just a thought here based on my location.... many treatment providers are phasing out phone sessions due to the size of the mental health agency, treatment provider\client ratio doesnt allow much time for phone sessions if a client wants to do most if not all of their therapy by phone my location now recommends that client who does not want to do face to face sessions very often find someone new. short version since obama care laws requiring all americans to have health care insurance plans r get fined went into affect there are more people in the USA able to get mental health treatment. this results in many mental health agencies with long waiting lists. so rather than taking on clients that dont want to attend therapy and leaving those who need help right away and are willing to attend therapy sessions in person on long waiting lists, some mental health agencies are phasing out or limiting their spaces for phone sessions. a client can still have emergency phone sessions when needed but mental health therapy with most mental health agencies now require actual face to face sessions now.

another reason many mental health agencies are limiting phone sessions is because a big part of mental health therapy sessions is hands on work during the therapy session, sometimes a therapist can make mistakes if they dont have the part of therapy sessions called observing the client, noticing what makes the client comfortable or not, and other subtle body language that goes on as a normal part of mental health therapy sessions. not to mention the liability factors should something happen and the law says you were the persons therapist why didnt you do something to prevent this. well just like being online here at psych central the extent of help a therapist can give is very limited by phone vs in person.

this is all guess work mind you based on what that statement would mean here in my own location. to fond out what that statement means in your own location you will need to contact the treatment provider that stated that and explain to them you need more clarification on why they wont be your therapist.