Virtual Speech Therapy Helps Unlock Mental Wellness
October 10th is World Mental Health Day, and Great Speech is here to help people of all ages overcome some of the mental health challenges that stem from communication, speech and language disorders. In a world where anxiety, isolation and social determinants of health (SDoH) have become increasingly prevalent, it’s crucial to explore innovative care that can make a positive impact.
To help bring much needed care to individuals nationwide, Great Speech contracts with an ever-growing network of health plans to make its virtual speech therapy services available as an in-network benefit. We are proud partners with numerous Medicare Advantage and commercial payers, including major health insurance companies such as Humana, United Healthcare, Cigna, HealthNet, Aetna and many more.
How Virtual Speech Therapy Helps
Virtual speech therapy offers amazing flexibility for individuals struggling with mental health conditions. At Great Speech we offer sessions on the weekends or evenings to help maintain your daily schedules without interruption. Another great element that Great Speech offers is a patient matching algorithm that tailors care to client’s specific speech and communication needs. Through Great Speech’s national network of 200+ licensed speech and language pathologists (SLPs) you will be matched with a therapist that has subspecialties in the goals you are trying to achieve.
Great Speech’s unique model also combines 1:1 live sessions with an SLP, as well as practice portal “homework” that help extend the value of their live sessions and further accelerate individual’s progress. Great Speech has found that clients complete their therapy plan in fewer sessions than in traditional outpatient speech therapy programs.
When searching for the right speech therapy service individuals struggling with mental health conditions oftentimes find it difficult to leave the house. Virtual speech therapy offers them the benefit of receiving care from the comfort of their own home eliminating any outside triggers that can impact their well-being. Online speech therapy for adults or children suffering from mental health conditions can greatly help them improve self-esteem, confidence and improve happiness.
One of the most significant mental health challenges for individuals with speech and communication disorders is isolation. When individuals struggle with communicating, they tend to feel alone and isolate themselves. Virtual speech therapy allows individuals to work on their communication skills with a licensed SLP to help express their thoughts and feelings and engage in meaningful conversations – helping to overcome that feeling of isolation.
Anxiety can also be debilitating for those facing issues with a speech disorder. Virtual speech therapy offers techniques to manage anxiety that often accompanies speech and communication challenges. For example, an individual who has a stutter may feel added anxiety in academic and social situations. This is true for children needing to give presentations in school and for adults who must communicate at work. An SLP can help individuals reduce instances of stuttering and improve overall communication.
As individuals see progress in their speech, their confidence and self-esteem often improve, leading to more willingness to communicate in various situations — lessening instances of increased anxiety.
Addressing Social Determinants of Health
Online speech therapy also addresses SDoH in a variety of ways. Clients diagnosed with speech disorders may prefer to receive therapy in the comfort of their own home. For example, speech therapy for adults with Alzheimer’s or speech therapy for children with autism may be better suited to receive care in familiar surroundings rather than traveling to a brick-and-mortar outpatient treatment center. By removing transportation barriers, including weather related concerns, it is not only making access to care easier but also helps alleviate caregiver burden and fatigue.
Individuals stressed by SDoH often quit speech therapy because of the high out-of-pocket costs, but Great Speech addresses this by reducing the number of sessions needed to achieve speech and communication goals. With reducing the number of sessions client progress can be accelerated and traveling costs are eliminated making overall sessions cost less. This greatly helps reduce these costs and improves access to care.
At Great Speech we are dedicated to bringing the best possible care to those in need which is why we love to say, “We deliver happiness”.
For more information on the benefits of virtual speech therapy, visit Great Speech or Schedule Your Introductory Call today.