Telepsychology: Training perspectives.

The use of telecommunication technologies in the field of psychology is increasingly widespread. This paper is intended to discuss the authors' perspectives and experiences as current and former telepsychology trainees (ranging from current students to 3 years post-graduate) at a graduate telepsychology clinic in a rural setting. Telepsychology trainees delivered individual and group treatments via videoconference and telephone to clients living in a predominantly rural and historically underserved region of Texas, and they also conducted telepsychology-related research during and after their clinical training. This experience helped trainees understand their clients' perspectives of telepsychology in an experiential way and was viewed by many trainees as useful for enriching their empathy for telepsychology clients. [Extracted from the article]