14 Awesome Things about Counseling via Telehealth

Bryan R. Wisdom, MDiv, MA, LMFT

Have you considered whether counseling via telehealth is a good option for you?


Advances in modern technology have made telehealth more available and affordable than ever before. Telehealth videoconference platforms are both secure and HIPAA compliant, meaning you’ll get the same level of privacy and confidentiality you would receive from an in-person counseling session, and all your personal health information is secure too. Of course, I’m assuming you’re not going connect to the session from a coffeeshop.


There are a few reasons why an in-person session could be best, like counseling for young children or some specific family counseling situations, but overall, you can get the help and support you need through counseling via telehealth.


Here’s my top 14 awesome things about counseling via telehealth. Take a look and consider if it might be a good (or better) option for your needs.

 

1. Convenience & Flexibility

In general, you will find that choosing counseling via telehealth over in-person will offer you more convenience and flexibility. Read on and I’ll explain what I mean.  


2. There’s No Place Like Home

Ah!... the comfort of your own space. There’s nothing like it. Not having to leave your house to make a counseling appointment is fantastic. And not just for agoraphobia. Being in your own home for session can reduce your anxiety. Want to sit in your bed? Do it. Pet your dog? Fine by me!


3. Bye-Bye Commute

Speaking of anxiety, I hate the feeling of rushing to get somewhere and fear of running late. How about you? With a telehealth appointment, you’re less likely to be running late for the session. No traffic = no stress. And if you’re taking time off from your workday, you could connect from your car, so you aren’t risking being late getting back to work. Added bonus: you can save money on gas, parking, and/or public transportation.


4. Better First Session

Telehealth could improve the experience of your first session, especially if it’s your first-time doing therapy. First sessions can be disorienting. With telehealth you don’t need to look up the therapy office on Google Maps, then calculate when you need to leave, then drive around looking for parking, then find the physical office, then wait in the waiting room, and then try to get comfortable in the room when its finally your turn. Why not cut that whole unnecessary part out?


5. Germ-Free

Whether you’re concerned about Covid-19, Flu season, or you’re an amateur germaphobe, connecting from your own space means less exposure to potential illness. This is can be especially important for elders and immunocompromised persons. And if, (perish the thought!) the government ever issues another stay-at-home order, you’re already prepared.


6. Lunch Break Counseling

If you work full-time 40, 50, 60+ hours a week, scheduling counseling appointments can be difficult. Many therapists offer evening and weekend appointments, but they’re coveted and often full. With telehealth, there’s no reason you have to wait until after work (or even take off time from work). If you have an hour lunch break, you have time for an appointment.


7. Separate, But Together

Who said you can’t be in two places at once? We can be in three places at once, at least for couples counseling via telehealth we can. Couples can access from two different locations. Is one spouse on the road a lot? Or flies out more than 50x a year? Maybe one of you works in a different town during the week, staying at a hotel or apartment, and only is home on the weekend. Or maybe you’re on a trial separation but still trying to make the marriage work. Try telehealth couples counseling with a Restore therapist.


8. Therapy-on-Wheels

When your counseling appointments are all telehealth, the therapy room moves with you! So go on, travel for work, travel for vacation, travel to your heart’s content, you can still make your sessions. Also, if you happen to move towns (within the same state), you won’t have to change therapists.


9. No Childcare? No Problem!

Many of us care for children or a senior adult during the day. Daycare can be expensive. Bringing them along to your appointment is both stressful and impractical. Telehealth appointments enable you to take care of yourself and them at the same time.


10. Family Pop-ins

Many clients find value in having a family member attend their session for a particular purpose. They aren’t interested in ongoing family therapy, but it can be helpful to have a family member—spouse, parent, child, or sibling—“pop-in” for one session or a part of a session. If the family member you want to come is unsure about therapy in general, asking them something like, “Hey, I have an appointment with my therapist next Tuesday at 10am on my computer; would you mind swinging by my place and joining us for 15 minutes?” can be way less intimidating. Or you might find yourself in the middle of a session and say, “You know, I think it would be helpful to have my wife’s perspective on this, can she join us for a sec?”


11. Screenshare

If I think of something that might help a telehealth client (an article, a book, an image, a diagram) while we’re in session, I can immediately look it up and show them by using screenshare. Otherwise, I’d have to make a note to myself, and either send it to them or bring it to the next session. Similarly, a client can show their homework, or a journal entry, or a photo, without having to remember to bring it with them.


12. Less No-Shows

It’s just easier to make it to a telehealth counseling appointment. So that cuts down on “no-shows”. “No-shows” are when a client has a scheduled appointment but doesn’t show up for the appointment and hasn’t contacted their therapist ahead of time. No-shows are bad for everyone. A no-show is bad for you because 1) inconsistent work yields inconsistent results, and 2) you most likely will be charged a fee. No-shows are also bad for therapists (it makes them grumpy sometimes) and for their other clients, because there’s no time to offer the therapy hour to another client.


13. Save Green

By “green” I mean good ole’ cash money! Did you know some insurance plans only cover part of the fee for an in-person appointment, but 100% for a telehealth appointment? I’m serious. You should check with your insurance.


14. Increased Access

Expanding telehealth helps clients everywhere. Clients who live in rural areas don’t have to drive to a big city. Clients who are wanting to see a specialist also don’t have to drive a long way. There’s always been underserved geographical areas in mental health, but since the beginning of 2020 it seems like there’s a shortage of therapists everywhere. Primarily this is because the number of people seeking counseling is at an all-time high. Choosing telehealth saves time for everyone, and when you choose telehealth, you choose to help increase access for others in need as telehealth can solve accessibility issues beyond long drives. Clients with physical disabilities or mobility concerns may benefit as well.

 



Ready to get started working on your mental, emotional, or relational wellness via telehealth? We’re ready too. Contact us at 616-228-9244 or through our secure contact form to get scheduled with a Restore therapist today!




 

Restore Therapy Collective

Stress Can Make You Healthier

By Jason Anderson, LMSW • September 18, 2026
Ok, sort of true. Actually, what we believe about stress can make us healthier, and happier. When I was teaching as an adjunct professor at GVSU, I consistently showed one Ted Talk that I thought all college students, especially future social workers, needed to watch. It is entitled “How to Make Stress Your Friend” (2013), given by health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, PhD, from Stanford University (video posted below). In this talk, Dr. McGonigal highlights the devastating effects stress can have on our bodies, especially our cardiovascular health. When we are experiencing chronic or acute moments of stress, our central nervous system is activated and adrenaline is released, initiating the well-known “fight or flight” response. This response can have negative consequences on our heart health, as well as our mood (anxiety and fear), and our brain’s ability to problem solve or think clearly. However, because our bodies are so wonderful, we also have a natural protective hormone that helps us stay relaxed in stress, known as oxytocin. Oxytocin counters the adrenaline response to create a desire for social support, connection, and comfort; potentially leading to positive effects of social bonding, stress regulation and improved mental health ( Olff et al., 2013 ). Once again, these positive effects are true for those who interpret, or believe, the physical cues of stress to be safe and helpful. As a practitioner of cognitive behavioral therapy, this concept rings true for me. How we frame events in our thoughts, including our body’s physiological responses, leads directly to corresponding emotions and behaviors. Therefore, stress has the potential to cause us anxiety, sickness, fear, obsessive worry, muscle tension and so on. It also offers the opportunity, if we become skilled at cognitive reframing, to lead us into deeper friendships, love, trust, connection, meaning, purpose, joy and even courage! So how do we take the oxytocin invitation, and reduce the impact of the adrenaline trap? To paraphrase Robert Frost, here is where we take the path less traveled, and it will make all the difference. In my experience as a therapist, the oxytocin path is the one less traveled. While it will likely take some significant cognitive reframing to reorient our interpretive thoughts, and often a trained therapist to guide us through some sections, here are three trail markers I’ve noticed along the way. Friendship People typically respond to stress in one of two ways: isolate or connect. The path less traveled here seems to be connection. So many of us are conditioned to lean into self-reliance, a strong work ethic, and a good smile to bear the impact of stressful challenges alone. This isolation can be very painful, and loneliness can exacerbate both depression and anxiety. We can learn, however, that the healthier and more effective response is to reach out and connect, to ask for help, and to enhance the protective benefits of oxytocin through deep, trusting relationships. Some of the best advice you can give a friend, or yourself, is that you don’t have to do it alone. Dr Carl Rogers, one of my all-time favorite therapists, established three core characteristics of relationships that are effective at creating connection and personal growth; genuineness, unconditional acceptance, and empathy (understanding). If you have a friend like this, ask them for a big hug and an hour to chat the next time you’re about to crash out! If you need more help, reach out to a therapist who is committed to connecting with clients by being genuine, accepting, and understanding. Faith In this context, I bring up faith to mean a connection to something larger than yourself. While many have specific religious interpretations and community practices around the word faith, I use it here in its broadest sense. Faith as in a trust, confidence, or allegiance to something. It’s what gives us meaning and purpose in life. We can have faith in a project, faith in an ideal or virtue, faith in a process or even our own capabilities. When stress hits hard, faith provides a bird’s eye view from which to look down on the stress and see it as temporary, or smaller than it feels in the moment. To have faith, to be connected, to the virtues, beliefs, or goals that we believe in most can function like a compass in a storm, and keep us moving in the direction we have chosen. Instead of suffering in fear and doubt, it is time to lean on our beliefs and commit ourselves to the purpose and goals we have found in our life. Dr. McGonigal sees this as courage, interpreting the stress response as preparing our mind and body for action. There is nothing better to do with courage than press on towards the goals, beliefs, or values we have the most faith in. So, keep testing, exploring, and clarifying your faith. What do you really believe in? Forests Forest therapy is a growing field, accumulating scientific evidence for the stress relieving benefits many of us have felt throughout our life. The full rationale and protocol of sylvotherapy (forest therapy) is beyond the scope of this blog, however, I want to provide a sample that may encourage and inspire the reader to begin an immersive journey into reconnecting with nature as a positive stress response. Throughout my life I have instinctively sought out wild places; waterfalls, mountains trails, deep forests, deserted ocean beaches. These places just made me feel good…happier, peaceful, less stressed. It turns out these places are full of higher oxygen concentrations, negative ions created by moving water and growing plants, helpful soil bacteria, vibrant natural colors and textures, and often free from noise, light, and air pollution. I realized at one point that I had subconsciously created a protocol in which every 6 weeks I would seek an immersive weekend in nature as my stress management self-care routine. Stress was driving me “into the forest” where I was receiving physical and mental health benefits! Now, to be fair, I wasn’t just walking in the woods. I was applying therapeutic techniques and skills such as mindfulness, meditation, cognitive refocusing, and using all senses to connect with my natural surroundings. I have since taken up a course of study in forest therapy in order to become a certified guide for others to find the same health benefits that I find so sacred. A walk in the woods is still valuable (do it for at least 30 minutes) but there is a depth of mental health benefits from forest therapy that you can find on your own, or with a trained guide. Stress is harmful, but it is not inevitable. As Dr. McGonigal (2013) states, How you think and how you act can transform your experience of stress. When you choose to view your stress response as helpful, you create the biology of courage. Stress gives us access to our hearts. The compassionate heart that finds joy and meaning in connecting with others, and your pounding physical heart working hard to give you strength and energy! If you’re in a place of chronic stress, or have been hit hard by a stressful event, take a few minutes to watch my favorite Ted Talk, and reach out to a friend or a professional who can help you find the path less traveled, the oxytocin invitation to social bonding, courage, and even a happier mood! Jason Anderson, LMSW is a therapist at Restore Therapy Collective. Jason’s work stems from a desire to see people overcome personal barriers, form authentic relationships, and appreciate the beauty around them. Jason also has a deep love for using principles of forest therapy to bring people to new discoveries within themselves and foster a greater love for the natural world.

Four Pillars of Healthy Relationships

By Hailey Yatros, LLMFT • August 24, 2026
What Strong Couples Tend to Have in Common

The Space Between Doubt & Faith

By Kevin Dykstra, MDiv • June 12, 2026
Having served both as an ordained pastor and as a mental health professional, I have repeatedly heard strong emotions surrounding the idea of deconstructing - a process in which individuals systematically evaluate and question religious and spiritual beliefs and practices. Most often, I hear fear and anxiety from those who are personally wrestling with deconstruction or watching someone they love go through it. Such fears frequently include: - Fear of divine retribution or punishment - Fear that a loved one will abandon their faith - Fear of losing community or damaging family relationships - Fear of losing one’s identity - Grief over the loss of certainty - Fear of losing meaning or purpose This list could go on, of course, and it is not meant to be exhaustive. The point is that the idea of deconstruction can be highly intimidating for many people and it often brings up significant fear and distress, leading people to seek guidance from trusted faith leaders and mental health professionals. Unfortunately, there are also many less-than-helpful beliefs about what it means to undergo the process of deconstruction. So let's break some of these down: Deconstruction inevitably leads to abandoning religious belief Deconstruction is defined as a process - a process of evaluating, analyzing, and questioning one's own religiosity and/or spirituality. Engaging in this process does not, however, naturally lead to the abandonment of religious belief. Some individuals ultimately step away from religious identification altogether (de-identify), while others move toward reconstruction - retaining some elements of faith, though often reshaped. In fact, some have argued that a cycle of deconstruction and reconstruction may result in a more mature faith and may be a natural part of human growth and development. Things won't get better after deconstructing One thing we know about spirituality and religiosity is that they are incredibly sticky. What I mean by that is that they are incredibly powerful social forces and have deep impacts on our identity, morality, community, and even emotional reflexes. The impact of religion and spirituality can sometimes be hard to shake, even if you have left your religion or reconstructed with a new religious identity and understanding. For example, someone who has left a rigid religious environment may find themselves reproducing similar all-or-nothing, black-and-white thinking patterns in secular contexts. Other individuals might find that they struggle to shake a fear of divine punishment or retribution, despite having stopped believing in either hell or God. This is normal. Over time, though, many individuals' distress or struggles in these areas do soften in intensity. Reasons for deconstruction can be boiled down to one cause Reasons for undergoing the process of deconstruction vary. For some, deconstruction begins with an internal sense that what they were taught to think and believe conflicts with the behaviors or gut sense of what they believe to be true, launching the person into a period of intellectual questioning. Others begin deconstruction as a direct result of religious trauma and abuses experienced in religious/spiritual contexts. Others begin the process after experiencing a profound loss or death that their faith system does not seem able to explain or make sense of. Point being: the reasons for deconstruction vary and often begin with honest, sincere questions, doubts, concerns, and a search for answers or truth.  If you or someone you care about is facing challenges associated with deconstruction, though, what can you do? Be patient Remember that deconstruction is a process, not a single decision, event, or destination. This process may take time and may not be forced. And if you have left religion or spirituality behind, remember that the emotional intensity associated with previous beliefs often softens over time, and you may notice that your distress gradually lessens. Seek out a trusted religious/spiritual leader or other wise and trusted mentor You may be surprised to find that your religious leader has undergone a similar process or has resources that might be able to help you navigate this issue. The process of deconstruction does not have to be explicitly anti-religious and some individuals may find they benefit from addressing their concerns with faith leaders. Seek out a mental health professional The process of deconstruction can result in feeling highly anxious, depressed, or that life feels unbearable. Finding a mental health professional who understands the process of faith change, respects you and your journey, and can provide resources for coping with related mental health concerns can be tremendously helpful. Find resources related to deconstruction, faith change, religious/spiritual trauma, and other related issues There is an increasing number of resources aimed at helping individuals dealing with these issues, including the book used as inspiration for this article written by a Hope College professor of psychology and director of the Frost Center, Dr, Daryl R. Van Tongeren (2024). Books, audiobooks, and podcasts from professionals and individuals with lived experience may help you gain a greater appreciation and awareness for what you are experiencing.
Show More