It’s incredible how much has changed and become acceptable since 2020. Some things that I believed were temporary to “slow the spread” haven’t changed and it seems like they never will.
Zoom therapy is one of them.
Many therapists offer remote therapy as a convenient option. Even those who never feared COVID still consider zoom therapy because it is so challenging to find a decent therapist in driving distance. It also saves time and gas money. It’s easy to fall into the “something is better than nothing” line of thinking. However, I want to point out some of the glaring problems with it, especially for children:
Safety. This is the #1 concern. If a patient becomes at risk of suicide or a danger to others, the therapist has a lot less control over maintaining safety because they are not in the same room. A therapist can not contain a suicidal patient nor can they ensure their patient safely gets to a hospital. If a minor is in session without an adult home, this increases the risk.
Non-verbal communication. A therapist is trained to read body language and communicate non-verbally with the patient. Most of this gets lost on a computer screen. We can’t even see the entire body so a therapist can not know what is happening.
Play therapy, art therapy, etc. can not be done effectively via zoom. These are all the most common ways therapists connect with young clients and this is a complete wash over zoom.
Human to human contact. Much of the healing process is about establishing a relationship, building trust, being open and vulnerable. This is simply not going to happen to any similar level via zoom. It’s difficult enough for a therapist to connect with a child in person. Add in a computer screen and it can become nearly impossible. For example, I often bring myself to the child’s level and sit on the floor to engage, which is impossible on video.
Family therapy. In many cases, family therapy is indicated. A therapist can not run an effective family therapy meeting with a parent and child in conflict when the therapist can’t be in the same room with them.
Socialization. If a child is having behavior issues, or is struggling socially, the last thing they need is another screen-based relationship. A large portion of modern mental health issues are either caused or exacerbated by too much screen time in the first place.
These are just a few reasons why I see zoom therapy as dystopian (especially for children). It surprises me that my profession has embraced it so heavily. I understand that it is more affordable and more convenient. However, there is a tremendous cost. Humans need human contact. There is no substitute.
If your child is struggling, I strongly encourage you to find an in-person therapist. It may be difficult to find one that isn’t captured by ideology, but face-to-face therapy is important. There are qualified therapists out there, but it will take an effort to find appropriate treatment.
My Parents’ Guide to Mental Health gives a comprehensive overview of what appropriate therapy looks like, red flags in therapy, types of therapy, how to avoid victim mentality, suicide prevention and what to expect when you call 911, gender dysphoria, resources and more. click here for the Parents' Guide to Mental Health
Pamela Garfield-Jaeger is a licensed clinical social worker who has extensive experience in community based organizations, hospitals, residential programs and schools. She was fired last year for not getting the COVID vaccine and is now dedicated to educating and empowering parents to help them find appropriate mental health care for their children. She is active on instagram as @the.truthfultherapist and twitter as @redpilledlcsw. Her website is www.thetruthfultherapist.org.
.
Heck, zoom therapy doesn’t work for adults other than the most motivated/desperate/conscientious patients who can’t get a therapist locally. The couple of speech therapy sessions I’ve had to do with my 3 yr old were better than nothing,but not much.
THiS 🙌🏽