Why Resolvve is Staying Virtual

Mar 25, 2021
7 min read

On why Resolvve believes that online therapy should and will continue into the post-pandemic world.

Written by Noah Tile
Illustrations by Mayara Lista

Video therapy is a viable alternative to in person sessions, with many unique benefits that we think are particularly valuable and amenable for the student life.

The Coronavirus pandemic revved up the telehealth revolution. Psychotherapy and mental health support are not exceptions to this. In March 2020, we had to go online and fast.

As a therapist, I never considered the value of online therapy. Many other therapists had leased office space for the full year. I thought virtual therapy was a temporary fix for the lockdown life. 

A few weeks after I transitioned my practice online, I discovered it works even better than in person. I, Noah Tile, co-founder of Resolvve and Registered Psychotherapist, will continue to keep my therapy practice online. Resolvve will continue to do the same as we pray and hope that the COVID pandemic can be behind us.

The Effectiveness of Teletherapy

We've actually known the benefits of virtual or teletherapy for decades. Using a phone, video or hybrid session is just as effective as an in-person therapy session. We can look at evidence from before the pandemic or from data since its onset. Either way, the conclusion is crystal clear.

Teletherapy overcomes many of the limitations imposed by in-person sessions. As our technology develops, so too will the repertoire of psychotherapists.

Easy Access

Online psychotherapy is a more convenient way to receive and access support. Let's take the case of a student who needs to see a specialist therapist to help with their OCD. It takes them 30 minutes to travel, an hour for the appointment and then 30 minutes to get home.

This is extremely disruptive for the school day and for many students, also expensive. Adding prep time to leave work or school early, therapy sessions become disruptive.

A single appointment can take up a good chunk of a person’s day. They will likely have to plan their day around the commute, either taking off school or work to do so.

Let's take a step-back. Students are literally choosing between missing class or work and their mental health. Compounding this is the cost of travel or the cost of missing class or work. The session becomes burdensome. A student may decide to skip sessions or just stop going.

In an online session, a person can receive therapy on their own schedule. It fits into the one hour break between classes, a spare period (for high school students) or in the evening. Not to mention that one can also save a lot of money on gas or on the costs associated with public transportation.

Some people may argue that students need to learn to plan their day, take on responsibility and face the anxiety of sitting in a therapist's office and the stigmatization which can be associated with. However, these are all additional barriers that prevent students from seeking help. Barriers that increase the burden of mental health on the student. Let’s not make it any harder than it has to be!

As a therapist, I advocate for routine, taking responsibility, facing fears, building structure. A student can still take this on by committing to come to a video therapy session.

Moreover, I help clients apply routine, responsibility, building structure and facing fears in other ways in their life. We can do all of this completely online. The student receives the support that they need. They build skills and tools that help them improve their lives. This is way more effective than just showing up to therapy.

Lastly, sometimes students want their loved ones to be involved in their care, as part of the treatment plan. With online therapy, bringing them into session is easy, convenient and accessible. It requires a simple link to click, to be a part of the therapy session and contribute to making the life of the student better.

Focus on the Fit

With the need of finding an in-person therapist, location plays a key factor. Often, it limits a student on their path to finding the perfect support. Commuting is time-consuming, expensive and sometimes impossible.

People will then look towards a small cluster of therapists living near home, work or school. But that doesn't guarantee that the right support is available. Even if a therapist is qualified and located close-by, it doesn't guarantee fit. Sometimes, for whatever reason a student does not connect with their therapist. But their options are limited.

With online therapy, the only thing a student needs to focus on is finding the best fit. A student no longer needs to worry about where their therapist is located and how to get there. This is especially relevant in rural areas where there are few therapists in the region. Online therapy is key for increasing the accessibility of therapy in rural areas.

For now, an Ontarian needs to find an Ontario-based therapist. But Ontario is a huge province, increasing the amount of choice. If the fit isn’t there, they can easily switch and find a new one, with relative ease and convenience. 

An online location also makes it easy to fit therapy sessions into your schedule. In the past students may have needed to miss classes or work in order to make it. Otherwise, they'd need to grab an appointment on an evening or weekend. With online therapy, students simply need to find an hour a week for their session.

By allowing students to find their therapist online, we make sure the only thing they need to worry about is fit.

Lower Prices (and therapist ease)

The burden of costs, is often associated as a major barrier to receiving treatment. Without a lengthy commute, the cost of accessing therapy is reduced.

But online therapy also makes it much easier for therapists. Many therapists opt for moving most of their practice online. It lowers prices for students because therapists no longer need to lease an office. By setting their own hours, therapists don't need to stretch work into the evening. This convenience helps reduce therapist burnout, which is a major concern.

Incorporating Technology and Screenshare

Virtual therapy has revolutionized my practice as a therapist.

For students with executive function needs assistive technologies improve their skills and competencies. 

Building calendars. Using to do lists. Implementing time blocking. Screen time interventions to reduce distraction. Helping clients clean up their digital space. Organizing folders. Creating bookmarks.

You name it. 

Through screen share and remote control, I work with the student to implement these systems in-session. I help clients with organization, time management and reducing distraction to name a few, on both their phone and computer.

As you can imagine, this is much easier than hovering over a student's computer in an office. No longer do I need to sit awkwardly close to implement the systems. Plus, a student can implement these systems right away. I don't need to present a quasi-abstract explanation and hope they remember the steps.

Moreover, for all students, screen sharing can be utilized in other ways.

First there is psychoeducation. Psychoeducation is a very important part of therapy. In session, clients and I screen share to look at resources, books, articles and worksheets related to mental health together. We follow along as I point to certain parts of the screen with my mouse. It makes communication and presenting important material so easy. I can easily access and filter through all of the resources I have on my computer. Spontaneously, I can switch gears, share different materials, or look at two different documents at the same time. The flow and presentation of psychoeducation through screen share creates maximal engagement for students.

Screen share also allow us to reflect on the process of therapy itself. Clients appreciate seeing my notes in live time, capturing their thoughts and feelings. I fill out worksheets and other types of reflections with students in session.

The student can focus on speaking about themselves rather than writing it down. They receive a record of what happens in therapy. Sharing these notes allows the student to look back, review and integrate aspects of the session long after it ends. There isn’t some vague sense of “What did we do this session?” It is there, for them to see, and reflect on later. Clients who prefer visual learning will also find this helpful. 

Making it Even Better

Let’s address the main concerns people have with teletherapy. Luckily, the quality and progress of technology helps us mitigate these challenges.

Security

To put clients at ease, therapists use technology compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) as well as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).  Resolvve use HIPPA and GDPR-compliant technology which goes above and beyond to protect client data. Learn more about Jane, the video platform our therapists use.

Privacy of Space

Many people are concerned about having a private, secure, comfortable, and safe space to attend video therapy sessions. Not everyone has an extra room or a quiet place to go. While there is no direct solution to this problem, here are a few suggestions.

Talk to loved ones. Ask if there is a way for you to have a private space for an hour. Perhaps they can go for a walk or plan a meeting outside of the home for that short time. If possible, people want to help accommodate their loved ones to get the support they need. Try to ask for it and see if it can be worked out. Even in a one bedroom, your roommate can put in headphones and make sure to minimize what they hear in session. 

Also, consider, if weather permits, to go to a quiet place in nature. Some of my clients like to go to the park or somewhere in nature for their sessions. Video sessions can be conducted on a mobile device using Jane.

Students have the option to go to a library and rent out a private room. Students on campus can do this; also check with a local library to see what they have available. If you are in high school and feel comfortable, talk to a school administrator. See if there is a quiet room they can provide you for a session, during a spare or lunch break. 

If all else fails, then Resolvve will do its best to refer you to in person therapists. In the future, we may also expand into physical spaces to meet with these clients.

Enhancing the Experience

Resolvve therapists all have high quality microphone and webcams for their sessions. Try to ensure that your internet quality, video, and audio sound are working as well as they can. In general, ordinary headsets and headphones will do. Your built-in webcam will also be more than adequate.

There are times that bad internet connections can reduce the video and audio quality. On Resolvve’s end, we ensure our therapists have the best internet they can. You only need a minimally stable internet connection for a smooth video. Some occasional hiccups and lagging are frustrating. When this happens, your therapist can call you on the phone, even while the video is frozen or lagging.

We recognize that internet access still acts as a barrier for some people. We promise to do the best with your situation and recommend in-person therapists when necessary.

Distraction

Online sessions make it easier to receive distractions. These come in the form of phone or computer notifications. In-person, its much harder to get distracted. It's rude after all to text in the middle of an in-person session.

We recommend muting notifications from emails, texts, social media, and phone calls during session. This gives your therapy session the proper focus and attention it needs and deserves. At Resolvve, we can also work with you to help reduce online distraction and focus on what matters.

Full Body Experience

Even though video therapy works for them, some people will still want to meet in person in session. Some nuanced, non-verbal cues and communication can be picked up during a video session. However, it is much easier to pick up on these cues (which are important signals in communicating emotion) in face to face therapy.

Therapists can check in on how clients are feeling emotionally. Over time they will learn to detect these cues better on video. Nonetheless, it is perfectly reasonable to want to meet a therapist in-person. For now, we still stick to virtual, and will do our best to accommodate students with referrals when needed.

Summing it Up

We hope we have made a good case for the inherent value of video therapy, even as in person options begin to open. It is convenient, accessible and gets rid of geographical barriers. Instead students can focus on finding the right fit and getting the best support. Most importantly, don’t take our word for it. Try out a Resolvve therapist today.