Videoconferencing at home for psychotherapy in the postpartum period: Identifying drivers of successful engagement and important therapeutic conditions for meaningful use

Abstract

AbstractPurposeVirtual care has almost become the norm since COVID‐19 mandated social distancing. Prior, the use of personal videoconferencing was being explored as an appealing option to overcome barriers to care, but little was studied about how we should do it and for whom. This study aimed to answer these questions for women receiving psychotherapy in the postpartum period when there are significant barriers to attending office‐based care.MethodsTwelve postpartum women who had the option to attend their psychotherapy sessions for the treatment of mood and/or anxiety symptoms via videoconferencing over a 3‐month time period were interviewed about their experience. The three therapists providing care were also interviewed early in adoption of the virtual treatment and at the end of the study. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify themes for the initial and ongoing engagement with videoconferencing, which were triangulated with therapist input.FindingsMajor themes which emerged related to (a) initial willingness to engage with videoconferencing, (b) technological compatibility, and (c) a good patient fit, with positive and negative influencers for each. Therapeutic considerations were identified, including (a) an initial in‐person meeting when possible, (b) matching the therapy format to the clinical situation, (c) attention to the home environment, and (d) a clear therapy frame.ConclusionsTherapists should consider that videoconferencing might not be appropriate for every patient; but in the right context and with appropriate therapeutic considerations, offering this treatment format may actually facilitate an individual's recovery. These findings can help to inform the future delivery of videoconferencing psychotherapy.