Teletherapy is counseling’s newest method of reaching people all over the country, providing professional counseling services when and where clients need it most. Teletherapy has become an increasingly popular choice during this time of lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, as it allows clients to reach out to, and meet with, counselors without even leaving the home.
Not only is teletherapy beneficial for the support it offers clients on their journey towards freedom from substance use; it also provides them the ability to schedule appointments when it’s most convenient for them, away from the inquiring eyes of others. With increased privacy, convenience and availability, it’s no wonder the unexpected benefits of online addiction counseling are enthusiastically sought after.
1. Increased privacy
Unfortunately, stigmas and strong opinions still circle addiction therapy, making it difficult to confidently seek treatment, even when you need it most. It can be uncomfortable to navigate questions and possible judgements from friends and family when you yourself are still new to the process of counseling. Here’s the good news: teletherapy can remove the need to explain everything prematurely, with additional privacy.
It might be surprising that teletherapy is increasingly private, but with the ability of attending a session right from your own room or office, you can choose who knows about your therapy journey and who does not. Instead of needing to leave work in the middle of the day to make your appointment, requiring permission from your boss and eliciting questions from co-workers, you can simply schedule your session whenever you’re available during the day.
2. Immediate availability
It can take a tremendous amount of courage to make the jump into substance or alcohol use therapy, but frequently the waitlist at counseling offices stretch for a number of weeks before you’re able to talk to anyone. And sometimes you need to talk to someone right away, not two weeks from now. This is another benefit offered by teletherapy – all it takes is a phone call or inquiry form to get you the help you need as soon as possible.
3. Convenient times
Do you find yourself in back-to-back appointments, meetings or errands throughout the day? Are weekends or late evenings the best time for you to add something to your schedule? That’s just fine, because this is the beauty of online addiction counseling. With teletherapy, you can schedule your session wherever and whenever is right for you. Just make sure the surrounding environment is distraction-free, and you’ll be good to go.
4. Completely secure
Online teletherapy sessions are conducted via the secure, HIPAA-compliant platform BlueJeans, which effectively scrambles all data shared in a session. This means whatever you and your therapist discuss during the appointment is non-accessible to any outside source. You can rest assured that whether a conversation occurs via messaging, phone call or video, the information shared remains securely private, accessible to only you and your healthcare provider.
5. Equally effective
As with any form of counseling, what you put into online therapy is what you should expect to get out. The more you invest in your online sessions and allow yourself to receive the counseling and advice of your therapist, the further you will journey down the path towards healing.
Many rehab centers for substance abuse experience the unfortunate drop-out of clients before they complete therapy. There are many reasons for this, some personal, others practical, but an interesting note is the tendency of more people beginning to see therapy all the way through when it’s conducted via teletherapy. Whether it’s due to convenience, accessibility or privacy, substance use teletherapy is quickly becoming one of the leading methods of effective counseling.
6. Group and individual therapy offered
While some people prefer the solitude of individual therapy, others thrive in the environment of group therapy where they can share with and learn from others. Teletherapy isn’t limited to individual counseling, but offers group therapy as well, providing you the chance to build and foster healthy relationships, a crucial step in the substance use recovery process.
7. Device compatible
Online therapy offers plenty of device flexibility. Whether you prefer to conduct your sessions on your laptop, desktop computer, cell phone or tablet, you will still receive quality counseling. As long as your device is BlueJeans compatible, you can attend your session in the way it works best for you.
Teletherapy for you
If the benefits provided by online counseling for substance use suit your stage of recovery, reach out to Rehab After Work or call 610-644-6464 to start your journey towards freedom from addiction today.
