differ in the services they provide. For example, Get Cerebral has a licensed psychiatrist on staff with the ability to write prescriptions if needed, while Talkspace offers individual talk therapy, couples therapy, therapy for veterans and teens

7. Healthcare Policy: Policy changes have significantly shaped the online mental health landscape, both domestically and internationally, impacting the rate a which individuals can access mental health care. For those with Medicare, telehealth coverage has been extended through December 31st, 2024. More tele-mental health companies are offering more affordable care for those without coverage. According to several systematic literature reviews, the implications of health policy and telemedicine include an increase in healthcare access, improved quality of care, and the need for enabling technologies with the further need to expand both services and broadband wifi services.

8. Telehealth Resource: For those seeking tele-mental health services, leveraging online resources is an effective way to find reputable platforms and therapists. Websites like ClarityHLTH, Capterra, or Healthline offer comprehensive information and reviews where individuals can effectively navigate the tele-mental health landscape, finding the right platforms and therapists to meet their mental health counseling needs.

The Challenges of Tele-Mental Health Counseling

1. Technology Limitations: Telehealth relies heavily on stable internet connections and proper equipment. A consistent high-speed internet connection is critical for telehealth interaction. Patients in rural or underserved areas where broadband access is limited or unreliable may face significant barriers when accessing tele-mental health services, leading to disparities in health care access.

2. Loss of Personal Interaction: The lack of physical presence can sometimes hinder the development of a therapeutic relationship, making it challenging to pick up on non-verbal cues. In some cases, video conferencing quality can affect the interaction with delays in communication or low resolution, leading to misinterpretation or missing out on verbal and nonverbal cues, significantly interfering with a patient’s comfort level.

3. Confidentiality Concerns: Although telehealth platforms are designed to be HIPPA compliant and secure, there are inherent privacy and data security risks. It is critical that when searching for an online mental health counselor, they confirm they are operating from a HIPAA-compliant digitally secure platform.

4. Scope of Practice Limitations: Certain mental health conditions or crisis situations may require in-person intervention, which Telehealth cannot adequately address. Unfortunately, the virtual nature of telehealth makes it difficult to diagnose conditions where physical symptoms are essential for making accurate diagnoses, such as substance abuse withdrawal or psychosomatic disorders. Additionally, in crisis situations, such as severe mental health episodes or suicidal ideation, in-person intervention is often necessary. Moreover, mental healthcare providers typically have very specific areas of specialization. Often, the scope of practices is defined by the therapist or psychiatrist’s knowledge, skills, and legally permissible practice areas, which can limit the range of services that can be effectively provided remotely

5. Insurance and Licensing Issues: Navigating insurance coverage for telehealth services can be complex, and therapists must adhere to licensing laws, which vary by state. Each state has laws and rules regarding licensure, telemedicine, and prescribing. For example, most medical boards require a physician or PA to be licensed in the state where patient care is provided.

Conclusion
As consumers adopt Tele-Mental Health platforms for various conditions, online mental health counseling provides a unique blend of challenges and opportunities. Telehealth is a channel that, when used properly, can significantly enhance our well-being with the ability to access care from the comfort of our homes at any time. However, it’s important to understand its limitations and ensure that it complements, rather than replaces, traditional face-to-face therapy when and where necessary. The bottom line is that the pros outweigh the disadvantages as the goal of mental health counseling remains the same: provide compassionate, effective care, whether through a screen or in person.

Celebrating the utilization of Tele-Mental Health is now part of our online journey towards a more inclusive, diverse, and universal mental health care system. The future of mental health counseling is not just in our offices – it’s on our screens, in our homes, and at our fingertips on our phones.