Technology has become the great equalizer. It makes the small business look like a big one online. It allows us to speak to people in China for free via technologies like Skype or Google Hangout. It helps us learn a new language via the latest mobile app. And now, technology has innovated the way we get well. Teletherapy and mobile app therapy count as two of the ways people are connecting with therapists and each other.
About Phone Therapy
According to a recent New York Times article, several technologies now work together to enhance telephone therapy.
Granted, the primary one is some form of phone conversation, but therapists and clients also connect via technologies like email or via a website or mobile app. For example, a client may need to quickly connect with a therapist over a work challenge. The occasion may not merit a full-blown session. Something like this can often be taken care of via a quick email between client and therapist.
But that’s not all to new therapies. Anyone more, phone therapy doesn’t just include a client chatting with a therapist over the phone. Audio-visual technologies allow for face-to-face connection if not in-office connection. Skype or Google Hangouts offer the video option to what would otherwise basically be a phone call.
A couple of advantages to this exist. First, just from a practical sense, there’s little to no commuting involved. Maybe from the kitchen to the home office, where the computer is set up. Because home is usually the safest place for people to explore their feelings, it makes a great place to host a phone-therapy session.
Second, the addition of video allows a therapist to see a client’s face, look at items the client wants to share, and generally offer support that feels and looks more like it would in the office. And clients often report that they actually feel more secure knowing that the therapist is just a call away. It’s like carrying the therapist with them, making them, ironically less dependent on the mental health professional.
Third, when a client is talking about something very personal, it helps to know that the therapist may not know the people who the client is talking about. It encourages the patient to open up, when he or she may not otherwise feel so inclined.
Other Noteworthy Technologies
While therapy can sometimes be very involved, a proliferation of mobile apps give clients little bits of the therapy experience. Some of the best ones have some component of the therapy experience, according to an NPR story.
For a quick break, try an app designed to:
- Induce meditation
- Help with visualization
- Record mental health symptoms
- Keep track of daily routines
The bonus to these programs and to phone therapies is that many younger users are more accustomed to these technologies, which encourages them to use them, unlike say, paper and pens. In the latter case, many users find them bulky. Because of this, these therapy tools don’t get used at all.
The lesson for all technologies that assist with therapies is that the best ones encourage users to actually use them. That’s bound to help anyone needing a little encouragement.
Marcie has been working with couples and individuals for over eight years; helping them start off right and working with them through their time of need. If you want to try phone counseling, check Marcie out today!
