Atlanta Counseling Practice Offers Telehealth Amidst Pandemic

ATLANTA, Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The team at Rise Counseling in Atlanta wasn't sure what to expect when COVID caused them to go virtual. Yet, despite the uncertainty, they continue to grow.

Therapist Mikela Hallmark, LPC shared 'We strive to provide Atlanta with excellent counseling services and while we did provide telehealth prior to the pandemic, it wasn't our primary way to deliver counseling. We were used to seeing our clients in-person. Yet, we had to make the decision to use strictly telehealth. We felt  resistant as I'm sure people in many industries feel. But, we used the same skills we teach clients and worked to adjust, and ride the wave of uncertainty. Ultimately, it's amazing to see the great work clients continue to do! We're blessed to support people while we work hard to promote physical distancing."

Telehealth hasn't been perfect for Rise Counseling in Atlanta, and they have had challenges. Internet connections can be spotty, and other factors are at play as well. Therapist and Clinical Director Mikela Hallmark noted 'We had to adjust to not seeing people in person which has its own sets of dynamics. It feels different not to sense the vibe in the room. Therapists are trained to tune into emotions, facial expressions, and more and some of that isn't well translated through the screen.' Mikela Hallmark cheerfully explained 'Peoples dogs and cats want to be involved too. It's quite comical how they just want to hang around. That has actually been a fun part of telehealth. Other things that impact telehealth are that people sometimes feel more comfortable in their homes than in our offices  which can be great. Sometimes though they feel less comfortable and more concerned about who can hear them. It's no perfect, and our clients have certainly had to adjust.'

A question for the Atlanta counseling team is: 'When will you go back to the office?'. And that's a difficult one to answer. Mikela Hallmark noted 'We aren't sure and we're trying to stay as updated as we can regarding when to go back. We still have our office and we know at some point we will go back, but the date has not been decided.'

While the counselors were unsure of how this would impact attendance, Rise Counseling in Atlanta has found that the need for counseling has continued. The practice is small, currently with two team members and efforts to bring on a third. Mikela Hallmark shared 'We are getting full. We are happy to support people in Atlanta, and we continue to work to open availability and hopefully bring on another team member to be able to do this well.'

SOURCE Rise Counseling Atlanta