FAQs About Online Therapy In Maryland

Online options help you find the best online therapist in Maryland to meet your needs.

If you haven’t been on the search for a therapist in a few years, you’ll notice a big difference—online therapy in Maryland, also known as virtual therapy or telehealth. Before the pandemic, online therapy was still pretty rare, even though the technology was available. But, just like everything else, therapy went through a massive technology shift in 2020 and it hasn’t really been the same since.

FAQs about online therapy in maryland

Even if you’ve gotten used to Zoom happy hours and virtual family reunions and Teams meetings for work, there may be some questions you have about how therapy translates into the virtual world. For the purposes of this post, “online therapy” means therapy that happens live between an ongoing client and therapist and uses real-time audio and visual communication. This does not include therapy apps or asynchronous communications.

Question #1: HOW Does Online therapy in maryland work?

From a technology standpoint, online therapy is facilitated like lots of those other meetings and gathering we have learned to have online. But because of the confidential nature of this interaction, each person should be in a private location, and your therapist will invite you to connect over a secure platform. The therapy session is conducted during the assigned time, with audio and video capability.

Therapists can come from a few different professional backgrounds, like clinical social work, professional counseling or psychology. Each profession has their own licensing laws in every state and you’ll want to make sure that the person that you are interested in working with is licensed to work with you, based on your location. I am licensed in the state of Maryland and can provide online therapy in Maryland for people who are in the state at the time of the appointment. In the DC/MD/VA area there are a number of folks that live in one state but work in another, so your therapist will clarify your service area to make sure they are licensed to practice there.

Question #2: What are the benefits of online therapy in maryland

When things began to open back up a bit more again and I surveyed my clients about whether they were going to want to continue to receive therapy online or start coming back into the office, the majority of the them said that they preferred online therapy. One of the biggest benefits of online therapy is that you don’t have to spend time commuting to and from the appointment. Some clients would spend just as much driving to and from the appointment as they would spend in the appointment itself. Being able to save that time every week has been a great help to a lot of folks! It also can help improve consistency in attending appointments because a number of barriers are removed—transportation and traffic issues, weather issues, schedule conflicts near the appointment time. Consistency in coming to therapy keeps the momentum going for the most effective and efficient path towards change and growth. Online therapy can be great for folks that get a lot of out of being in a familiar environment—either because it gives them comfort to dig in and do challenging work or because it can give them a real live opportunity to work on bringing therapy work into their life.

Another great benefit about online therapy is the fact that you will have a bigger pool of therapists to choose from, to find one that’s a good fit for you. You aren’t limited to the therapists in your immediate area so you have the opportunity to find someone with the knowledge, experience and personality you are looking for to meet your unique needs. For people who live in areas with a limited amount of providers, this is a massive win. Even for folks that live in an area with lots of therapists, they may not be what you are really looking for. Online therapy allows you cast your next more widely and find the best therapist in Maryland to meet your particular needs.

Plus this bonus benefit of online therapy for therapists: Sometimes we get to see cool pets!

Question #3: What about the drawbacks of online therapy IN Maryland?

All things have their pros and cons, and online therapy is no exception. For some people, they really like having a private space, separate from the rest of their lives, just for therapy, and prefer office visits. They may be caregivers or have roommates at home, and have difficulty feeling like they can get the privacy they need there.

Even though online therapy still can allow us to see body language and facial expressions, some folks are really in tune with the palpable experience of being in the same space with someone and miss having that and don’t feel like it’s quite the same online.

And let us not forget that technology fails. Screens freeze, calls get dropped, devices decide to go on the fritz without warning. It’s a good idea to have a back-up plan of contact, like a phone number, if something goes technologically wrong before or during a session for online therapy.

Question #4: Is Online Therapy Covered by Insurance?

Before the pandemic, online therapy was not usually considered a covered service for either in-network or out-of-network services. Emergency provisions were put in place quickly to allow people to continue to receive therapy that would be covered by insurance by pivoting to online appointments. Online services were so well received and provided such important care throughout the medical and mental health professions that they have continued to be covered as of now. Every insurance company makes their own policies about what will and will not be covered so call your company if you want to know if you will be covered for Telehealth services with either an in-network or out-of-network provider. As a consumer, if you like having the access of Telehealth services, advocate for them with your insurance company if needed. Consumer demand can be a powerful force.

Question #5: IS a Hybrid Option possible?

That would depend on your therapist. Some therapists are offering in-person sessions, and some have chosen to remain 100% online. If you find a therapist in your area that offers in-person sessions but you want the flexibility of some online sessions too, ask what might be possible. Many therapists are consolidating their in-person appointments into certain days of the week and may not have the ability to change between online and in-person on any given day but may offer other ideas or options.

ONline THerapy Maryland

Hopefully this answered some questions you might have about online therapy in Maryland. If you have other questions, feel free to contact me for a free 15-minute phone consultation. I’d be happy to hear about what is happening and see if I can help point you in the right direction so you can get the support or assistance you need and deserve. To learn about the services I offer in-person as a Maryland therapist in College Park, MD, please contact me.