iTherapy Review

If you are a therapist or counselor that provides services to people on the internet, then it can be a bit overwhelming trying to organize all of your clients, the information about them, the data about your meetings and all of the other factors involved in therapy without a little assistance.

This is where services like iTherapy come into play. iTherapy is a service for online counselors that can help provide you with tools to manage things like your online presence, video counseling services, taking notes and managing your clients, as well as improving your communications.

Below, we’re going to review the iTherapy company and explain how the process works. By the end of this review you’ll know whether or not iTherapy is a good choice for you and your business.

Company Profile:

iTherapy are the developers of language-based learning tools that utilize mobile and desktop technology, as well as video software, to help encourage healthy communication between therapists and counselors.

Mixing together science, technology, and play, iTherapy is able to provide a solid framework for counselors and therapists who are hoping to provide the best experience possible for themselves and for their clients.

As stated by the developers, iTherapy was created as the result of a need that was observed in the online counseling market. Carol Pulley, co-founder of iTherapy and graduated clinical psychologist, realized that there were many different aspects of beginning her own psychological business.

She spent weeks organizing, discovering, and acquiring the tools that she needed to start her own practice. Subsequent research showed her that she wasn’t the only person struggling with setting up her own online therapy business – in fact, the issue was quite common among people who are new to the business.

Because she saw such a massive need among psychotherapists and counselors to have access to the tools that they need to provide service, she decided that she could be the one to provide such a product. After months and months of research, preparation, trial and error, her and the other co-founder Forrest Pulley released iTherapy.

Signing Up:

Joining iTherapy to take advantage of their services is relatively simple. From their main website, one of the first things you will notice is a big, green button labeled JOIN NOW!

Clicking this button will take you to a page where you are provided with two options: you can register immediately, or you can learn more about the service by scheduling a demo so you can see how the service works in action.

If you choose to schedule a free demo, you will be taken to a page where you will fill out your information – name, phone number, country of residence, etc. After checking a button that affirms your consent to this information being stored for the use of further communications, your application will be received and they will respond to your request via email.

If you choose not to schedule for a demo, you can choose between three different options: the online package, the office plus package, and the pro package.I will describe these in more detail below.

Once you choose your preferred package, you will be taken to a page similar to the one described when you choose to apply for a demo. You will also be given a chance to enter a referral code, should you have been referred to the site from a friend.

At the bottom of the page, you will be prompted to enter your credit card information. It will charge you the required amount of money, depending on your package, and your signup will be complete.

Pricing:

There are three main packages available for anyone who wants to sign up on the platform.

• Online Plus: This is useful for people who will be providing therapy online from their own homes and do not feel that they need the full package deal. This package includes video, voice, chat, screen sharing, the chance to offer individual and group sessions, as well as your own iTherapy profile, an information package on how to move your practice forward, training, and support. This package costs $99 per month.
• Basic Office: For $169 per month, this includes everything in the Online Plus package, in addition to:
  • Online Client Notes, to record information about sessions and clients
  • Credit card processing for payments, as well as client invoicing
  • Creation and storage of forms for your clients and yourself
  • Client portal
  • Electronic claims submission
  • Clearinghouse Services
• Pro Office. For $199, this includes everything in the Basic Office package, as well as encrypted email, a business telephone number, and an online faxing service.

You can also request a custom quote for a package that provides you with whichever tools that you feel are best suited for you, excluding those that aren’t.

Usability:

The iTherapy program has a lot of very useful features, and provides all of these features in a manner that is easily accessible for people who have subscribed. In fact, the whole platform was developed with the intention of providing aspiring online therapists and counselors with the tools that they need in a single place.

iTherapy describes itself as a ‘comprehensive, integrated online office,’ and the claim is quite accurate. You will be provided with your own HIPAA-compliant therapy platform, through which you can access therapy clients, provide them with sessions over chat and video, and utilize the various tools present in the online ‘office.’

On the client’s end, they will be given a link to your virtual ‘waiting room,’ where they can wait for you to be prepared before inviting them in to the scheduled session.

• You will also be provided with an online request system, which allows you to develop your own schedule so that clients can only request you on days that you’re actually available. You will be given notifications when appointments are set, when they are approaching, and regarding changes to appointments.
• Your virtual office will also provide you with your own customizable web page, which can provide clients with more information about you and your interests. You will be able to link to social media accounts, blogs, or other relevant pages.
• You will be given a business phone number, through which you can receive telephone calls and voicemails exclusive to your work. You will also be able to access your voicemail through the internet.
• You will be provided with a fax number and an online faxing capability. You will also be able to receive faxes through your email.
• You will be provided with an extensive client management system.
• You’ll be provided with notes from the DSM-IV and DSM-V, as well as with the diagnostic information to allow you to easily make a diagnosis of your client and develop the proper treatment form.
  • You will be able to easily produce client invoices and will have an easy-to-use payment processing platform available. You’ll be easily able to receive credit card payments.

You will easily be able to create and store forms related to your clients so that they can provide you with the necessary information. You will be able to upload an unlimited number of these forms.

Confidentiality & Privacy:

As the counselor, it’s important that you follow through with the important demand of confidentiality. Remember, when you are conducting a therapy session, it’s important to keep all of the information passed between you and the client completely confidential.

Keeping your lips zipped is one way to do this, but unfortunately, it’s not always enough. Using technology like the internet can sometimes leave gaps for information to slip through. Fear not, though: iTherapy provides solutions to some of these issues.

First off, you will be given a separate email account with your own professional email. This will prevent you from having to use your personal email to organize clients and personal information. People who choose a more expensive package will also be provided with encryption capabilities. This means that information exchanged between you and your client will be encrypted through a complex algorithm, making it much more difficult to be accessed or read by any third parties who may be interested in customer information.

Bottom Line:

Many aspiring therapists have approached the world of online therapy with some degree of hesitation. While having your own therapy business, operated from home, is an ideal prospect for many, some were worried about the difficulty involved in finding the necessary tools for moving forward in the practice.

Thanks to tools like iTherapy, there is no longer a need to worry about spending weeks researching, subscribing, and downloading the necessary tools for starting your own therapy business. iTherapy provides you with all of the tools that you’ll need to manage your clients, arrange information, conduct sessions via video and chat, receive payments, and more.

If you think that setting up an online therapy service is a part of your path, then you may want to consider using iTherapy. They are one of the most comprehensive programs available for the independent therapist hoping to start their own business.