Teletherapy With Our Telehealth Therapist @ SBCS
At Space Between Counseling Services, our goal is to find both practical and thoughtful ways to serve and support our clients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. For this reason, we are now offering teletherapy appointments with our licensed telehealth therapist for new and current individual clients who are currently residing in the state of Maryland. These secure, confidential, face-to-face video sessions services are provided through a HIPPA-compliant platform, Simple Practice. It is our collective hope that these telehealth appointments will promote both the emotional and physical well-being of our clients, clinicians, and their friends and family members.
In light of concerns related to COVID-19, all telehealth therapist at Space Between Counseling Services are currently practicing social distancing. As a practice that cares deeply about the Baltimore community and beyond, we feel that it is our responsibility to adhere to guidelines recommended by the CDC in order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. We look forward to resuming in-person sessions with our existing and new clients alike, when we receive confirmation that it is safe to do so.
What is Teletherapy?
Teletherapy, also known as online therapy or telehealth, refers to the delivery of mental health services and support through digital platforms and communication technologies. Instead of traditional face-to-face sessions in a therapist's office, teletherapy allows individuals to receive therapy remotely, typically through video calls, phone calls, or even text-based exchanges.
Key aspects of teletherapy include:
Digital Platforms: Teletherapy sessions are conducted using various digital communication tools and platforms. Video conferencing apps, secure messaging systems, and other online tools facilitate the interaction between therapists and clients.
Accessibility: Teletherapy provides greater accessibility to mental health services. Individuals can connect with therapists from the comfort of their own homes, reducing barriers related to geographical distance, transportation, or mobility issues.
Flexibility: Teletherapy offers flexibility in scheduling. Clients and therapists can arrange sessions at times that are convenient for both parties, potentially making it easier for individuals with busy schedules to access mental health support.
Variety of Modalities: Teletherapy supports a range of therapeutic modalities, including individual therapy, group therapy, couples therapy, and even family therapy. Different communication tools may be utilized depending on the specific needs and preferences of the individuals involved.
Confidentiality: Therapists who provide teletherapy are typically committed to maintaining the same standards of confidentiality and privacy as in traditional in-person therapy. Secure and encrypted communication platforms are often used to ensure the protection of sensitive information.
Regulatory Compliance: Teletherapy practitioners adhere to relevant regulations and ethical guidelines in the provision of mental health services. This includes ensuring that the chosen platforms comply with healthcare privacy laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States.
Meet our Team of telehealth therapist
SUSAN STORK, LCPC, LPCC, NCC, CST
Licensed in Maryland, New Mexico, Delaware & Florida
Brittany Trexler, LCPC, LPC
Licensed in Maryland & Virginia
If you are interested in scheduling a telehealth appointment as a new client, the first step is to schedule a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation with the telehealth therapist of your choice to determine therapeutic fit. You can do so by clicking the link below:
Frequently Asked Questions About Teletherapy:
Through audio and video over the internet, you can meet with your telehealth therapist on-the-go from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
Telehealth allows you to connect with your therapist through secure and convenient appointments.
What is Teletherapy or telehealth?
Yes. Telehealth at Space Between Counseling Services is provided through Simple Practice, a secure, HIPPA-compliant system. All data is secured with bank-level encryption.
will our telehealth appointment be Secure?
To participate in Telehealth appointments from your home, you will need one of the following devices:
Desktop computer with a webcam, speakers, a 2.5 GHz processor, and 4 GB of RAM OR
Laptop computer with built-in webcam and speakers, a 2.5 GHz processor, and 4 GB of RAM OR
Tablet device with built-in webcam and speakers, OR
Smartphone with at least iOS 10 or Android 7.0(Note: To use a smartphone, you must first download Telehealth by SimplePractice - available for iOS or Android in the app store.)
You will need an Internet connection that is at least 10mbps. For optimal results, a reliable, high-speed internet connection with a bandwidth of at least 10 mbps will minimize connection issues and provide the best quality.
What Equipment Do I need?
If you live in an area with slow internet, this can really affect the speed of your connection. Here are some basic steps that can improve the overall quality:
Use wired Ethernet instead of wifi whenever possible. Wifi will work, but you may experience a lag and interference, which can make your video and audio choppy. If you experience a lag or interference while using Wifi, we recommend moving closer to your router. However, wired internet will give you a much smoother, more consistent experience.
Test your internet connection speed. Google provides an easy way to test your internet connection directly from the google homepage. Simply search: internet speed test. Click the blue button that says Run Speed Test. If it is under 10mbps and you’re using wifi, try using a wired internet connection or restarting your router.
Close other programs. If you have several programs running in the background, closing them will almost certainly improve the quality. Also, make sure you’re not downloading any large files.
If you are unable to connect to your telehealth appointment, please contact your telehealth therapist directly via phone or email, as soon as possible to see if they can help you troubleshoot.
How can I Improve the quality of my connection?
We recommend joining the video telehealth appointment a few minutes early to test your settings.
If you can connect to the Internet, but are having trouble joining the video, you can use the recommended Pre-call Tool.
To use a smartphone to join a video chat, you must first download the Telehealth by SimplePractice app available in the app store for iOS or Android.
If you need to cancel or have questions about the telehealth appointment, please contact your telehealth therapist directly via phone or email.
Additional Tips for Success
More from OUR ADMINISTRATIVE MARKETING ASSISTANT SABINE MATALKA:
DO YOU TAKE MY INSURANCE?
Clinician fees at SBCS range from $160-$275 per individual 45-minute session. Couples intake sessions range from $275-$650 and $275-$425 per follow-up appointment. Sessions with a graduate student intern range from $0-$75, depending on client need and clinician experience.
SBCS is not paneled with any insurance plans but can offer you what's called "out-of-network benefits" (OON). Not everyone has this as part of their benefits package, so please call your healthcare plan and ask these questions:
Do I have out-of-network benefits?
What percentage of my therapist's fee does my plan pay for?
MOST OON PLANS REIMBURSE BETWEEN 50-90% OF OUR FEES.
At times insurance plans request upfront billing codes I will be using. You can share this list of codes for their approval:
90791 Psychiatric Diagnostic Assessment (from 1-4 sessions, depending on the problem)
90847 Family Psychotherapy, conjoint psychotherapy with patient present
90834 Psychotherapy, 45 minutes
90832 Psychotherapy, 30 minutes
When using OON benefits your clinician would provide you with a monthly document called a "superbill," which is like an invoice but contains the service codes, dates of treatment, and monies paid during therapy. You would submit this to your plan directly and your plan would reimburse you directly as well.
You can get in-network therapy if this is out of your budget. Your plan can identify providers in-network should you need to use your benefits.
HOW ARE MY RECORDS STORED?
We at SBCS utilize a HIPAA-compliant, encrypted, electronic medical record called Simple Practice that safely holds all of our client's mental health records. You will get a link to a client portal where you fill in demographic information and can access documents like invoices and superbills on your own.
HOW DO I PAY YOU?
Simple Practice has a credit card processing system named Stripe embedded in it. If choosing to work with a therapist at SBCS, you will upload your credit card number, and your therapist will charge you after each session or late cancelation for the fee. Your therapist will only have access to the last four digits of your card, which is completely secured.
DO YOU HAVE A CANCELLATION POLICY?
All clinicians at Space Between Counseling Services have a 24- business hour cancelation policy You will be responsible for an entire session fee ($160-$275/$275-$650) if the change is made in less than 24 business hours' notice. Exceptions may be made for emergencies such as sudden illness or accidents, at your therapist’s discretion. It should be noted that insurance does not reimburse for canceled sessions and HSA and FSA cards can't be used in these cases.
If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact our Client Care Coordinator, Niina “Ninny” Bacha by calling (443)-240-5207, or by emailing Support@SpaceBetweenCounselingServices.com.