Rural Telemental Health and Adolescents: Try a Little Shakespeare

Twenty-five percent of Americans live in rural areas, almost all of which are designated as mental health service shortage areas. This designation represents serious problems for adolescents needing help with predictable developmental problems. The project described serves communities without mental health professionals; uses telemental health technology, co-located in rural primary care clinics; and emphasizes communication and coordination among professionals and clients. An example of addressing identity formation in an adolescent experiencing significant family and relational stress is explored, including the resolution of an ongoing friendship problem by using a school assignment, an analysis of Shakespeare's Sonnet 48. Discussion includes safety, immediacy, and using bibliotherapy in telemental health with adolescents, as well as the appropriateness of telemental health for individual and parent-child sessions.