Contemporary Telemental Healthcare Delivery: The Therapeutic Relationship and Applied Considerations

Telemental health, the provision of mental health services remotely using telecommunications, is increasing rapidly in uptake and usage in Canada and around the world. Due to its effective reduction of geographical barriers between clients and clinicians and its demonstrated cost-effectiveness to healthcare systems, telemental healthcare delivery is expected to expand and continue to be implemented in novel contexts. This article evaluates the impact of telemental healthcare provision and its implications on the client-clinician therapeutic relationship from ethical, practical, and legal perspectives. In this context, the online therapy service Talkspace is considered, and critical perspectives on its congruence with ethical standards for psychologists are presented.&nbsp