Durham Mental Health Service - Lepage Psychological and Psychiatric Services

As online therapy becomes more used and more popular, you may wonder how to choose the best teletherapy mental health provider. Here are some tips:

1. Teletherapy should be easy to use!

Some online platforms, like we use at Lepage Associates, are a simple one-click link to join your session, with no apps to install, nothing to download, and no username and password set up required. They are pure simplicity. Other platforms require downloads, apps, set-up steps, etc. Also, some platforms require you be sent a new link for every appointment, whereas the best platforms for ease of use can provide one link you can reuse for each appointment.

2. Level of Experience with telehealth for therapy!

Has your therapist been using online therapy for many years, or is this their first rodeo? Teletherapy has been in use for over a decade, yet many therapists and doctors have never used it, and others are using it for the first time in response to coronavirus. Choosing a therapist who has been using online therapy for a long time, and thus has experience with how to quickly remedy any technology glitch, will help ensure your teletherapy sessions go smoothly. At Lepage Associates, we have been using teletherapy for over a decade.

3. Flexible hours available for your mental health wellness and convenience!

Some therapists provide online therapy from home offices to provide convenience for themselves, but you need appointment times to be convenient for you! Choose a practice that offers a wide range of hours for teletherapy to meet your needs and allow flexibility for yourself in scheduling in your busy life. At Lepage Associates, we offer online therapy and online psychological evaluations 8am to 8pm Monday through Friday, and 9am to 5pm Saturdays.

4. Top-notch doctors and therapists for mental health remote therapy!

Whether seeking a therapist to see in-office or online, you want someone highly experienced in whatever issue you are facing. Be sure the practice you choose for your online therapy sessions has a clinician who specializes in what you are seeking help for.

How to use telemedicine for mental health:

Each year, 1 in 5 Americans is diagnosed with a mental health condition. Historically, more than half do not receive proper treatment to help them feel better. Access, convenience, and time have all been barriers to receiving care. Access to therapists or access to psychologists for psychological evaluations for people in rural areas can keep people from getting the diagnosis or therapy they need for their mental health issues. In cities, the traffic and time it can take commuting to and from an office dissuades some who need help from getting it. While psychotherapy is usually only about one hour per week as a treatment, busy schedules jugging work and/or children with various life obligations can make it hard to find time to focus on one’s own mental health needs.

Teletherapy, also referred to as online therapy, has been the answer for many people! Research shows virtual mental health counseling is as effective as traditional in-office therapy. In fact sometimes it is even more effective, perhaps related to data that shows people tend to miss less of their scheduled on-line sessions, probably due to the convenience of it being from the comfort of their own home. And, it is effective for all ages. Therapists experienced and skilled at online therapy can work with children, and have numerous games and activities designed to address behavior problems or build coping skills and strategies; and of course today’s children are very comfortable with virtual formats. For teens and adults, talk therapy is easily provided using online therapy. Even couples therapy and family therapy can be done using telehealth. To use telemedicine for mental health, all you need is a computer, tablet, or smart phone; if you don’t have any of these, talk therapy can also be done simply over the telephone.

So, if you or someone you love is one of the 20% of Americans in need of mental health help this year, try teletherapy. Online therapy can fit easily into your life, and make you feel much better.

We offer telehealth appointments from 9am-8pm Monday through Friday as well as all day Saturdays.

One of the top benefits of teletherapy is the convenience it creates for our online therapy clients in North Carolina, allowing them to access their therapist from home or work without taking time off from work or spend time to drive to and from the therapist’s office. This is efficient for clients as it saves people time and money, making therapy accessible to everyone.

Parents can have their remote therapy session in this online format without having to get childcare for their children, as your children can be at home playing while you have your session.

During flu season, teletherapy protects people from germs as they can still engage in therapy from the comfort of their own home. Another benefit is privacy as you do not run into other clients in a waiting room. Research has shown teletherapy to be effective at addressing mental health systems.

Teletherapy can be used with all ages, even children, as experienced telehealth therapists have many therapy techniques that can be used in online therapy, and children and typically quite comfortable with electronic modes of communication.

Clients tend to have less missed appointments as teletherapy is designed to fit conveniently into their life, and less missed sessions helps therapy be effective.

Overall, telehealth is a highly convenient, effective modality for people who need psychotherapy. We offer telehealth appointments from 9am-8pm Monday through Friday as well as all day Saturdays.

If you’re interested in our work as a mental health service in Durham, be sure to give us a call soon.