Online Mental Health Counseling: also known as telemental health counseling, is a general term of mental health counseling using digital means and technology (i.e. while not-in person). This is typically done through video chat appointments.

How?

A HIPPA-compliant software that simply uses a video chat system similar to the idea of Facetime or Skype. This allows you to talk face-to-face with your mental health counselor through video chat counseling appointments. You will be required to have internet access and use the website with a laptop, tablet, or phone that has a video camera. In the event that internet isn’t working properly during a video counseling appointment, your counselor will call your phone number as the designated back-up method.

Who?

Tele-mental health counseling is most appropriate for individuals who feel confident in using technology, or who feel confident in their ability to learn technology quickly. It is also best for people who have access to high-speed internet. It works well for people who have busy schedules, live in remote locations, want better access to specialists, and/or are looking for a more convenient method for mental health counseling. As a result of current Texas Licensed Professional Counselor rules and regulations, you must be a Texas resident who currently lives in Texas to receive mental health counseling from a Texas-licensed LPC.

Tele-mental health counseling does not serve as a mental health emergency/crisis service. It may not be appropriate for individuals who predict that they could experience a mental health crisis during the counseling process. Examples of individuals who may require access to local mental health emergency services could include individuals experiencing thoughts of suicide, individuals experiencing addiction, and/or experience hallucinations/delusions.

When?

Just like with traditional face-to-face mental health counseling, you and your mental health counselor will schedule your video counseling appointments together. It is most common that these appointments will occur once a week and last for an hour at a time. Typically, these scheduled appointments occur at the same time of day and the same day of each week (example: every Wednesday at 3:00 pm). You will be able to re-schedule your appointment if needed, though 24-hour advance notice is required in order to avoid fees.

Where?

This is the convenience and benefit of telemental health counseling! You can be relatively anywhere while your video counseling session is happening, as long as you are able to be in a private location where you aren’t able to be overheard by other people. This is to emphasize the importance of your confidentiality/privacy while talking to your mental health counselor. To ensure you feel able to talk freely, it is best to arrange your appointment time when you are in an environment in which you don’t feel you could be interrupted or overheard, and also have access to internet. It is also best to have minimal distraction to be able to focus your full attention on your mental health counseling (No TV or playing games on your phone please!).