Choosing Telehealth
IFS therapy online will be an effective and rewarding choice long after the pandemic settles down
The COVID-19 pandemic introduced countless new ways of being and living. We have established a video conferencing culture: professional from the waist up and pajamas on the bottom. We have had online weddings, baby showers, funerals and family game nights. We have so creatively utilized technology to stay connected to our loved ones, our colleagues, and even our therapists. During these non-traditional and often challenging times, many of us have turned to online therapy for mental health support. While the pandemic made telehealth more common and essential, teletherapy was first used in 1995 and it gradually became more widely used in the 2000s. We are far from the dial-up days, though. We can now easily search online for the right therapy and therapist fit and we can have a session as easily as one click. The IFS Telehealth Collective makes your search even more effortless by providing all of the resources for your therapy needs, including highly qualified, diverse and dynamic Internal Family SystemsSM (IFS) therapists. IFS therapy online will continue to be effective and rewarding long after the pandemic settles down.
Telehealth Post-Pandemic
Okay, the pandemic isn’t quite over, yet many of our pandemic norms are now sewn into our cultural fabric. Remote mental health care, also known as telepsychology, teletherapy, or telehealth, is the new norm for good reason.
Reason #1: Telehealth is Effective
In fact, telehealth is just as effective as in-person psychotherapy. Trials that compare face-to-face interventions to videoconferencing interventions for the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have found that both treatments are equally effective. Moreover, studies show that treating depression, anxiety and adjustment disorder via telehealth services is also effective. What about substance use, eating disorders and mental health support for children and adolescents, you might ask? Yep, you guessed it, systematic reviews show that online treatment for those groups are effective as well.
Reason #2: Telehealth Offers Comfort & Ease
Online therapy means that services are conveniently located wherever you and your internet are. That could be at your desk, on your couch, in your bed or maybe even on your yoga mat. Because services are not confined to an office, you can choose how you would like to support your physical and emotional needs. You may seek comfort with soothing tea, a grounding stone or a fuzzy blanket. All are welcome and accessible when you are at home. Oh, and did we mention that you don’t have to commute? Not only will you save time and energy, but you will also be right at home in case you would like to further process, journal or dance it out after your session.
Reason #3: Telehealth Allows for Safety
The predictability and stability of being at home can create a safe container for emotional exploration and the subsequent feelings that arise. Moreover, the safety and comfort of your home may foster increased vulnerability. If home doesn’t feel like a safe place, our clinicians will help address your individual needs. Lastly, telehealth creates natural distance between you and your therapist. This may feel like an added layer of security for some folks who feel shy about the therapeutic process.
Reason #4: Telehealth is Accessible
Though therapy is currently in high demand, it is not accessible to people living in historically underserved areas or with other location barriers. Thankfully, online therapy offers more equitable access since sessions are held right at home. So, whether you’re in a bustling city or a remote town, you can still have top quality therapy.
“There is so much demand now for IFS therapy and so many under-trained people offering it that I’m very happy to have this resource of the IFS Telehealth Collective. Two top IFS trainers vet, hire, and provide consultation to well-trained IFS therapists so that if you refer to this practice, you can be confident that clients will be getting the real deal.”
Feeling Connected Via Telehealth
A common misconception is that telehealth limits emotional connection between the client and therapist. In actuality, online therapy has a special way of transmitting emotional energy. In some ways, therapists are especially attuned to online clients because they are paying close attention to tone, expression and signs of unease. You can feel their empathy just like being together. Laughter still fills the air as if you were in person. The vulnerable and tender moments are still held with care and honor. Somehow, the screen evaporates when you are truly being seen.
IFS therapy is unique because it also focuses on therapists’ Self-energy, which is an attuned and heartfelt presence that is often calm, clear, and compassionate. When therapists bring Self-energy, their presence transcends the screen, which can offer a sustained connection and a sense of calm and safety while in separate spaces. Unlike most teleconferencing, Self-energy is invigorating, which may limit screen fatigue and exhaustion after a session.
Additionally, IFS therapy is experiential, which means that the therapy is less about analyzing or advice-giving. Instead, IFS invites a deep and direct experience listening to the phenomena happening inside mind and body. When we are present and attuned in this way, the screen is no longer a barrier. In many ways, IFS therapy and telehealth are the perfect combination because so much of the work happens internally. For this reason, the traditional therapy room is no longer necessary. Clients will, however, still need a confidential space that feels safe and conducive for exploring their inner workings.
Lastly, therapy is typically limited to the client’s inner world, but having therapy at home can provide a unique opportunity to share one’s outer world too. The art on the walls, a retro couch or a toddler yearning for attention can provide insight into our ways of life and being that may not be present in traditional therapy settings. Telehealth allows us to become more 3-dimensional -- the many textures of our lives can be brought to our sessions, if we want and allow them to be.
IFS Telehealth Collective Training
We truly believe in the power of both IFS and telehealth. Our clinicians are therefore not only trained in IFS therapy; they have also completed extensive training in telehealth therapy best practices to ensure that they meet all legal and ethical requirements for an effective and secure experience. In addition to security compliance, the team is also adept at screening for telehealth therapy fit. This includes discussing expectations and potential concerns, choosing best fit for various technologies, and making a plan for unexpected tech glitches. We recognize that the switch to telehealth may be new for many so we work with clients to help ease their transition into telehealth and we strive to provide an informed and collaborative process.
Healing with IFS Telehealth Collective
Have you said “yes” to IFS? What about telehealth? The IFS Telehealth Collective is here to support you in your IFS telehealth journey. Our skilled clinicians will make your transition to telehealth inviting, safe, collaborative and effective. We are ready to meet you where you are, just as you are.
If you are ready to be matched with an IFS trained clinician and live in California, New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Oregon or Michigan, please contact our Client Care Coordinator or call 503-447-3244.
If your state is not listed above, join our Interest List, and we’ll notify you as soon as we begin seeing clients in your area. In the meantime, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for exciting updates and follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
