Online Therapy in New York
Does your current lifestyle make in-person therapy nearly impossible?
You might travel a lot, work long hours, or juggle a lot of responsibilities at home. If so, finding time to travel to and from counseling sessions might be a real challenge.
Are logistical barriers making it hard for you to get the help you need? Heavy traffic, unreliable transportation, or inclement weather may be coming between you and your therapist’s office.
Have you been spending a lot of time at home due to health concerns? You may be practicing social distancing in response to COVID-19, or maybe you have an illness or disability. If you struggle with depression, social anxiety, or another mental health issue, you may be reluctant to leave home.
If your therapist’s office is out of reach, you might assume that therapy is, too. Fortunately, that doesn’t have to be the case. Thanks to modern technology, you can get the support and guidance you need from the comfort and convenience of your home or office.
What Is Online Therapy?
Online therapy connects parents, professionals, and other busy people with licensed therapists via the internet.
Some virtual therapy providers focus on chat/messaging. Some allow you to talk to a psychologist on the phone. Others offer video sessions. Because of their convenience and privacy, online health care services have become increasingly popular in recent years. With COVID-19, they have become many people’s only option. In fact research shows that online therapy is just as effective as in-person sessions.
Popular chat-based options such as Talkspace and BetterHelp allow you to connect with a counselor at a relatively low cost. However, counselors on these platforms only respond to client messages once or twice a day. This asynchronous communication does not allow for therapeutic relationship-building or deeply introspective work.
“Online therapy is wonderful and I can’t even imagine the lack of flexibility + commute time I’d have with in-person therapy.”
Video-based therapy─which is what The Keely Group offers─can be more personal and immersive.
Because we will be able to see your facial expressions and body language, and you will be able to see your ours, communication can go deeper and be more productive. These therapy sessions will allow you to build a strong therapeutic relationship with your therapist, facilitating meaningful self-examination and sustainable growth and change. And, all of our therapists are licensed mental health clinicians, so you can rest assured that you are working with a qualified mental health professional.
Our online therapy service eliminates the hassle of commuting to and from a New York City office. No matter where you live in New York, you can receive therapy at a time and place that works for you. Sessions take as little as 45 minutes, so you can talk during your lunch break or any other small break in your schedule. Whether you are seeking anxiety treatment, relationship counseling, family-building support, or help expressing your creativity, we are available to help. Please feel free to explore our website to learn more about our services.
Common Questions About Online Therapy in New York City
If you’ve never met with a therapist online before, you probably have questions. Below, you can find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about this unique form of therapy.
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We use Zoom, a HIPAA-compliant video conferencing platform, for most client sessions. All you will need is internet connection and a computer with a webcam and microphone, or a smartphone. After you schedule your first appointment, we’ll email you a secure meeting link. A few minutes before your appointment time, simply click the link to enter the virtual waiting room. When your session begins, your therapist will welcome you into the secure private meeting room where your session will take place.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has approved general-use web conferencing programs such as Skype for therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. So if you would prefer to use a web conferencing program other than Zoom, we will likely be able to accommodate you.
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Most of our patients are pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to get therapy online. We also have a lot of experience troubleshooting the most common glitches, so we can guide you through any difficulties you might encounter. Zoom is extremely easy to use, but if for some reason either you or your therapist are unable to get it up and running, you can use Skype for your therapy sessions, instead.
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To ensure our sessions are completely private and your digital information is secure, we use a web conferencing program that complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as well as a variety of international standards. The program we will use, called Zoom, has sophisticated end-to-end encryption to ensure that what is said in therapy stays between you and your therapist.
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Seeing a therapist online can be even better than seeing one in person. Research suggests online mental health counseling is as effective as in-office therapy, and its positive effects may last longer. For patients with caretaker responsibilities, busy schedules, health issues, or unreliable transportation, studies suggest that the ability to talk to a psychologist on the phone or via video conference provides an opportunity for consistent treatment that would otherwise be unavailable.
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If you’re worried about potential distractions or a lack of privacy, your therapist will suggest proven solutions learned during teletherapy certification training and through past experiences with other patients. With a bit of creative problem-solving, we can help you create a therapeutic environment that feels relaxing and minimizes distractions.
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In the state of New York, online healthcare services have legal parity with in-office services. So, if a private insurance plan covers an in-office service, they are required by law to cover that same service when provided virtually. If your plan includes out-of-network benefits, we can provide a superbill to assist you in seeking reimbursement from your insurance plan. Just like with in-office services, we recommend you contact your insurance provider if you’re not sure what’s covered and we are happy to provide, upon request, a list of questions to assist you in getting those answers from your insurance plan.
Other Services at The Keely Group
Here at our New York-based counseling practice, we are passionate about meeting New Yorkers’ mental health needs. Whether you’re in the city or upstate, our therapists would love to help you meet your mental health goals. We specialize in anxiety treatment, Latinx therapy, and therapy for dating. Furthermore, we can help with couples therapy, executive therapy, and therapy for creatives.
