teletherapy

American  

[tel-uh-ther-uh-pee] / ˌtɛl əˈθɛr ə pi /

noun

1. Also called external radiation therapy.  treatment of disease using radiation whose source is some distance from the body.

2. Also called telepsychology.  psychological counseling or psychotherapy by videoconferencing, text messaging, email, or telephone.

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Etymology

Origin of teletherapy

First recorded in 1910–15 teletherapy for def. 1; teletherapy for def. 2, 1975–80; tele- ¹ + therapy

Example Sentences

Almost half of the roughly 4.8 million adults who visited a medical professional for mental health or substance use disorders in 2023 did so exclusively through teletherapy, according to a KFF Health News analysis of the latest data from UCLA’s California Health Interview Survey.

From Los Angeles Times

“Research has basically shown that there’s no difference between teletherapy versus in-person therapy — so, basically, as effective as in-person therapy,” said Tao Lin, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, who recently conducted an analysis of several studies comparing teletherapy and face-to-face therapy.

From Los Angeles Times

While patients and providers say teletherapy is effective and easier to get than in-person services, experts in the field noted that teletherapy often requires a skilled mental health practitioner trained to pick up subtle communication cues.

From Los Angeles Times

Teletherapy is increasingly offered through cellphone applications such as BetterHelp and Talkspace.

From Los Angeles Times

Even so, the transition from in-person therapy to teletherapy has left some behind.

From Los Angeles Times