Although teletherapy has become increasingly popular in recent years, before the pandemic I felt strongly about the limitations that it would present to my work with clients, both because an important aspect of therapy is the face to face relationship that forms between client and therapist, and because as a creative art therapist, being in- person allows for a hands on approach and witnessing to the creative process with open access to art materials in my safe, creative office space. I also knew that some clients may feel apprehensive about remote sessions, and that remote therapy is not ideal for all clients, depending on their age, diagnosis, or unique needs.
Fast forward to the third week of March- due to the growing threat of Covid 19, I knew that I could no longer offer in-office sessions while also ensuring the safety of my clients and my loved ones, so, with some hesitation on my part, the teletherapy sessions began. While in a few instances my apprehensions proved to be valid, for the most part, with the majority of clients, teletherapy has proven to at the very least offer us a chance to stay consistent during these very frightening times, and in a number of cases, even further the therapeutic process beyond what we were able to achieve together in the office.
Telehealth Creative Therapy with Adults: With my existing adult clients, there was a very short transition period where we navigated working together in this new way, talking head to talking head on computer screen, but what I noticed in most cases almost immediately was that it was a relief for them to be able to continue to receive support from the safety of their homes, and together we identified how we could continue the creative aspects of our work together, even though many of my adult clients did not produce art weekly in my office. Either they would choose their own art materials, or I would send them some, and in addition, we have been able to branch out to their kitchens and gardens and other areas of their home where other types of creative and mindfulness promoting projects could be explored and processed together. In one case, with a highly anxious client who had always been self-conscious in my office, the telehealth sessions began over the phone. Interestingly, the safety of not being face to face allowed him to speak about things that he was unable to share in the office and begin art projects less self consciously than ever before. We have since transitioned to my HIPAA compliant video platform and have been able to both work through some of the initial challenges that he was seeking support for, while also managing the challenges that the pandemic has posed on his life. More clients have also begun to create art and do more photography in between sessions to process together, although this is always a personal choice for each client.
Telehealth creative therapy with Kids: I had initially been very concerned about how effective telehealth would be with my younger clients, especially those who are less verbal and may be highly anxious or have experienced trauma. The very good news is that kids enjoy making art and playing with their therapist, even remotely. They can still learn coping strategies in this way, and are enjoying the therapeutic connection and attention, especially through this very confusing and frightening time in their life. Parents love the structure that these sessions provide, and can also participate in parent-child interactive sessions or 1 to 1 sessions with me based on their individual child and family’s needs.
So how does it work? After we have had an initial free consultation and complete paperwork, we set up our appointment time and you will be sent a link to a HIPAA compliant platform. You find a private corner in your home with minimal distractions, click on the link, and we begin. I look forward to having the opportunity to work together!