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Can trauma therapy be done through telehealth?
In many circumstances, yes.
Some trauma-focused treatment can be provided through telehealth when appropriate. That may include elements of trauma-informed therapy and, depending on the therapist, client, and circumstances, approaches such as EMDR.
Trauma treatment should always consider readiness, stability, privacy, safety, and the client's ability to remain engaged and regulated during the session.
We won't recommend online trauma processing simply because it's more convenient.
We'll consider whether it's clinically appropriate.
Can couples counseling be done online?
Yes.
Telehealth can work particularly well for couples who have difficulty coordinating schedules or who live a significant distance from the office.
Both partners need to be able to participate in an environment that allows for privacy and meaningful conversation.
And no, sitting on opposite ends of the couch glaring at each other through one laptop doesn't disqualify you.
We've worked with couples before.
TELEHEALTH ACROSS COLORADO
Good therapy shouldn't depend on how close you live to a therapist's office.
For people living in rural Colorado, getting to therapy can mean rearranging work, finding childcare, watching the weather, and spending more time driving than actually sitting with your therapist.
For other people, the barrier isn't distance. It's a demanding work schedule, transportation, mobility, parenting responsibilities, college, or simply trying to fit one more appointment into an already full week.
Telehealth removes some of those barriers.
Valentine Counseling provides secure online therapy for clients located throughout Colorado, allowing you to meet with your therapist from home, work, or another private location where you feel comfortable talking.
The therapy is still therapy. The room is just different.
What can online therapy help with?
Many of the same concerns we address in person can also be treated through telehealth, including:
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Anxiety and excessive worry
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Depression
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Stress and burnout
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Trauma and difficult life experiences
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Grief and loss
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Relationship concerns
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Couples counseling
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Parenting and family stress
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Life transitions
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Emotional overwhelm
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Self-esteem and negative self-talk
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Work or school stress
We also provide telehealth for teens and, in some circumstances, younger children when online treatment is developmentally and clinically appropriate.
What does online therapy actually look like?
If you've never done therapy online, it can feel strange to imagine having an important conversation through a screen.
In practice, it's fairly simple.
You'll receive information for connecting securely with your therapist. At the time of your appointment, you'll join from a private location using a phone, tablet, or computer with an internet connection.
Then you have therapy.
You don't need a perfect home office, special equipment, or an Instagram-worthy background.
You do need enough privacy to talk openly and a reasonably reliable internet connection.
For some people, meeting from their own space actually makes therapy feel more comfortable. For others, physically coming into an office helps them separate therapy from the rest of their day.
Online Therapy for Rural Colorado
This is one of the reasons telehealth matters so much to us.
Living in a rural community comes with real advantages. Access to specialized mental health care isn't always one of them.
A person shouldn't necessarily have to drive two or three hours, take half a day off work, or leave their community to find a therapist who fits what they need.
Valentine Counseling is based in Colorado's San Luis Valley, with in-person services available through our Alamosa office and La Jara-area location near Romeo.
Telehealth allows us to extend that care beyond the walls of those offices to people throughout Colorado.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy?
For many people and many mental health concerns, telehealth can be an effective way to receive counseling.
But we don't believe that means online therapy is automatically the best option for everyone.
Your symptoms, age, privacy, technology, treatment goals, safety needs, and the type of therapy you're receiving all matter.
Some people do very well online. Others benefit more from being physically present with their therapist.
The question isn't simply “Does telehealth work?”
A better question is “Is telehealth a good fit for me and the work I want to do?”
That's something we can help you determine.
Do I have to live in Alamosa to use telehealth?
No.
Our online counseling services are available to clients located throughout Colorado, subject to therapist licensure and clinical appropriateness.
That means you don't need to live in the San Luis Valley to work with Valentine Counseling online.
If you do live locally, you may also have the option of combining the convenience of telehealth with in-person appointments when appropriate and available.
Do I have to be physically located in Colorado during my appointment?
Generally, yes.
Mental health professionals are typically regulated based on where the client is physically located at the time therapy is provided, not simply where the therapist is located or where the client normally lives.
If you'll be traveling outside Colorado during a scheduled appointment, let your therapist know ahead of time. Whether the session can occur may depend on the laws and licensing requirements of the location you're visiting.
What do I need for a telehealth appointment?
You don't need much:
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A phone, tablet, or computer with a camera and microphone
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A reliable internet connection
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A private location where you can talk comfortably
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Enough uninterrupted time for your appointment
Headphones can also be helpful for privacy, particularly if other people are nearby.
And while we've all learned to do an impressive number of things from our cars, driving during therapy isn't one of them. Plan to be safely parked and somewhere you can give the session your attention.
Online Therapy & Telehealth Counseling in Colorado
Valentine Counseling provides grief and loss counseling in the San Luis Valley, including our Alamosa office and our La Jara-area location near Romeo. We also provide secure telehealth counseling throughout Colorado.
Grief can be particularly isolating in rural communities, where privacy matters, resources may be limited, and people often keep working because life and responsibilities don't stop when someone dies. Having support shouldn't require spending half the day driving to get it.