What is Theletherapy? Here’s 5 Advantages of Online Therapy

Teletherapy, Online Speech Therapy, Tele-Intervention… all these words have the same meaning: a rehabilitative intervention (speech therapy, psychology, physiotherapy…) carried out via videocall.

In this article I’m going to illustrate this little-known method that has been used for decades in some parts of the world: what is Teletherapy and why is it worth considering?

Teletherapy, or online therapy, uses video calling applications such as Zoom or Skype,

where you can see people even from miles away thanks to an Internet connection and a computer with a webcam.

In the United States, they started using teletherapy around 1990, more than thirty years ago… then it slowly spread to other parts of the world until 2020, when COVID-19 forced us into our homes, and online therapy was the only way to continue an already ongoing intervention.

But teletherapy shouldn’t be a resource to be used only during lockdown.

Today I am going to show you the 5 advantages of teletherapy:

1 – You can access a speech therapist anywhere in the world.

Sometimes, the waiting list in public services (NHS) is really long… Sometimes after exhausting searches you find the right speech therapist, but their office is too far away. Or sometimes in the city where you live, there are no speech therapists who speak your language.

Through teletherapy you can search for speech therapists all over the world, who are available when you are.

2 – You save time.

All the time it takes you to reach a speech therapist’s office, to wait outside the office, and to return home, with teletherapy is reduced to the time it takes to go from the kitchen to the living room of your home.

Also, if you have other younger children there is no need to take them with you to the speech therapy office and have them wait in the waiting room or to hire a babysitter, because you will be in the comfort of your home, and you can arrange for therapy during their nap.

3 – You have the opportunity to receive therapy in your natural environment.

Sometimes it takes time for little patients to get used to a new setting.

Moreover, often the games that are used in therapy are not at home and therefore it is difficult to generalize the work of the speech therapist.

With teletherapy you are in the comfort of your home, and the therapy is based on the games you already have at home so that you can continue playing, and working on the language, even after the session.

4 – You can be safe.

Especially in the last period, in-person therapies require the use of masks and visors (PPE) during therapy, which make things less easy, especially when it comes to language.

Some people at risk are unable to leave their homes because of their condition. Through teletherapy everyone can access speech therapy services without leaving their home.

5 – It really works!

There are numerous studies in the scientific landscape that attest that teletherapy has the same effects as face-to-face therapy.

Here, here and here you can find some articles of scientific studies that attest to its validity.

Of course it’s not for everyone, just like some traditional speech therapy approaches, and there are some patients who are only suitable for in-person therapy. But most patients get the same benefit.

And now let’s see what it takes:

A computer or tablet with a webcam

A fast internet connection

Headphones (optional)

A parent or guardian who will remain close to the patient for the entire duration of the therapy.

This is important for resolving any technical problems, and furthermore if the parent participates in therapy, she will be able to use the strategies presented at home to promote generalization.

Well, if you want more information about it, or if you are curious about how a teletherapy session would take place, you can contact me by clicking here or book a first 20 minute free interview by clicking here.

See you soon,

Valentina.