Telehealth Counseling

Telehealth

What is all this hype about Telehealth? Well, Telehealth is a way to communicate effectively with both the sender and receiver being able to hear a voice, see a facial expression, and note a person’s body language. It is the next best thing to having an appointment in person. The only thing that you cannot do is smell the other person’s perfume! Telehealth’s advantages outweigh the disadvantages. At Hopeful Beginnings, we serve people who do not have access to transportation. Telehealth removes the barrier of transportation as clients never have to worry about how they are getting to their appointments. It far superior to a phone call because, in medicine and counseling, it is crucial to set eyes on the client. Oftentimes, voices, facial expressions, and body language do not match when using the phone, whereas using facetime, zoom, or another acceptable platform, you are able to have access to viewing and listening to the entire client. At Hopeful Beginnings, we find it very important to view the baby as well as the mother and the interaction that goes on between them. This is because we specialize in pregnancy and postpartum anxiety and depression which has a direct impact on the relationship between the mother and her child. We help heal the mother, which in turn, heals the child. We are a child welfare agency, so telehealth assists us in assessing all involved. It is a more holistic assessment of the family system. As we approach winter, flu season is coming, and babies and children become ill. We can make certain that the child is not taken from place to place, in a taxi, uber, or a friend’s car encountering unknown viruses and bacteria. Telehealth also gives us an opportunity for a well-child check with our eyes. Finally, telehealth is the safest type of receiving medical and counseling services with the ongoing COVID19 pandemic and the upcoming flu season.

Joanne Bratta, RN, BSN, MS
Executive Director​
Hopeful Beginnings of St. Mary’s Services

www.hopefulbeginnings.org