The hidden complexities of teletherapy
While I agree with the points presented by Dr. Flora Lazar in her article about teletherapy, I had some additional comments. As a psychotherapist who has been in private practice in this area for 12 years. I have seen many changes. For my practice, teletherapy arrived overnight in March of 2020 when I hastily abandoned my physical office for some months during the time of COVID. At that time, we were able to provide teletherapy services to people located in any state. That has reverted so that one can only provide teletherapy to patients located in states in which one is licensed. For example, I may provide teletherapy services from Timbuktu but only to clients who are physically located in the state or states where I am licensed.
The idea of the counseling compact is a good one, but it is not quite as straightforward as one might hope in that it is only operational in 11 states. Connecticut joined but is not yet operational. Moreover, you have to apply for counseling compact privileges in the state in which you reside. Neighboring New York is not a signatory to the counseling compact so therapists like I, who live in New York, but practice in Connecticut, are out of luck unless and until New York joins.
The harm in services such as Alma and Headway is exactly as Dr. Lazar states — the involvement of insurance companiesand investor-backed funding in these and the burgeoning number of similar entities. When the profit motive is added into mental healthcare no matter how stealthily, effects on clinical decision-making are more widespread than most patients realize with insurance companies trying more and more to dictate the number and length of sessions and even whether a person should receive any treatment at all. Most patients don’t know that insurance companies can and do review psychotherapeutic care for medical necessity.
In fact, they can go back as many years as they want and decide often with the help of an AI algorithm that in fact, your treatment of a particular patient was not medically necessary and… get this: they can rake back what they already paid. I am having to cover this eventuality in my informed consent documents.
Marietta Whittlesey, LPC
Sharon
Sharon Woman’s Club says thanks to community
The Sharon Woman’s Club was delighted to bring back its popular Chili Dinner on Saturday, October 24. The success of this event was made possible through the generosity, hard work, and community spirit of many individuals and organizations.
We extend our sincere thanks to the Sharon Firehouse team for allowing us to prepare and host the dinner at their facility. Special appreciation goes to Brian Kenny for keeping the kitchen running smoothly and washing dishes.
We are also grateful to the Sharon Central School eighth-grade students who enthusiastically bused tables, served cake, and assisted with cleanup. Their energy and willingness to help contributed greatly to the evening’s success.
Most importantly, thank you to the community. From the local businesses that donated raffle items to the many residents who attended, dined with us, or took chili home; your support made this event possible.
Funds raised from the Chili Dinner will benefit local Sharon non-profit organizations.
We look forward to seeing everyone at our next event, the Soup and Bake Sale on Saturday, November 21.
Helene Minton
The Sharon Woman’s Club President
A treasured Sharon view, lost overnight
And just like that, it was gone. One of the most glorious public vistas in Sharon, obliterated, overnight, by a row of densely packed evergreen trees the length of a football field.
The development has ruffled quite a few feathers in town, including mine and all of my neighbors. So I took to the streets to interview a few of our discerning locals.
“It’s a crime,” said Sharon Mountain resident and celebrated artist Eric Forstmann.“That view has been there for over a century. It’s the kind of view that makes you stop and ponder your life. It was a gift.”
The thick, green, fortress wall of mature trees, which are estimated to grow upwards of 50 feet high, was installed directly in front of Kelly and Greg Kilmer’s home on East Street.
“I woke up to a trailer truck with 50 trees being delivered to block our beautiful view we worked so hard for,” said Kelly Kilmer, who is holding it together, despite the nearly 100 trees that have been planted so far.
“Greg and I are beyond heartbroken over these trees. It’s difficult to put into words how deeply this has affected us.”
And just think, this could be you or me.We’re not all lucky enough to border a conservation easement.But this time it’s the Kilmers.
Residents of the community for decades, they had just spent two years building a brand-new home on the hill that only last month overlooked the open meadow and the lushly forested valley between East Street and Mohawk Mountain. The site was for years the location of Easter sunrise services and an inspiration for all who pass it on their daily excursions.
Jason Bresson, arborist and co-owner of Sharon’s Applewood Tree Care LLC, said “This is so wrong. For 37 years without exception, every time I have driven by this view I have taken in its beauty. It’s now a wall of green. I don’t understand this planting.”
The planter in question is Ann Light. My phone calls and written requests to speak to her have gone unanswered, so the motive behind her installation remains a mystery. In a twist of irony, she is the cousin of the late Deborah Ann Light, who established the Peconic Land Trust to protect the vistas of both the North and South Forks of Eastern Long Island.
“It’s very unneighborly of them to deprive us all of our connection to nature and a connection to each other as well,”said Michelle Alfandari, a Sharon resident and co-founder of Homegrown National Park, an organization dedicated to restoring biodiversity through native plant gardening. “To have that access meant something. We are cohabitors on this planet, and it is short-sighted not to be gracious and share. It’s an awakening of how quickly our connection with nature can disappear.”
Audrey Lavin
Sharon
Letter confuses candidates and races
The October 22 issue of the Lakeville Journal carried a letter to the editor from Peter Becket (“Lumaj is best candidate”).
Unfortunately, Mr. Becket was confused about who is running against whom. Peter Lumaj is not running for U.S. Senate against Richard Blumenthal. He is running for Secretary of the State against Stephanie Thomas.
Senator Blumenthal is not on the ballot this year because he is not up for re-election until 2028. Conversely, Ms. Thomas, who is running for re-election as Secretary of the State, did not appear anywhere in Mr. Becket’s letter.
It is too bad that Mr. Becket could not get his candidates straight and, equally unfortunate, that the Journal did not fact-check the letter before publishing it.
I remain an avid reader of the Journal.
Lee Greenhouse
Salisbury
Ticket cell phone use while driving
In last week’s police blotter (October 29) there are four incidents of people driving off the side of the road or drifting into the other lane. It’s safe to say there is at least one every week, yet there is never any mention of cell phone tickets.
Obviously not every one of these accidents is caused by drivers on the phone, but without a doubt many of them are. I’m a biker and walker and have had way too many terrifying close calls from drifting cars, the drivers talking or texting, totally oblivious to where they even are. I’ve had to drive my bike into the weeds to escape texting drivers on several occasions.
I’ve been reading the Lakeville Journal a long time don’t recall ever seeing a cell phone ticket in the blotter. Why are the police not giving tickets for cell phones? No way they are not seeing it, it’s not like anyone is trying to hide it. And if they are giving tickets why is the Journal not reporting it?
Kevin Godburn
North Canaan
