Benefits of Teletherapy

The benefits of distance counseling compared to in-person therapy include:

  • Convenience: Online therapy can take less time away from your life at work or at home. Plus you don’t need to worry about traffic, or travel miles to meet with your counselor. The session can happen wherever you are comfortable.

  • Comfort: It can be more comfortable to use the video conference than talking to someone in person, especially when revealing personal or private information.

  • Privacy: You may need additional privacy because you are high profile in the community and are concerned about running into others in the waiting room.

  • Access: You live in a remote or rural area with limited access to therapists. Your chronic illness, disability, or mental health concerns (agoraphobia or social anxiety) may prevent you from leaving your home. You reside in a country where there is no access to an English-speaking mental health provider. You have already been in therapy with me and you’ve moved somewhere else in Oregon or abroad and would like to continue sessions.

Therapeutic Relationship in Teletherapy

You may wonder if it is possible to build rapport with your counselor online. It turns out that most people project more authentic versions of themselves from the comfort of their own homes. The integrity of the therapeutic relationship is not diluted in teletherapy. It is entirely possible to accurately track shifting facial expressions, emotions, and even body language in a video call.

Limitations of Online Counseling

The most notable disadvantage of teletherapy is a technological glitch due to inconsistency in Internet connection strength or issues with the video chat platform. Dropped calls, frozen screens, echoing, or low-resolution video feeds can interfere with the therapeutic experience.

Despite these limitations, online therapy can be effective for a certain subset of the population (non-suicidal individuals or those not in the midst of a major crisis requiring more intense intervention).

How Does Teletherapy Work?

You will need:

  • A comfortable, quiet and private space,

  • A fast and reliable Internet connection,

  • A smart phone, tablet, laptop or personal computer, and

  • Access to a microphone, webcam, and speakers.

You must be located in the state of Oregon or in a country that allows licensed professional counseling with the United States.

On the day and time of your appointment, you will be able to connect to one of the following HIPAA-compliant and confidential video platforms:

  • Regroup Connect (uses Zoom engine) for a desktop or a laptop computer, or

  • Doxy – https://doxy.me/ambersenger for a smart phone or a tablet.

Fees for Online Counseling

The rates for online counseling sessions are the same as for in-person counseling sessions.

Payment for Oregon clients is done through PayPal. Payment for international clients is done through Square invoicing. Both are secure, HIPAA-compliant credit card processors.

Informed Consent for Teletherapy