Telehealth and the Importance of Remote Therapy

Stigma. Awareness. Finances. Time. There are many roadblocks keeping the average person from taking care of their mental health. And yet taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of the rest of your body.

Despite the hurdles, mental health services are more accessible than ever. Thanks to telehealth services, people can access affordable, flexible care regardless of finances or insurance status. In this article, we take a look at telehealth services, and how they can help people maintain a healthy lifestyle.

What is Remote Therapy?

As the name suggests, remote therapy is simply therapy sessions that take place within the online space. How the process is carried out may vary from service to service. Some professionals may use teleconferencing technology, like Zoom, to hold remote meetings that are otherwise no different from in-person sessions, save the fact that they take place on a screen instead of in an office.

However, there are variations within the formula. Some services may revolve around phone calls, instant messages, emails, or other remote forms of communication.

Regardless of the methodology, remote therapy is an accessible way for patients with a wide range of ailments to get help.

Why Remote Therapy?

Remote therapy has several benefits that might make it appeal to people more than in-person sessions.

Accessible

Certainly, accessibility is a major boon for remote therapy. During the height of Covid-19 lockdowns, many services were shut down for weeks or even months at a time. In these situations, remote therapy still allowed patients to receive uninterrupted care.

Even without lockdowns, remote therapy can be a good alternative for the disabled, or for people with social anxiety. It can also be very convenient for people living in remote areas, who might otherwise struggle to access therapy services.

Affordable

Remote therapy tends to be more affordable than traditional therapy for several reasons. For one thing, the therapist themselves usually do not have as much overhead as professionals operating out of an office do. Without the cost of rent and administrative assistance, they can pass some of the savings onto their patients.

It’s also worth noting that many states require insurance providers to cover remote therapy, further improving its financial accessibility.

Less Stigma

Finally, for people who are on the fence about getting help with their mental health, remote therapy can serve to reduce some of the stigmas. While it might feel uncomfortable to show up at the office of a therapist and run the risk of being seen, it can be considerably more comfortable to simply log in to your computer.

Not for Everyone

It’s important to understand that telehealth services may not be right for everyone. Those with more serious underlying mental health issues, including schizophrenia or suicidal ideations will most likely be better served by in-person care.

However, for the many people suffering from anxiety, depression, and other, milder forms of mental unwellness that most encounter at some point in their lives, remote therapy is there as an accessible form of treatment.

Remember: even small problems should be treated. Dealing with your issues in isolation only exacerbates the problem. Telehealth technology makes therapy available to more people than ever before.