Is Online Therapy Confidential?
Some of you may be wondering about this “online therapy thing”. You may have heard a little about the ease and flexibility of teletherapy through ads from companies like BetterHelp or TalkSpace. What you may not know is that many therapists in your state also offer online therapy. Many therapists have been successfully providing online therapy in a secure and confidential way for many years. And most insurances in Minnesota cover online therapy the same way they cover therapy in-office.
Studies say that video therapy is as effective as in-office therapy.
And in my own experience of providing therapy via video, in some situations it is more effective. This is often due to the convenience and comfort of receiving therapy services in the privacy of your own home. I have found that it is much easier to maintain your weekly appointment when the transportation, childcare, or time off work is no longer an issue.
To ensure confidentiality, be sure to ask your online therapist “is your video software HIPAA compliant?” and “Do you have a BAA (which is a business agreement between the therapist and software provider) with this software provider?”
Image by Mimi Thian @mimithian