Telehealth is a psychological therapy service available at Positive Wellbeing Psychology, delivered by registered psychologists. This service is delivered via video conference, where a visual and audio link has been established between a client and their psychologist.

 

We consider all measures to ensure clients experience high-quality video and audio for the clinical service provided whilst meeting all privacy obligations.

Research findings indicate that online psychological support, also known as Telehealth, can be as effective as in-person therapy sessions. At Positive Wellbeing Psychology, we recognise the importance of tailoring our therapeutic approach to individual preferences and beliefs, ensuring that our clients receive the support that aligns with their unique needs.

 

There is up-to-date evidence indicating the outcomes of telehealth are similar to in-person delivery. The research suggests the working alliance (therapeutic relationship between the client and psychologist) can be adequately established in therapy delivered via telehealth with a psychologist online in Australia (read this article here).

 

In line with these findings, a systematic review indicated that video conferencing technology, which allows audio and video information to be shared concurrently across geographical distances, is feasible, has been used in a variety of therapeutic formats and with diverse populations, is generally associated with good user satisfaction, and is found to have similar clinical outcomes to traditional face-to-face psychotherapy (read more on this article here).

Discreet and Convenient

 

Today, telehealth is still utilised for individuals who wake up with a headache, a slight runny nose, or feel a cold coming on— telehealth psychology continues to contribute to our collective well-being.

 

Moreover, telehealth is a valuable resource that provides our clients with flexibility and convenience. Speaking to a psychologist online has been an option for some time; however, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare extended its coverage to include online psychology services conducted via telehealth, both through phone or video consultations. Medicare had previously reserved rebates for in-person visits only.

 

It’s important to acknowledge that all telehealth psychological consultations conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic have played a crucial role in reducing the risk of virus transmission. Our responsibilities as psychologists extend to assessing the risk of harm to both our clients and others. By utilising telehealth, we’ve been able to implement additional safety measures to minimise the potential exposure to the virus.

 

In addition, it’s not uncommon for individuals to face challenges when prioritising their mental health consultations. Factors such as long working hours, shift work, childcare responsibilities, busy lifestyles, geographical constraints, or simply the desire for a more convenient and private experience can make it difficult to attend in-person sessions.

 

For more information, please about speaking to a psychologist online from anywhere in Australia, please visit our dedicated FAQ section focused on on everything Telehealth.

Positive Wellbeing Psychology want to help you set up your telehealth at home set-up. To get it right, there are a number of factors that need to be considered. Below are a few that we wanted to share with you today:

 

The Right Device – Choosing the right technology that is available and will work best for you is so important. We highly recommend using laptops and iPads – this is because they give flexibility and can easily be positioned to suit a task or location.

 

Finding Correct Positioning – Finding the proper position for your device can make a difference to the level of comfort and ambience set for the session. You may wish to consider factors such as the lighting, background and whether a table or floor space will be needed. Positive Wellbeing Psychology recommends getting super comfy – have a little table close by with a warm tea or coffee present. If you lose focus in the session and need to be grounded in the present moment – wrap your hands around your warm cup of tea! Bring yourself back to the present moment, then continue. Choose an environment with good lighting, so you have a clear vision of the psychologist. Do not forget to consider the background in your chosen location because it may be visible to the psychologist.

 

A Good Location – Determine the best location to suit the goals you are working on, for example, home, school, workplace or community location. Regardless of the location you choose, it would help if you made sure minimal to no disruptions would take place once the session commences. Therefore, letting your partner, children or colleague know that you are on a private (or important!) call is best practice!

 

Being Prepared – Positive Wellbeing Psychology will ensure you feel comfortable and prepared to take the initial session in your preferred space well before the day. However, we still recommend plenty of time before the session to prepare. You may want to consider what resources you need before the session. These may include any ‘between’ session tasks such as thought diaries, food monitoring records, worksheets or journals!

 

Technical Difficulties – Unfortunately, whilst rare with our expert psychologists as we ensure our wi-fi is well connected, technical and other difficulties can happen, so take a deep breath and don’t panic. Your psychologist at Positive Wellbeing Psychology will make sure the session runs smoothly. If the video conference drops out, then you will receive a phone call on your mobile number (via a private number).

 

Digital Resources – Positive Wellbeing Psychology find telehealth via video conference useful as we can use our digital resources during the session. Using screen-share, you can easily share our PDFs, videos, apps and webpages on your screen. Ask your psychologist to screen-share in your session if you’re a visual learner – our clients have provided positive feedback with this functionality and love using it during their sessions!

 

Minimise Disruption – Choose an environment for the telehealth consultation where you are not likely to be distracted or interrupted. It is important to avoid having children or other people requiring attention during the therapy consultation, turn off phones or other devices not being used for therapy, and choose a location with minimal noise disturbance. Discuss your concerns and plan openly with your psychologist on how to handle any situation where you might be interrupted.

 

Make Time Afterwards – Plan for some brief quiet time after each session before returning to your usual tasks. For children or young persons – Psychologists will need to consider the potential presence of an adult/parent/carer and how the child’s privacy is to be managed. This may require a discussion with the young person and their parent/carer during the initial session. Confidentiality limitations will be discussed with the young person and their parent/carer.

 

Many of our clients find the telehealth video conference session, held in the comfort of their own home, discrete and preferable to in-person.