Goosebumps,
Good on you for putting forth your idea. Doesn't hurt to float it around. Maybe it makes sense and maybe not, I don't know. I applaud you for taking the gaff well.
My Wife is a counselor (LSCSW) and trained psychoanalyst. She is converting her land practice to a
phone practice so we can
live aboard and travel. Part time
work, analysis by
phone.
When she looked into doing this she found there were many
legal roadblocks as in the US someone doing "counseling" is regulated by the state. So you need to be licensed by the state you practice in. If you are doing "counselling" over the phone you need to be licensed in the state were the patient is AND in the state you are in. Also, the state regulatory authorities have many requirements for the physical place where you practice. For example, she has to do periodic fire drills where she sounds the
alarm, runs outside to her muster point, and counts to see if she is all there. I kid you not.
Since many patients receive some
insurance support or state subsidy then the provider must be licensed and all these rules kick in. So "counselling" via telephone is almost impossible.
Psychoanalysis is not so regulated, but no insurer, private or state, will pay for analysis. So her practice will be strictly "fee for service" psychoanalysis. Then all is
legal and above board. But she had to give up many clients.
Canada, OTOH, has a completely different outlook on the matter and seems to encourage "telemetry health" as it is called.
So you see the legal and regulatory landscape is quite complex.
Happy New Year.