Mental health expert says telehealth has been key to helping clients

A Tupelo mental health therapist said that the use of telehealth has been important for therapists helping those who are having a difficult time due to the coronavirus.

Health experts are relying on tele-therapy to treat their clients.

Once the governor relaxed restrictions, some have gone back to in- person visits.

Wtva's evan hensley spoke to one of tupelo's counseling agencies and tells us how they're treating patients safely.

Many counseling offices like here at imagine counseling closed because of the virus.

Since then, they have relied on teletherapy to treat those clients.

Pkg claire winters - owner and therapist of imagine counseling "the first two weeks was pretty difficult but now i believe the clients and therapists are finally getting used to seeing each other over video."

Clair winters has been running imagine counseling for the last three years... she says the coronavirus has forced telahealth to become the only way they could provide any services,... "a lot of people usually don't like telehaelth because of the energy exchange.

A lot of people like that flow of energy between a therapist and the client.

So when you are on telehealth."

Winters saw a boost in clients because of the virus... many of them are seeking help to cope with the pandemic and the isolation that comes with self-quarantine.

"when am i going back to work?

What is this going to look like when it is over?

So really what we are looking at is creating a new normal because it is similar to 9/11."

Winters says the virus created a new protocol for therapists on how to keep a safe environment... "it is going to be really important to not have any clients to have any time of symptoms for any virus before coming into the office."

Aslive tag winters told me that she does have the capability to allow in person visits.

But says because the cornanvirus numbers are still high, she will take some time before letting people back inside her office... reporting in tupelo eh wtva 9 news... nearly 12 thousand