Rebecca Pearce, PsyD

(another) new season

Like so many others, I began conducting psychotherapy through teletherapy in March of 2020. Research shows this modality to be effective, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised to see positive results even with EMDR through this means. I now offer in-person psychotherapy on a half-time basis. For the foreseeable future I will continue to provide a hybrid of counseling services through teletherapy and in-person services.

You do not need special equipment other than a smartphone/tablet with or without ear buds. If you’re concerned about privacy inside your home because of others who are also working from home, use your judgement about whether you can go to some green space or simply sit in your parked car. If you do this, please be sure your device is fully charged.

If the site does not function for our appointment, we can use another portal. That waiting room button is below. Only use the one below after we’ve tried the primary waiting room and have agreed to switch over.

Text me if you are having problems. We’ll figure it out together!

preparing your therapy space

Prepare for this the way you would a typical session - wear & bring the same things you would for an in-person visit. Be thoughtful about the auditory & visual privacy of your setting. The ideal would be a place in your residence that is peaceful (maybe not your bed because this could disrupt your sleep hygiene). Think about what will help you feel safe, comfortable, grounded, and nurtured. Examples of things you might want to gather are:

what if my technology doesn’t support video? IS A STAND-ALONE TELEPHONE CALL OKAY?

There are two things to consider. First, landlines, mobile phones, and Voice over Internet Protocols all have varying levels of privacy, so I cannot guarantee confidentiality through these technologies. 

The other thing to consider is insurance reimbursement. Historically, insurance companies required a synchronous audiovisual connection to qualify as a telehealth service. Currently however, CMS is allowing audio-only psychotherapy through the end of the Public Health Emergency (CMS Finalizes Meaningful Expansions of Medicare Telehealth Service Coverage Through 2021). In fact, if I am interpreting this list correctly, CMS may continue to cover psychotherapy through audio-only indefinitely, though I am unclear as to whether this will apply to urban areas.