In addition to in-person therapy and evaluation, we are also able to meet virtually on secure telehealth platforms. Some people find this to be an easier way to access services in certain circumstances. For example, for some socially anxious children and adults, online therapy can feel like a safer first step. For parents with inflexible work schedules or without ready childcare, online services might be the only way for both parents to participate. For people who are unable to come in person, either because of distance or physical difficulty, telehealth can make it possible to seek help.
Virtual therapy can be quite effective for many forms of therapy for childern and adults, in individual or group formats. Some of our treatment programs, like Internet-Based Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (I-PCIT), were standardized for virtual therapy well before this crisis and have been shown to provide equal efficacy when compared to in-office sessions. By using video teleconferencing platforms, I-PCIT allows caregivers to receive live behavior coaching from the comfort of their own home.
We use HIPAA-compliant services from Zoom and from Google (Google Meet). These are secure and confidential. We will send you a link to a specific Google Meet or Zoom room for your session. You’ll need a high-speed internet connection, a web camera and microphone (most laptops, tablets, and phones have this built in), and a quiet and private space.
We can conduct evaluations fully in person or via a series of virtual interviews and in-person testing. Because our neuropsychological assessments have always integrated data points from many different sources, there’s quite a lot of the evaluation process that doesn’t involve in-person testing. We can conduct several parts of the whole process via telehealth platforms, including parent background interviews, interviews with teachers and service providers, questionnaires, and all the writing for these. The testing portion will be completed face to face. We’re also happy to conduct the full evaluation process in person, if you’d prefer.