We, in Chicago, know the Coronavirus is dangerous. The death toll climbs daily and collective anxiety lingers. Yet, the coronavirus is wreaking havoc on our lives in other significant ways as well. Despite dancing at “Club Quarantine,” walking around Lakeview daily, organizing virtual happy hours with your friends, Netflix Parties, and famous musicians entertaining us daily – the experience of social isolation is palpable.

The mere nature of fighting this pandemic – social distancing – can create a sense of loneliness and isolation. This social isolation, while the best option we have, is problematic too. In fact, Dr. Alcaraz at the American Cancer Society analyzed data from 580,000 adults and concluded that social isolation increases the risk of death from every cause and for every race (American Journal of Epidemiology, 2019).

Not only that, social isolation can cause and/or exacerbate symptoms of mental illness such as generalized anxiety, depression, and grief.

This means that psychotherapy may be more important now than ever. But, how can one access therapy when there is a mandate to fight coronavirus with social distancing and staying at home? Through teletherapy (e.g., The delivery of psychotherapy services through video conference technology or the telephone.).

So, whether or not you’ve previously engaged in in-person therapy or teletherapy, here are a few considerations your therapist wants you to know during the Coronavirus pandemic:

You can still start therapy! In fact, this might be the ideal time. Most of us have more time and flexibility than ever, and problems such as anxiety and depression are more problematic than ever. AA meetings are less available, couples are cooped together because of quarantines causing discord, wedding planning stress is exacerbated, and anxiety abounds. So, start now! Premarital counseling, couples counseling, and general support are available to you.

Consistency remains key. If you are engaged in therapy or starting fresh, it’s crucial to remain consistent. The consistency of therapy allows for the most effective treatment, but also contributes to a sense of normalcy, which is crucial to reduce anxiety and other psychological problems.

Teletherapy is actually more flexible than traditional, in-person, therapy. Office availability and hours are less of a concern, which means that therapists can often be more flexible to meet your schedule. Further, you are a lot less likely to be assigned to a wait list.

Save commute time when you engage in therapy remotely. Time is often reported as American’s greatest stressor, but teletherapy actually takes a smaller investment in time. Not only that, engaging with a therapist remotely, may allow you to access a specialist (i.e., in queer issues, trauma, addictions, etc.) that you would have had to travel a great distance (and commit a great deal of time) to otherwise access.

Confidentiality laws still apply. Although much of our world feels uneasy, the laws that protect the confidentiality of what you share in therapy still apply. This means that, with a few exceptions, what you tell your therapist is legally bound to stay between you and the therapist. Further, people in rural areas may know the only local therapist or worry about being seen by someone they know in the waiting room. Engaging in teletherapy gives you options to see someone that you don’t know and there isn’t a waiting room.

You don’t have to be a tech master to engage in teletherapy. Most of the platforms that support teletherapy, such as me and VSee are quite easy to use. But, during this time of pandemic, the Office of Civil Rights (that oversees therapy privacy laws) has made exceptions to also allow more known and public platforms like Facetime, Skype, and Google Hangouts. This means that you don’t have to learn a new system. Still worried about your tech savvy, just ask for an appointment via telephone.

The process of teletherapy is virtually the same (pun intended). Teletherapy is not just a chance to blow off steam on a one-time basis (although these companies exist, you have the option to, instead, engage in real therapy). The therapeutic relationship is time and again the best predictor of therapeutic outcomes. So, consider teletherapy a chance to build a therapeutic relationship while socially distanced from others. Further, therapists are still licensed and highly trained. They use most of the same techniques as they would in an office setting (During non-pandemic times, the vast majority of our work is in-person.) and will probably expect you to work toward personal development in session and between sessions.

Your insurance probably covers your care, even if you engage in teletherapy. As part of Governor Priztker’s Disaster Proclamation, health insurers are required to cover the costs of all telehealth services (if rendered by in-network providers for clinically appropriate and medically necessary services and treatments). Further, most major insurance companies offer telehealth benefits. If you are unsure, our office can help contact your insurance company for benefit information.

Therapy, including teletherapy, is effective. Talk therapy has long been understood to be effective and continues to be accessed by greater and greater numbers of people. Teletherapy, although a much newer way to deliver services, has also shown to be effective (Wagner, Horn, and Maercker (2013); Acierno et al. (2014); Mitchel et al. (2008); read more about the effectiveness of teletherapy here.). If you’re unsure, talk to your therapist about your goals and what you might be able to expect.

All in all, this time is hard enough – you don’t have to manage it alone!