If you live an hour from the nearest mental health provider, work shifts that don’t match a 9-to-5 schedule, have mobility challenges, or just don’t want to drive across town after a long day, virtual care can finally make therapy practical. For a lot of Tennesseans, it’s the difference between getting care and not.
But telehealth isn’t right for everything. The honest answer to “should I do receive care virtually?” depends on what you’re working on and how you’d actually use the sessions. Here’s a clear-eyed look at where virtual care works, where it doesn’t, and what coverage looks like in Tennessee.
Who telehealth therapy is built for
Telehealth fits especially well when:
- You live in a rural area without easy access to a specialist. Most of Tennessee outside the metro areas has limited mental health provider density, and virtual care lets you work with a clinician anywhere in the state.
- Your schedule doesn’t allow office hours. Shift workers, healthcare staff, parents of small children, and people juggling caregiving responsibilities often find virtual sessions are the only realistic option.
- You have mobility constraints or chronic conditions that make travel difficult.
- You’re managing anxiety that itself makes leaving the house hard. Telehealth can be a starting point that makes in-person work possible later.
You want continuity during travel or relocation. As long as you remain in Tennessee, virtual care can follow you anywhere in the state.
What telehealth handles equally well as in-person care
Research consistently shows that for most common mental health concerns, virtual care produces outcomes comparable to in-person therapy or medication management. This includes:
- Anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety
- Depression, particularly mild-to-moderate cases
- Life transitions, grief, divorce, role changes, career shifts, identity work
- Couples therapy, in many cases. Virtual couples work can actually be more accessible when both partners have demanding schedules
- Relationship and family communication issues
- Postpartum mental health for new parents who can’t easily leave the house
- Maintenance therapy for established patients managing ongoing concerns
Many forms of trauma work, when the patient is stabilized and not in active crisis
What usually benefits from in-person components
We’ll be honest about the limits. Some clinical situations either require in-person components or work meaningfully better in person:
- Severe eating disorders, where weight checks, vital signs, and direct medical monitoring matter
- Active substance use disorders, where urine drug screens, breathalyzers, and a more controlled environment support recovery
- Court-ordered evaluations, custody assessments, and most forensic work
- Acute psychiatric crises requiring in-person evaluation for safety
- Standardized psychological testing, ADOS-2 for autism assessment, comprehensive cognitive batteries (WAIS-IV, WJ-IV), and continuous performance tests for ADHD. These were normed in person and remote administration is treated as a non-standard adaptation.
- Certain trauma work, particularly EMDR reprocessing for complex trauma where grounding and presence matter
- First-time psychiatric medication evaluations for some patients, where a direct in-person history and exam are clinically warranted
A hybrid model often works well: some sessions in person, others virtually. Many Athena Care patients use this mix depending on what they’re working on and what fits their week.
Tennessee prescribing rules for psychiatric medications via telehealth
This is where the rules matter, and where they’ve recently changed.
The Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners allows licensed physicians to prescribe most psychiatric medications via telemedicine, including SSRIs, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics, provided four conditions are met [2]:
- The physician conducts an appropriate history and examination
- A diagnosis is established based on the examination and any indicated diagnostic testing
- The treatment plan is discussed with the patient including risks and benefits
- The physician ensures availability or coverage for proper follow-up
For controlled substances (Schedule II stimulants like ADHD medications, Schedule IV benzodiazepines, Schedule IV zuranolone for postpartum depression), the federal rules are more nuanced. The DEA has extended pandemic-era telemedicine flexibilities through December 31, 2026, meaning DEA-registered practitioners can prescribe Schedule II-V controlled substances via audio-video telehealth without an initial in-person visit during this period. Permanent regulations are expected before the end of 2026.
In practice, this means current ADHD stimulant prescribing and benzodiazepine prescribing can happen virtually with appropriate clinical judgment, though our psychiatry team may recommend an in-person visit when the clinical picture calls for it.
Insurance coverage in Tennessee
The good news on coverage: telehealth parity is now strong across Tennessee’s major insurers. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Cigna, Aetna, and UnitedHealthcare all generally cover virtual mental health services at the same rate as in-person care for established medical necessity.
- BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee offers comprehensive telehealth mental health coverage. Our BCBS online therapy coverage page covers the specifics.
- Cigna covers virtual mental health visits, with strong Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee network presence.
- Aetna and UnitedHealthcare cover virtual mental health services at parity with in-person.
- TennCare covers telehealth mental health services through all three MCOs (BlueCare, Wellpoint, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan).
Our care coordinator handles benefits verification before your first session, so you’ll know exactly what’s covered and what your copay or coinsurance will be.
Athena Care’s telehealth across the entire state
Because Athena Care is licensed and in-network across Tennessee, patients anywhere in the state can access virtual care through our team, not just patients near our Nashville, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Hendersonville, Clarksville, Memphis, and Knoxville locations. If you’re in Jackson, the Tri-Cities, Chattanooga, Cookeville, or a small town between any of those, you can still work with our clinicians.
Virtual visits use HIPAA-compliant technology, are offered at no additional cost beyond the standard session fee, and can be conducted from anywhere you can find privacy with a stable internet connection.
Frequently asked questions
Is telehealth mental healthcare as effective as in-person? For most common mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, and life transitions, the research consistently shows comparable outcomes. Specific clinical situations (severe eating disorders, active substance use, standardized testing, certain trauma work) benefit from in-person components.
Can I get psychiatric medications prescribed via telehealth in Tennessee? Yes. Most psychiatric medications, including SSRIs, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics, can be prescribed via telehealth in Tennessee following the Board of Medical Examiners’ four-step requirement. Controlled substances (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, zuranolone) can currently be prescribed via telehealth through December 31, 2026, under the DEA’s extended flexibilities.
Will my insurance cover virtual therapy? Generally yes. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Cigna, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, and TennCare all cover virtual mental health services at parity with in-person care. Our care coordinator verifies your specific benefits before scheduling.
Do I need to live near one of your offices? No. We serve patients anywhere in Tennessee through virtual care, not just patients near our seven physical locations.
What if I need to do some sessions in person? A hybrid model works well for many patients. If you’re near one of our locations, you can switch between virtual and in-person sessions based on what makes sense clinically and practically.
Are virtual sessions secure? Yes. We use HIPAA-compliant video technology to protect your privacy.
What if I lose internet connection mid-session? We have backup protocols including phone fallback. Brief connection issues happen occasionally and are typically not disruptive.
How to schedule
If virtual care fits your situation, the next step is a call to our Care Coordinator at 877-641-1155, Monday through Friday, 7am to 6pm. They’ll ask what you’re working on, verify your insurance, and match you with a clinician available for virtual sessions.
If a call isn’t convenient, you can also schedule through our online appointments page or learn more on our virtual visits services page.
For more on the full range of our services, see our services overview.
If you’re in immediate crisis, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988.
Contact us today
Dawn Boyer, APRN, PMHNP-BC, C-PNP
Nurse Practitioner
Dawn Boyer is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and Board-Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Her interests include child and adolescent mental health, anxiety and depression, addiction, and a variety of mental health disorders.
Meg Stein, CFP
Editor
Meg is a certified mindfulness instructor and works at Alive and Aware Practice in Durham, NC. She has over ten years of experience as a content creator and marketing consultant, working in mental healthcare and social justice.
Sources:
[1] Andrews G, Basu A, Cuijpers P, et al. “Computer therapy for the anxiety and depression disorders is effective, acceptable and practical health care: An updated meta-analysis.” Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 2018;55:70-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2018.01.001
[2] Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners. “FAQ: Telemedicine.” https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/documents/Telemedicine_FAQs.pdf
[3] U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. “Fourth Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications,” published in the Federal Register, December 31, 2025. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/31/2025-24123/fourth-temporary-extension-of-covid-19-telemedicine-flexibilities-for-prescription-of-controlled