Telehealth
Most people - out of necessity in early 2020 when the pandemic began - became accustomed to virtual meetings, online learning, family and friends FaceTime socials, and TeleHealth medical appointments during COVID - and it’s now hard to imagine a life before this convenient virtual world.
For many clients, TeleHealth is immensely beneficial for a myriad of reasons - all of them individual, meaningful, significant.
TeleHealth remains the top choice of the majority of my clients, for many different reasons:
Some celebrate that they no longer have to take time off work for appointments; they can close their office door or bedroom door or sit in their car.
Some rejoice that they no longer have to pay for childcare to come to a session; they can remain in the same location as their kids, while also maintaining privacy.
Some just like coming to therapy virtually to process trauma while their beloved dog is on the sofa beside them or as they self-soothe while petting their precious cat. (As an animal lover, being able to meet so many beloved animal companions is a highlight for me, as well!)
Some clients find that they can ‘go deeper’ in their therapy sessions when they don’t have to ‘pull themselves back together’ to drive home after an emotional session.
Some are sick or know they’ve been exposed to illness, but either still feel up to meeting or don’t want to take a chance on getting someone else sick, and TeleHealth allows us to continue without the fear of spreading germs.
And some live elsewhere in the state.
The reasons are wide-reaching, and I’m grateful to be able to offer this invaluable opportunity.
Let's Get Started
Donna Hampton
(336) 749-2952
donnahamptoncounseling.com
How Telehealth Works
For those who are considering TeleHealth and may find it a bit intimidating, that makes sense…and it’s really easy:
1) I send you a time-limited link before each TeleHealth session (usually the day before) via both email and text.
2) You download Simple Practice, my Electronic Health Record, the first time you use it, and then just click on the link on any of your devices (mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop) from then on for each session.
3) You’ll be directed each time to a virtual ‘waiting room’ and I let you in at our session time.
Sometimes, clients fear that the human connection between us won’t feel as warm or as personal as they want, and the overwhelming majority of clients who give it a try report feeling very pleased that our relationship seems just as rich and as personal as it would if we are in the same room together.
During COVID, for example, I started and finished therapy with a great number of clients I never met in person. Many of my in-person clients pre-COVID much prefer TeleHealth now, for various reasons. Some of those long-standing, once-upon-a-time-only-in-person, pre-COVID clients come in-person (or IRL, as we call it!) occasionally, while others I’ve seen only virtually since.
Does EMDR work via TeleHealth?
I’m often asked, too, if EMDR works via TeleHealth - and my answer is always a resounding “yes!” This is also the experience of my local colleagues, many of whom offer only TeleHealth, as well as colleagues around the world whom I ‘meet’ in online EMDR Continuing Education classes.
Additionally, research thus far indicates that EMDR remains just as effective and efficient virtually as in-person. I work with clients to determine their preferred manner of engaging the bi-lateral stimulation that is a core component of EMDR, and we go from there just as we normally would.
For sure, TeleHealth is not beloved by everyone. I definitely have a number of clients who much prefer to come into my lovely office - and I’m grateful to offer that option, too. As a clinician, I embrace the daily variety of in-person and TeleHealth therapy appointments!
Endorsements
“I have known Donna Hampton for my entire career as a counselor. She is not only a skilled therapist, but also an amazing human being. In addition to her clinical skills, her warmth, empathy, and capacity to be present with others in their suffering combine to create a space of safety and comfort where healing can happen naturally.”
Paige Bentley Greason, Ph.D., LPCS // Director, Counseling & Wellness Services // Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Wake Forest School of Medicine“For more than 20 years, Donna has been a valued colleague. Through our years together at Hospice & Palliative CareCenter, I witnessed her caring demeanor and professional expertise as she provided support and guidance for hurting people. Donna has the rare gift of combining the highest level of counseling skills with an extraordinary sensitivity to the personhood of each individual. I never hesitate to refer people to her, knowing they will receive the best of care.”
Linda M. Lewis, MDiv // Associate Executive Director, The Shepherd’s Center of Greater Winston-Salem
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”