Joanna Poppink's Position on Virtual Psychotherapy

We need to see and feel the mood of one another.

Joanna provides virtual psychotherapy to residents of California, Florida, Oregon and Utah.

Since the Covid pandemic, I've learned that virtual appointments with visual connections are valuable, effective and sometimes even more personal than in-person meetings. Clients are often more relaxed in their own environment.

Eating disorders manifest psychological, emotional and spiritual stress through the body.  For therapy to have meaning and optimum beneficial impact I believe the therapist and client need to be aware of physical sensations and responses.

Facial expressions, body language, a sense of rising or falling energy, changes in coloration, and a wordless sense of one another all are part of human communication. Opportunities to be aware of these experiences are necessary in the exchanges between client and therapist and are possible in virtual appointments.

Even in cyberspace, we can recognize the meaning of silences, tones of voice, and changes in breathing. This allows us to have a meaningful exchange.

Telehealth and telemental health are more accessible now, thanks to the development of communications technology and the pioneering work of Marlene M. Maheu, Ph.D. Dr. Maheu is a telepsychologist, technology developer, and the executive director of the TeleMental Health Institute. She has led workshops on legal and ethical strategies for successful distance counseling. She and her institute are valuable resources for you if you need long-distance psychotherapy.

If you are interested in the possibility of working with me, please e-mail me for a free telephone consultation at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Written by Joanna Poppink, MFT. Joanna is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in eating disorder recovery, stress, PTSD, and adult development.

She is licensed in CA, AZ, OR and FL. Author of the Book: Healing Your Hungry Heart: Recovering from Your Eating Disorder

Appointments are virtual.

For a free telephone consultation, e-mail her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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14 January 2013 by Christopher Michel
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.