Technology is transforming the way we give and receive healthcare. As it becomes increasingly central to modern life, it opens new avenues to provide and receive care. One of these is telepsychology. Using online chatrooms, voice calls, and video conferencing allows clients to receive treatment without visiting their counselor’s office. This offers extra flexibility and can reduce barriers to care. However, it can also introduce new challenges for clients and counselors to navigate.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota provides a Master’s degree in Counseling and Psychological Services, a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy, an online Master’s in Clinical Psychology, and a Doctor of Psychology in Counseling Psychology. Our programs cover all the latest innovations in psychology.
Here, we examine telepsychology, how it’s expanding access to care, the benefits it offers to both clients and clinicians, and some of the challenges associated with remote therapy.
What Is Telehealth?
Traditionally, to receive medical care, patients had to visit a hospital or clinic in person. Telehealth changes that. Telehealth, also called telemedicine, is a modern approach to healthcare. It relies upon telecommunication technology to support long-distance health services. Patients can schedule and attend appointments remotely using platforms such as:
- Phone calls
- Video conferencing
- Text and chatrooms
- File sharing
- Digital databases
Not every service can be provided remotely. Physical exams, diagnostic tests, and treatments must be delivered in person. For preliminary and follow-up appointments, however, telehealth gives healthcare providers extra flexibility in how they serve patients. It also gives those patients flexibility in how and where they receive care.
What Is Telepsychology?
Telepsychology is a branch of telehealth that is focused on mental health services. It goes by many names: online counseling, virtual therapy, e-therapy, or teletherapy. All these terms refer to the same thing: the use of telecommunication technologies to provide psychological services.
Unlike other forms of healthcare, many therapy visits require only communication and social interaction between individuals. This means many services can be provided remotely. Counseling and talk therapy are common examples, but the possibilities don’t end there. Providers can also perform screenings, conduct diagnostic interviews, and provide psychological assessments, all remotely through digital communication tools.
Like telehealth, telepsychology has existed for a few decades. During the COVID-19 epidemic, however, it became one of the most common ways to provide care. This trend has only continued afterward. According to a study by the American Psychological Association (APA), 89% of psychologists used telehealth as of 2023. 67% of psychologists work with a hybrid of in-person and remote services, while 21% are entirely remote. Telepsychology is here to stay.
The Benefits of Telepsychology
Research on telepsychology has proven that it’s just as effective as in-person services. Not only that, but it can also improve the accessibility of care for people who might otherwise struggle to receive the treatments they need. These are just a few ways that telepsychology can help more patients:
Improved Accessibility
Mental health services aren’t readily accessible to everyone. Some individuals may have physical disabilities that limit their ability to drive, or they may struggle to leave the house due to the mental illness for which they are receiving treatment. Other individuals may live in rural areas with no high-quality counseling services nearby. Others may simply not have time for appointments amid their busy working schedules.
The travel barrier is eliminated with telepsychology. Clients can receive care at home, with no transportation required. Lack of driving means appointments take less time overall as well. Busy adults can have an easier time fitting mental health care into their workdays.
Cost Effectiveness
Expense is another common barrier to mental healthcare access. Counseling sessions aren’t free, and they aren’t universally covered by health insurers. A person who struggles financially may be unable to afford care, even if they need and want it.
Telepsychology does not fully eliminate the cost of care, but it does reduce it. Because it eliminates the need for travel, clients can save on gas, parking expenses, and childcare. They may also miss less work, helping them hold onto more paying hours.
Enhanced Comfort
Comfort is another concern for mental health care. Often, counseling requires discussing sensitive issues that evoke strong negative feelings. This can be difficult for clients to manage, especially in the unfamiliar setting of a counselor’s office.
Telepsychology can help. When clients attend appointments from home, they remain in a familiar environment full of things that are important to them. They can get a blanket or other comfort item, or relax in the presence of a beloved pet. This may help them relax enough to discuss topics they might otherwise be hesitant to broach. Some patients who embrace technology may even feel more comfortable communicating online in general, as it has become common for them.
However, in some cases, it may be a challenge to establish a rapport with someone in a remote location. Some patients may find it difficult to feel a connection with their counselors in an online discussion. For them, an in-person session may be preferable.
Increased Privacy
To some clients, privacy is an issue. Visiting a counselor’s office in person means the client may be recognized in the parking lot or waiting room, or their family members may see them leave the home and ask questions. This can be extra challenging for individuals who struggle with paranoia and anxiety, who live in abusive or controlling households, or who feel a stigma attached to receiving therapy.
When clients receive care online, however, they gain extra confidentiality. Clients can receive service from a private space where they don’t have to worry about questions or stigmas from others. This soothes anxieties and makes care more readily accessible. However, there are concerns with privacy and confidentiality via electronic communications, which providers must take care to address.
Many prospective clients state that, though they would not pursue mental health services in person, they may try telepsychology. Any encouragement to seek much-needed care is a good thing.
Continuity of Care
Even people who can attend routine, in-person counseling sessions may not always be able to do so. A natural disaster, sudden health crisis, or family issue may get in the way of regular appointments, creating an interruption in services. The person is suddenly left without mental health care or support at a time that is likely extremely difficult for them. This can also be problematic when interruptions may disrupt the healing process.
Telehealth ensures continuity of care during adverse circumstances. If an in-person client can no longer attend appointments, remote services allow them to continue sessions without interruption, ensuring that they have the support they need to navigate difficult situations and keep healing.
Cost Savings for Providers
Fully remote services don’t need to maintain a physical location. This allows providers to cut costs by avoiding expensive commercial rent. The provider can increase their own income and may be able to reduce the cost of appointments, helping them reach more people in need.
Does Telepsychology Have Downsides?
Though it has many advantages, telepsychology also introduces some unique challenges. These don’t necessarily mean that distance therapy isn’t worth it. However, providers must carefully consider these issues before offering this type of service. These are some of the downsides and challenges faced by providers offering telepsychology:
Contact
When clients meet with their counselor using telepsychology, they are still physically separated by a great distance. This can make conversations feel less present and personal. The counselor is unable to read body language via a phone call or when only the face is visible on a webcam. In some cases, this is not a significant loss. In others, however, the reduced contact may interfere with effective treatment.
Distractions
The lack of face-to-face contact may also introduce distractions. It is often more difficult for clients to focus on a session when their counselor is not in the room. They might fidget, text, send emails, or attempt to multitask. The environment may also pull a client away from the session. For example, if a child starts crying, a caregiver may need to leave the video call to address the issue. These distractions may be prevented with in-person sessions.
Access
Telepsychology eliminates barriers to access in the forms of transportation, privacy, and expense. It comes with its own unique barrier: technology. To access telepsychology services, clients must have reliable access to an Internet connection. This can be a challenge for people who don’t have home internet. While libraries and cafes may offer Wi-Fi, these settings are less private and can be noisy. They also require transportation to take advantage of. Also, patients who are not tech-savvy may hesitate to seek telepsychology services and would prefer an in-person session.
Ethics
Telepsychology providers face several new ethical dilemmas. For example, counselors are responsible for learning how to use telepsychology programs properly. Constant remote access may open the door to inappropriate client-counselor relationships, and social media creates an additional area where confidentiality is a concern. This concern also arises when sessions are recorded. Even if recording is a default feature of the platform, patients must be made aware of it.
Security
Client confidentiality also requires security. When documents and session recordings are hosted online, they become vulnerable to cyberattacks and data breaches. Such an attack can release sensitive records and create an enormous breach of confidentiality. This is an enormous ethical concern and erodes client trust, making them less likely to seek future services. High-quality encryption and digital security are essential to keep your files protected.
Licensing
Telepsychology allows treatment to be delivered across state lines. While this is a great benefit when it comes to improving accessibility, it may present a challenge for licensing. If a counselor is providing remote services in multiple states, they sometimes must secure licenses in each state. This becomes even more complex when many state boards require in-person consultation. However, licensed psychologists who have a PsyPact credential can have a state license and practice telepsychology across a network of various states.
Launch a Career in Counseling or Psychology at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
If you have a passion for helping others, a career in therapy, counseling, or psychology may be your calling. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota helps you prepare for a telepsychology career with high-quality online and hybrid degree programs. We are a private, nonprofit university that is committed to Lasallian Catholic values. To learn more, request information or apply for admission to get started.
