Online & Telehealth
Telehealth for Psychologists
A practical guide to telehealth for psychologists — legal frameworks, video platforms, session structure, informed consent and specialized tools like BLS.
BilateralSync · Updated · 6 min read
Overview
Telehealth is now a standard mode of psychological care in many jurisdictions. For psychologists it involves not only choosing a compliant video platform, but also adapting assessment, informed consent, safety planning and specialized interventions such as EMDR to the online context.
What the evidence says
Systematic reviews of telepsychology consistently find outcomes comparable to in-person care for common presentations, with high client satisfaction. Legal and ethical frameworks vary by country and licensure jurisdiction.
In practice
Key practical decisions include: selecting an appropriately secure video platform, obtaining informed consent that names the online modality, verifying client identity and location each session (relevant for cross-jurisdictional licensure), and having local emergency contacts on file. For specialized modalities such as EMDR, dedicated tools like BilateralSync fill gaps that generic video platforms cannot cover.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a HIPAA-compliant video platform?
- In the US, yes — and equivalent regulations apply in other jurisdictions (e.g. GDPR in the EU/UK).
References
- APA (2013). Guidelines for the practice of telepsychology.
This article is general professional information for clinicians. It is not clinical advice and does not replace EMDR training, consultation or individual clinical judgment. BilateralSync is a tool for delivering bilateral stimulation; it is not a treatment or a medical device.