Video-based Therapy Is Effective

Many therapists were forced to move to video-based therapy as a result of the COVID pandemic. Recent research suggests that this does not have to be a weaker alternative to in-person therapy.

In September 2021, the Monitor in Psychology summarized a meta-analysis of studies examining the efficacy of video-based therapy, published in Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy. They used 103 studies with 5,245 participants, finding that, when compared to people receiving no therapy, participants in video-based therapy saw significant improvement. More importantly, there was no difference in outcomes of video-based or in-person therapy. They found that cognitive behavioral therapy being used to treat anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder had the highest rate of efficacy.

While additional research is necessary, it is likely that telehealth will increasingly include therapy and anxiety, depression, and PTSD are common reasons for referrals. This is also a place where the notion of a warm transfer, mentioned in another blog, may be especially important in ensuring that members of a multidisciplinary team are seen as complementing one another’s roles in providing care.