We Offer Telepsychology Services

We offer telepsychology services so you can access high-quality treatment services from the comfort of your home. This includes:

• Telepsychology is available for both individual and group therapy services. It is also available for Psychological Testing services, although we may recommend office-based services for certain parts of Psychological Testing services.

• The use of a secure, HIPAA-compliant video-conferencing platform.

• Video-conferencing sessions can be attended via desktops, laptops, tablets, or smartphones.

• Electronic handouts available to you via email and our secure Client Portal.

• The use of tools such as Screen Sharing or Whiteboards

• For DBT Services, the use of Diary Card apps that allow you to share Diary Card entries with group leaders or individual therapists, and offer support for Skills practice in between sessions.

Have Questions or Concerns About Telepsychology Services?

Learn More About Telepsychology

What are Telepsychology Services?

Telepsychology services actually include any psychological treatment services administered via phone, email, video-conferencing, or text. If you’ve participated in therapy services before, you may be surprised to realize you’ve already engaged in some Telepsychology!

At Advanced Psychology Services, we have always offered phone-based coaching in-between therapy sessions, as well as communication via email or texting. We also offer secure messaging through our Online Portal. Although we have always had the capacity for and offered therapy services via video-conferencing, our use of those services has increased significantly due to efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Where Can I Do Telepsychology Services?

• Telepsychology services are best done from a private space that helps protect your privacy and is not too loud. We do not recommend doing sessions in public places.

• We do not allow services to be conducted with clients in moving vehicles or in other circumstances that could be unsafe due to distraction.

• Dr. Crea-Kammerer is a member of PsyPact, so you can be in any PsyPact member state at the time of services. Here is a map to see what states are members of PsyPact.

• Some other states may also allow psychologists to provide services there via telepsychology. If you are or will be in a state that is not a PsyPact member, we can check their requirements.

Are Telepsychology Services Even Therapeutic? I Think It Would Be Awkward and Unhelpful.

• Research supports that Telepsychology services can be as effective as office-based service, and that, in general, clients show similar levels of satisfaction with these services.

• Therapy is more effective when we feel safe to share things and can focus on issues and the process. We may already tend to avoid or distract from difficult issues, and there are usually a lot more distractions at home to help us do this. When scheduling Telepsychology sessions, try to make sure you can do them from a private space that is not too loud or distracting. If this is a challenge in your current environment, we can talk about ways to problem-solve this.

• I generally prefer video-conferencing to phone sessions because it still allows me to see your facial expressions and body language. That information helps me understand more subtle expressions of feelings or realize that there may be something bothering you that you are not saying. Just like during office-based sessions, this information impacts when I slow us down, push a little harder, or crack a joke. This information is even more important for assessing how safe you are or if you need additional support since we are not in the same physical space.

• Telepsychology most often feels awkward at moments when we are distracted by things at home or struggling with technology. In light of that, I will take steps to reduce those types of problems and will share ways you can do that, too. When those things are working well, sessions can feel very similar to office-based appointments, complete with my usual jokes and laughter.

What to Expect:

• You can schedule a Free Phone Consultation to see if Telepsychology services are right for you. This can be done via phone or video-conferencing.

• For all new clients, we complete an initial assessment. This last approximately 90 minutes and gives us a chance to discuss your history, what problems you are seeking help with and more information about those problems, and your goal for treatment. This will help us identify any diagnoses that make sense and develop a plan individually suited to meet your needs.

• For any video-conferencing sessions, you will receive an email reminder with a link to that session.

• I will need you to share with me the address at which you will be doing Telepsychology services. That allows me to identify resources and connect you to them quickly if any safety concerns arise.

I Am Not Very Tech-Savvy. Is This Complicated? Do I Need to Buy or Pay For Things For It?

• Most people do not need to buy anything or pay for anything special to engage in Telepsychology services. You only need:

  • Internet access. This is often the most important part. If the internet connection is not strong due to low signal or many people or devices using it at one time, then the video or audio may be delayed or go in and out (even on very new devices). Plugging your device into a broadband connection (using an ethernet cable) instead of wifi can also improve this.

  • A computer with a camera and microphone (most laptops have them built in, even older ones) OR a tablet OR a smartphone.

  • I recommend wearing headphones during sessions. This reduces distractions and will stop us from hearing any audio feedback. In Groups, it is also best to have everyone on Mute unless they are speaking at the moment.

  • You do not have to buy any apps or subscriptions to do video-conferencing, but you may need to download a free app to open a session on a tablet or smartphone.

• It may take some initial time to set up, get used to, or practice the tools associated with Telepsychology. It helps to do this prior to the first session as much as possible, but it usually doesn’t take long to get the hang of it.

• If video-conferencing is not working for some reason for a session, we will have a plan to use phone services as a back-up method.

• Most of all, I think we are all doing our best to manage these challenges, and try to offer flexibility and compassion as we do that.

Do the Financial Costs Differ for Telepsychology Services?

• Fees for Telepsychology services are the same as the office-based versions of those services. This includes Late Cancellation and No Show fees.

• Many insurance plans cover telepsychology services similarly to off0ce-based services. We are happy to check with your insurance company to confirm coverage and rates.