What is virtual therapy?

To provide virtual therapy, a mental health professional needs to be licensed by the state you are physically in to provide psychotherapy. AKA, if you are in the comfort of your home in Allen, Texas, your therapist must be licensed to provide therapy in Texas. However, your therapist may live in California and still work with you, provided you are physically in Texas during the session. 

Furthermore, your therapist may live in Austin, Texas, and you live in McKinney, Texas, and the fit works out, so you can still see them even though the drive to the office would be several hours long. The last scenario often happens when people graduate High School in Plano, Texas, and attend college in College Station, Texas, yet want to keep seeing their therapist from home.

LCSW, LPC, LMFT, and LP can help people improve their mental health or addictions (LCDC can only treat addictions). Additionally, there is no specific license to provide virtual therapy. However, clinicians are expected to complete additional training to understand the limitations and risks of delivering virtual treatment. 

What are those risks, you might ask?

One of the primary risks in virtual therapy is confidentiality. My office has measures like light music in the hallway and white noise machines in the ceilings to ensure privacy. However, when you're at home, in your car, or the office, it's important to consider implementing similar measures to safeguard your sharing.  

The second confidentiality risk is the security of the electronic connection. I use HIPPA-compliant software to ensure our connection does not get leaked and that your privacy is assured. 

A weak Wi-Fi or internet connection can be a limitation. Without a strong internet signal, there may be lags, delays, or challenges with resolution, making understanding facial expressions and body language difficult. Your therapist should have a plan for a limited internet connection.

How does virtual therapy work?

As the name suggests, virtual therapy is a form of therapy conducted remotely. It differs from traditional in-person therapy in several ways. Understanding these differences can help you decide if virtual therapy is the right choice.

In my practice, the same electronic health record (EHR) we sign documents for and use for scheduling is also used for our virtual appointments. When you get the reminder text or email, there will be a unique link for you to click to start our time. 

Provided a robust and reliable internet connection and privacy from other people overhearing you from your room, office, or car, virtual therapy has the same success rates as in-person therapy. Each person is different, though. 

In 2020 and 2021, I started to hear many clinicians and clients express they felt more fatigued after virtual appointments compared to in-person. However, I also heard that some people felt safe enough to share things they didn't think they could in person. 

I stand by the motto that when people feel safe, they feel safe to change. If being virtual helps you feel safe to open up, rock 'n roll. Let's do virtual therapy Texas. If being in-person creates you to keep the outside world compartmentalized and open up more, sweet, come on in!

What should I do to prepare for virtual therapy in Texas?

There are a few things that you can do to help prepare for online counseling. The first is to double-check your internet connection before your appointment starts time. The most common issue with telehealth is internet reliability. 

The second thing you can do to prepare is to check your privacy. If you have family in the house who are supportive of your therapy journey, try letting them know you'll be in session for the next hour so they don't disrupt you. 

The third thing is to limit distractions. Try putting your phone on Do Not Disturb and ensure TV and gaming consoles are turned off. My caveat is that some people with ADHD need additional stimulation and benefit from some background noise. Check with yourself and be honest if the potential distraction is helping you or hindering your progress. 

Lastly, our facial expressions and body language communicate significant information. It's not that we are analyzing and judging you; it's noticing tears forming in your eyes, less eye contact, and turning away that helps us therapists know how our questions are perceived. So, the most crucial tip beyond an internet connection is to ensure you are on camera. 

I specialize in social anxiety treatment, and I understand that it can be a limiting factor for people getting the help they deserve. So, speak with your therapist if you want to pursue virtual counseling yet have significant anxiety about coming into the office or being on camera. 

I've worked with people who started letting me watch their fan spin as we talked and worked on setting exposure goals to be on camera more. Over time, they felt less anxious, and our sessions went more in-depth and productively when they could be on camera. However, please don't let the fear of being seen get in the way of your transformation!