ABSTRACT
In 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly spread from one region to the world. Efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 included government lockdowns, teleworking, vaccine development, mask-wearing, and social distancing. Before the COVID-19 pandemic telehealth was not widely utilized in the United States and most insurance companies limited reimbursement. In 2020, when the U.S. government waived some of the Medicare limitations to telehealth the CEOs of insurance companies also agreed to allow for increased coverage of telehealth during the pandemic. During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the safest way for mental health providers to meet patients was telehealth pending the time that vaccines would be developed and it was safe to resume in-person sessions. The limitations of the pandemic resulted in therapists having to establish therapeutic alliance virtually. Therapeutic alliance is the bond between providers and patients traditionally established during in-person office visits. This phenomenological qualitative study sought to understand the lived experiences of psychotherapists establishing therapeutic alliance using telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 22 semi-structured interviews conducted to understand these experiences. The results of this study indicated that despite initial technical challenges with web-based platforms and limited access to nonverbal communication, providers were able to establish therapeutic alliance using telehealth. Clients responded positively to the reduction in commute time to see their providers, increased statewide accessibility to more providers, and additional scheduling options. As telehealth continues to be used increasingly, further research is needed to equip clinicians with additional strategies for successfully establishing therapeutic alliance virtually. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)