Clinical Skills of Phone Therapy
Enroll in the Online Self-Study course and complete it at your own pace.
2 CE hours available for behavioral health clinicians upon completion.
When a client reaches out in crisis, your ability to respond over the phone can mean the difference between disconnection and lifesaving connection. Phone therapy isn’t just a backup when video fails—it’s a clinical skill set that can open access, deepen trust, and transform care.
In this self-study course, you’ll gain the clinical confidence to deliver ethical, effective, and client-centered therapy entirely over the phone. Through practical demonstrations, research-based insights, and clear strategies, you’ll discover how to make phone sessions a reliable, therapeutic, and even preferred option for your clients.
Enroll in the 2 CE Online Self-Study for $80
Payment Options are listed at checkout
Raymond Barrett, LMHC, LPC, founder and CEO of the Telehealth Certification Institute, brings years of expertise as a leader, trainer, and consultant in telemental health. Ray helped shape national telehealth standards and has trained over 40,000 healthcare professionals worldwide. His unique background in developing the Board Certified Telemental Health credential curriculum ensures you’ll be learning from a true pioneer in the field.
Ray’s teaching approach blends research, demonstration, and hands-on clinical application. He not only reviews what the evidence says about phone therapy but also demonstrates what it looks like in practice—walking you step by step through effective client preparation, technology setup, and therapeutic communication skills.
This course covers: the benefits and limitations of phone sessions, clinical communication skills unique to audio-only therapy, phone etiquette and paralanguage, technology considerations, privacy and compliance requirements, session workflows, and strategies for managing crises over the phone. You’ll also see demonstrations of screening for fit, first sessions, and a real-time crisis call.
Instructor
Raymond Barrett, LMHC
Raymond Barrett is the founder and CEO of the Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC (TCI). A licensed mental health counselor (LMHC), Ray is an innovator and leader in the field of telemental health. He’s an expert telehealth trainer, a respected speaker, and a trusted consultant.
Ray’s inspiration for TCI came from his clients that started asking him to conduct their therapy sessions over the phone. Ray had discovered a knowledge gap in mental health training. He wanted to fill that void with comprehensive and practical training in telemental health - so Ray created that training for himself and fellow clinicians.
Since 2014, TCI has delivered comprehensive telehealth training and consultation to a global network of more than 40,000 healthcare organizations and professionals. TCI now offers over 180 specialized courses, a vast array of telehealth resources, and ongoing free continuing education opportunities for telehealth providers. Among the most sought-after courses offered by TCI is the Telemental Health Training Certificate (THTC Certificate) program.
Ray played a significant role in developing the initial curriculum for the Board Certified Telemental Health credential (BC-TMH) for the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). He reviewed every training module. He helped draft content, including questions for exams. He even wrote and developed the initial draft of one of the training modules: Telemental Health Settings and Coordination of Care.
The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) - the most respected organization for telehealth - recently overhauled its guidelines. Ray was on the writing committee that developed Best Practices in Synchronous Videoconferencing-Based Telemental Health in March 2022. You can find Ray here.
Key Takeaways:
- Master phone therapy delivery: Learn how to structure sessions, manage technology, and communicate effectively without visual cues.
- Prepare clients for success: Equip clients with expectations, privacy strategies, and confidence to engage meaningfully in therapy by phone.
- Enhance therapeutic connection: Use paralanguage and verbal skills to foster alliance, empathy, and accurate emotional understanding.
Why this course?
- Protect your clinical credibility: Without the right training, audio-only sessions can feel flat, disconnected, or even risky. This course ensures you uphold the highest standards of care no matter the medium.
- Reach clients who would otherwise be left out: Many clients don’t have access to video technology or feel safer without being seen. Mastering phone therapy equips you to serve them without compromising quality.
- Turn limitations into strengths: Where some see the absence of visuals as a drawback, you’ll learn to transform it into an advantage—using voice, silence, and paralanguage to build trust and deepen therapeutic alliance.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the different technology and environments used when providing remote sessions
- Demonstrate how to provide an effective phone therapy session from start to finish.
- Demonstrate how to prepare the client for phone therapy and address technological challenges and telehealth session etiquette.
Phone therapy isn’t a compromise—it’s a lifeline. For many clients, it’s the only way they’ll consistently engage in care. By sharpening your phone-based clinical skills, you not only expand access but also safeguard your professional credibility and strengthen therapeutic outcomes.
Enroll in Clinical Skills of Phone Therapy and ensure you’re ready to meet your clients with confidence, connection, and competence—wherever they are.
This course is one module of the TeleMental Health Training Program (THTC) and a non-interactive self-study course. Instruction consists of 2 hours of video instruction and a post-test.
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Availability:
From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.
Who Should Attend:
This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.
Teaching Methods:
This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.
How to attend:
Directions for completing a course can be found by clicking here.
This program was recorded on June 11, 2021.
Testimonials
Iveyana Kiara Smith
Jessy Hainbach
Bryant Wilson
Ben Keyser
Mei Chan
Meghan Co, LCSW-C, LICSW