Over the course of my work within the MS population, I came to realize that there was a considerable lack of psychological resources for particular niches of those struggling with Multiple Sclerosis. Also, those individuals immediately surrounding a person with MS, also affected by the disease, are equally in need of mental health services for whom access to care might be challenging or impossible.
So…I decided to create a part of my practice that would bridge and fill this gap and address the psychological needs of this highly under-serviced, overlooked population of people whose mental health needs SHOULD be privileged and given the much-deserved attention that is needed.
Therefore, I became board certified in conducting telepsychotherapy sessions, learning about the structure, the safety and HIPAA regulations and the necessary provisions involved, and have become educated about the best practices to put in place to all that is needed to replicate as close as possible the safety, security and professionalism that would be provided in in-person sessions in my private practice office setting.
I offer 45 minute individual psychotherapy sessions via the Zoom platform with MS patients and, separately with MS Support Partners, Dyadic sessions with MS Patients and their Support Partners together, and Family Sessions in which one member of the family has an MS diagnosis. The Dyadic and Family Sessions are 60 minutes in length.
Why Teletherapy Mental Health Treatment? Studies and Experiential Testimonies have shown the following:
It is convenient in that it does not require travel to an office and allows the user to be more flexible in the confines of their home.
The benefits of Teletherapy treatment for Mental Health services have been shown to be equally effective to the benefits derived from in-person psychotherapy treatment
Expands Access: Telemental health puts mental health services within reach of men, women, and children who live in rural or remote areas where counselors may be scarce.
Additionally, for those individuals who are non-ambulatory, there is no need to ensure the practitioner’s office is wheelchair/walker accessible before considering treatment; there is no need to contract with Access-a-Ride for commutation to and from appointments, a service that is more often than not seen to be inconvenient, frustrating and inflexible.
It saves time.
It shortens delays.
It eases stigma around psychotherapy by making it even more private.
It Gets Results.