Guys! This month marks 9 months since I’ve been working solely on Telehealth! I could have been secretly growing a baby behind this camera this whole time (I haven’t!). What a wild and interesting year it’s been.
While Telehealth does have its limitations and downsides, it offers a lot of plus’s too. I love how this platform has made therapy so much more accessible. Of course, the biggest reason for this is for safety and health during a pandemic. But also.. My clients who used to have trouble getting an appointment time after work, are now able to log in for an hour during their lunch break. Clients who don’t have child care due to finances/the pandemic, are able to put a movie on for their kids and sit and talk to me from the other room. I also agree with @lorigottlieb_author’s recent blog about the surprising intimacy of Telehealth. The medium of Telehealth seems to create a safety for some of my clients to go deeper than they even did in person.
I also love the ability to peak into my clients real lives and see how they live, it helps bring what they say to session to life. For me, seeing my clients in their own space, in their real lives, makes this work feel that much more important. Telehealth offers a very cool and unique diagnostic tool when working with my clients, especially couples. For some, their lives at home are chaos right now and that shows through our sessions as they attempt to lock themselves in closets to have some privacy or quiet. Or, it shows the stark silence that my clients experience during this time of exceeding isolation. Either way, for me, this medium really highlights the home life dynamics and variables that my clients are living in. (If you’re my client and reading this, you may be surprised to know I’m thinking about it that much!)
Today I’m reflecting on this year and also what’s to come. I’m hoping for the best, but not hopeful about Covid numbers through the holidays. I’m so grateful to be in a time where Telehealth is possible. Have you been pleasantly surprised about the effectiveness of Telehealth? What’s your favorite part? Least favorite?