Pandemic Has Changed Mental Health Counseling For The Better, Oklahoma Therapists Say

According to Oklahoma therapists, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in their counseling approach and they are hoping some of those changes stay in place after the pandemic.

Officials from Alliance Mental Health said that before the pandemic they were getting around 20 referrals a week and currently they are getting nearly 20 referrals a day. Officials added that they also went on a hiring boom, adding nearly two dozen additional counselors.

Statewide Clinical Director Megen Rhine said that she hopes the state will continue to allow therapists to be paid for family teletherapy sessions after the pandemic. According to Rhine, before the state of emergency was issued months ago, therapists could only be paid for one-on-one teletherapy.

Rhine added that teletherapy has allowed more people in rural communities to have access to counseling.