It's real. Vaccines are safe. Online therapy can help.
Verve Psychotherapy LCSW, PLLC was established earlier this year in Summer 2021, approximately 15 months after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that changed so much.
We identified and outlined our ongoing priorities to manage our private practice throughout the COVID-19 pandemic & global health crisis. This is not an exhaustive list, and it will always be subject to change since this became an unpredictable situation from the very beginning.
Priorities
Safety
Trustworthy Information
Digital Solutions
Ongoing Assessment
Short Term Plans
Long Term Plans
Safety
Our first priority - as it has been - is to ensure our own safety in addition to the safety of our clients, the community & the general public, and broader society. We reserve all rights to make decisions that we believe will increase the health and wellness of the broader society.
Trustworthy Information
Our decisions depend on the information available to us.
We (still) monitor COVID-19 updates, statistics, and guidelines from the following sources:
Digital Solutions
We live in a digital world. Teletherapy (a.k.a., online therapy, telehealth, telemental health, telepsychology, etc.) has been on the rise for many years. Research shows that internet-based interventions were equally effective when compared to more traditional face to face interventions even before COVID-19.
Teletherapy offers many benefits for clients, therapists, and the greater community in general. Most notably, online therapy keeps us all more safe AND connected at the same time.
We completed continuing education courses that helped prepare us to effectively and ethically provide therapy & clinical social work services online, and we will continue to complete ongoing continuing education courses as per our state licensing requirements.
We follow the Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice that were developed in partnership between the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and the Clinical Social Work Association (CSWA).
We have a Business Associate Agreement (a legally binding agreement) with our preferred teletherapy platform(s) which helps ensure that the delivery of our modern & inclusive online therapy and clinical social work services are HIPAA compliant/secure.
Ongoing Assessment
We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and make decisions based on the scientific data and professional guidelines available to us from sources of trustworthy information.
Our current assessment indicates that there are still too many people negatively affected by COVID-19. Therefore, we will continue to follow the short term and long term plans below.
Short Term Plans
We encourage the following social, emotional, and behavioral considerations to adjust, navigate, and manage life during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Reject all fear mongering, misinformation, and conspiracy theories;
Wash your hands and use hand sanitizer regularly;
Wear a face covering or mask when indicated;
Maintain and respect social distancing;
Get tested for COVID-19 regularly;
Continue to see your doctor and get follow up care;
Stay virtually connected with other people when you can;
Quarantine at home if you have COVID-19 symptoms and contact your doctor;
Call 311 if you need a doctor; Call 911 for an emergency.
Long Term Plans
We intend to remain an online therapy practice. Its been working really well for us and our clients. Yes, there are Pros & Cons. We do miss some parts of therapy "in person and in the office" AND we are also able to enjoy the many benefits of online therapy.
We have a Professional Will in place for a Professional Executor to contact our clients with updates and instructions in case of any emergency that we may experience ourselves - COVID-19 related or not - which may lead to any unexpected or prolonged absence from our practice.
Otherwise, we plan to empower your verve each and every day moving forward.
The Bottom Line
COVID-19 is real. Vaccines are safe. Online therapy can help.