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What is Telemental Health?

What is Telemental Health? Telehealth, telemedicine, or telemental health, is a way for mental health and medical professionals to work with clients remotely. So, what can you expect from a telemental health session and is it a good fit for you?

The Basics:

Telehealth can be used for individual sessions, couple sessions, family sessions, and even sessions with people who don’t live in the same household.

Telehealth is often covered by insurance in the same way in office visits are.

Here at buildingblcoks, we use a Hipaa compliance onetime meeting link using a confidential portal. No need to download any apps. Just click the link at the time of your appointment and badabing badaboom, you’re ready to start healing.

The Pros:
Telehealth is such a unique and widely used medium for accessing mental health services for several reasons. To begin, it’s convenient. Several months back when I was seeing clients in the office, we’d both be driving anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes each way. So if your schedule is pretty hectic, especially if you’re trying to coordinate with a partner, children, in-laws, or anyone else who would be involved in your session- being able to cut out an hour or more of commute can be essential.

Because there is no commute, this also removes any obstacles related to transportation. Maybe you’re a student living in a city but want to access services outside of city limits, maybe driving gives you anxiety which ultimately prevents you from feeling safe and relaxed during a session,  or maybe you don’t have consistent access to a vehicle or a ride. These issues are unlikely to be present with telehealth sessions.

It’s is also a great option for people who are older or deal with physical impairments that make it extremely difficult to leave the house, drive to an appointment, get out of the vehicle, into the office, and then turn around and do it all over again.

Telehealth is an essential service for those of us who live in rural areas with limited access to local therapy offices.

Telehealth can be a good option for people dealing with agoraphobia, or a fear of leaving one’s home. While showering, getting dressed, and out of the house can be healing in itself for people dealing with issues like depression, these otherwise simple actions can become obstacles in and of themselves for getting the treatment you need. And even for people who don’t struggle with this, it’s hard to compete with the comfort of you own couch, snuggled up to a favorite pet, and at the perfect temperature for you. Remember, therapy usually works best if we’re calm, comfortable, and present in the moment.

While you can use telehealth with a therapist near you, you are also able to look at all of the therapists in your state that offer telehealth. That means you have a great variety of therapists to pick from, get access to a specialist, or just give you the peace of mind that you wont see your therapist at the grocery store.

And finally, why we’re using it now, it reduces the spread of illnesses of all kinds. So even when we’re on the other side of this, telehealth can be great if you’re immunocompromised, pregnant, or have any other issue that would make it imperative that you decrease your chance of infection.

The Cons:

Telehealth might not be the best fit for everyone, though. If you have unreliable or poor internet connection, if you are unable to get a quiet, confidential space away from roommates or family members, or you don’t have access to a smartphone, tablet, or computer with video and audio connections, telehealth is going to be a difficult fit. Also, telehealth is not appropriate for clients who need intensive, inpatient treatment.

Pro-tips:
Use a computer or tablet, rather than a cell phone. Cell phones do work but holding up your phone and having it move all over the place can be tiresome for you and a bit distracting. Make sure that your light source is coming from in front of you, rather than behind you. Seeing your beautiful faces is part of the magic and science of therapy. If you’re doing individual therapy, get a pair of headphones with a mic. You might look like you’re working at a call center, but it can really help cut down on echo, ambient noise, and other audio issues. And finally, we have to remember that although we’re in our slippers at home, we’re still engaging in a special, intimate but professional experience. That means we have to treat our sessions just like we would if you were coming into the office. This means, we’d be and stay fully clothed, we would abstain from drinking alcohol or smoking during the session, we wouldn’t be driving, washing dishes, or shopping, and we would not take a trip to the bathroom. Getting close and joining is part of the process, and we appreciate being let into your inner worlds, we just have to remember that it’s still therapy.

 

By Savanah Kite MA

Ashley Moore

Ashley Moore

I am a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in relationship issues in the Pooler, GA area. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Valdosta State University in 2008. During this time, I discovered my passion was working with couples and families in a therapeutic setting. This led me to complete my Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Valdosta State University in 2010. I specialize in working with couples dealing with premarital issues, infidelity, communication issues, conflict, intimacy issues, parenting, etc. I also work with parents and their children (ages 2-6) experiencing behavior issues. I am currently a level one Gottman trained couples therapist as well as Certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitator. I am also currently working on my PCIT Certified Therapist credential. For more information on Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) see here (link to PCIT service page). I also provide supervision to associate level therapists and am an AAMFT Approved Supervisor.

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    • Dear Parent/Guardian:

      Your student has been referred to the School Counseling Telehealth Program with Building Blocks Family Counseling. This is a collaboration between the Effingham School System and Building Blocks Family Counseling- a mental health private practice with locations in Savannah, Pooler, and Rincon.

      How does it work?

      A referral will be sent from your student’s school counselor to Building Blocks. You will receive a call from our office to set up an appointment, get insurance information, complete paperwork, etc. An online intake appointment will be scheduled for your student during the school day (based on times provided by the school counselor). An online intake appointment will also be scheduled between your student’s therapist and yourself to gather information regarding your student. The Therapist will schedule routine parent/guardian check-ins with you and family sessions as needed. Sessions with students will generally be weekly (during school hours) and last for 30-45 minutes. Parent/Guardian sessions can be held during or after school hours and last for 45-50 minutes.

      Paperwork Needed

      In order to provide these services we need the following paperwork completed for each student. A new client intake packet, child/adolescent questionnaire, and a release of information for the school counselor. We will be coordinating sessions with your student through the school counselors at their school so it is important we have the release of information completed.

      Appointments

      Appointment reminders via email, text, and phone will be sent the day before any scheduled appointments. Please make sure we have the best contact information on file so you will receive all of the reminders.

      If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to address these with your therapist. If you feel like your student no longer needs services, please also communicate this with your therapist. For more information on Building Blocks Family Counseling, please go to our website at www.buildingblocks.solutions.

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    • Type of Release: This release is to allow the school to openly communicate with the assigned therapist at Building Blocks regarding appointment scheduling and information about your child’s counseling services throughout the school year. Valid For: Current school year ONLY.
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