Millennials and Telehealth

An interview with Marquita Johnson, Licensed Professional Counselor and Millennial Dating Coach, on incorporating technology in your clinical work with millennials. We look at tele-mental health and other ways that technology can positively impact therapy.

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. We are human beings who can now present ourselves as whole people, with authenticity, purpose, and connection. Especially now, when therapists must develop a personal brand to market their practices.

To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.

Interview with Marquita Johnson, LPC, MDiv, NCC, BC-TMH, CPCS

Marquita Johnson is a graduate of Mercer University with a Master of Science in Community Counseling and Master of Divinity. Marquita received her undergraduate degree from Georgia State University in Psychology & Sociology. Currently, Marquita is pursuing a doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision at Walden University. She is a licensed professional counselor, nationally certified counselor, board certified tele-mental counselor, and certified professional counseling supervisor. Marquita’s specialties include women, dating, divorce, step-families, and grief related to loss in relationships. In an effort to promote healthy relationships, Marquita started offering coaching services to help millennials who are dating. While working as a college counselor she found that students were struggling with intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships. Hence, she has embraced the call as Atlanta’s “Millennial Dating Coach.” Marquita’s private practice is located in the heart of Atlanta: Millennial Counseling, Coaching, and Consulting.

In this episode we talk about:

Marquita’s work with millennials and how she incorporates technology in sessions
Tele-mental Health
Reasons to incorporate telehealth into treatment
The differences between in-person and telehealth sessions
How to assess and prepare your clients for telehealth
How to engage and use the technology to increase the connection over video
Transitioning between in person and telehealth
The skills needed to assess body language, nonverbals, etc. when you are not getting the in-person experience
Connecting with a client’s presence while online
Making sure to have environment that is free from distractions, that you have a good internet connection, and that you are working on a HIPAA compliant platform
The importance of looking in the camera and how to adjust your communication patterns to address the differences
Consciously talking about how technology will impact the conversation
How to incorporate your theoretical orientation AND technology into your work
The limitations of technology in treatment
When telehealth is not indicated
Risks to consider
Thoughts on marketing to millennials (social media, podcasts)
What mistakes therapists make in establishing or running an online practice
Scope of practice concerns
Where you can practice, how to practice in states where you don’t live
The resources you need to know when you’re practicing remotely
The slippery slope of doing therapy in your state and then calling everything else coaching
The need for separate entities for coaching and therapy
The types of continuing education that is helpful to set you up for success

Resources mentioned:

We’ve pulled together any resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy

TeleHealth Certification Institute

Millennial Dating Coach Website

Our Generous Sponsor:

Thanks again to our sponsor, Motivo!

Motivo provides clinical supervision online through a HIPAA compliant video platform. Motivo was started by Rachel McCrickard, a LMFT who attended Azusa Pacific University in CA. Rachel had a difficult time finding quality affordable supervision after graduate school. After state licensure boards began allowing online supervision, she became inspired to take action. Therapists are able to search through a directory of quality clinical supervisors, licensed in states throughout the country. Session rates range from only $40-60 per hour.

To find out more, go to http://www.wearemotivo.com or email hello@wearemotivo.com. You can also call them at 470-231-1256. Mention the Modern Therapist podcast and receive your first session for free.

Who we are:

Curt Widhalm is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in private practice in the Los Angeles area. He is a Board Member at Large for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, a Subject Matter Expert for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Adjunct Faculty at Pepperdine University, and a loving husband and father. He is 1/2 great person, 1/2 provocateur, and 1/2 geek, in that order. He dabbles in the dark art of making “dad jokes” and usually has a half-empty cup of coffee somewhere nearby. Learn more about Curt at http://www.curtwidhalm.com.

Katie Vernoy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, coach, and consultant. As a helping professional for two decades, she’s navigated the ups and downs of our unique line of work. She’s run her own solo therapy practice, designed innovative clinical programs, built and managed large, thriving teams of service providers, and consulted hundreds of helping professionals on how to build meaningful AND sustainable practices. In her spare time, Katie is secretly siphoning off Curt’s youthful energy, so that she can take over the world. Learn more about Katie at http://www.katievernoy.com.

A Quick Note:

Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves – except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.

Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey.