Telehealth
Telehealth
Quality Psychotherapy Online!
COVID Update: We are grateful and honored to be able to provide support to the community during this incredibly challenging time. For the safety of our clients, staff, and the community-at-large, we encourage clients to choose telehealth appointments when possible.
Do you want support, but find it challenging to make it to an appointment? Now you don’t have to commute or even leave home. Online counseling will allow us to work collaboratively in a supportive environment, wherever is most convenient for you.
Washington Psychological Wellness provides counseling via confidential, real time, 2-way video. Our clinicians use a HIPAA-compliant secure video conferencing to make online-based therapy convenient and confidential.
All you need is a comfortable private space, internet connection and a smart phone, tablet, laptop or personal computer. When you schedule your appointment, a secure video link is created for your appointment and sent to you via email. When it’s time for your scheduled appointment, simply click the link and we will be connected!
Our clinicians’ experiences and training encompass a wide array of concerns for adult therapy, including:
• Anger Management
• Depression, Sadness, & Loneliness
• Anxiety, Fear, & OCD
• Addiction & Recovery
• Chronic & Terminal Illness
• LGBTQ Specific Issues
• Loss, Grief, and Bereavement
• Trauma and PTSD
• Life Transitions and Personal Growth
• Self-esteem Building
• Family Difficulties
Frequently Asked Questions About Telehealth
Is it confidential?
Absolutely.
Our therapists maintain strict confidentiality standards for your protection. This means your sessions cannot be recorded. During this time of social distancing, our therapists are exclusively providing counseling via video from their office, or from areas of their home that have privacy.
Now we can’t completely promise that your provider’s cat or dog won’t briefly stop in to say hello – but don’t worry, they have been fully trained in our HIPAA protocols!
Will it be covered by my insurance?
Most healthcare plans provide coverage for telehealth just like in-office therapy.
While this is often at your regular copay, coinsurance and/or deductible, there are some variations depending on your specific policy. If you and your therapist are not sure about your benefits, please reach out to Washington Psychological Wellness and your insurance provider. If you run into any coverage issues, we are happy to work with you on payment options during this crisis.
Even if you think you don’t have coverage for telehealth, or can’t afford payment, please give us a call — we continue to get updates from insurance plans that are expanding telehealth benefits as our culture adapts to the developing needs.
I’m still not sure Telehealth is right for me – maybe I should wait until I can see a therapist in person?
It’s understandable to want to have or continue an in-person therapy. However, in these very unpredictable times, it is unclear how long this will be our new normal. There are a variety of estimated time frames suggested for social distancing measures lasting from 6 weeks to 18 months. Connecting with a counselor via video is an easy way to get started with care — or avoid disrupting your care — and to receive consistent support toward your goals. This can become even more important during these stressful times.
Have Telehealth therapy sessions been proven to be effective?
Yes. There have been numerous studies conducted showing that telehealth is just as effective as in-person counseling.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) published a physician reviewed article in 2017 that notes the following:
“There is substantial evidence of the effectiveness of telepsychiatry and research has found satisfaction to be high among patients, psychiatrists and other professionals. Telepsychiatry is equivalent to in-person care in diagnostic accuracy, treatment effectiveness, quality of care and patient satisfaction. Patient privacy and confidentiality are equivalent to in-person care.”