Research evidence supports...
Telephone based Triage & Therapy

There is a growing body of evidence in support of the efficacy of telephone based therapy and clinical trials have found it equally efficacious when compared with face to face CBT sessions.

A systematic review (which is a review of a number of published research papers), conducted in 2006 found that the studies “provide evidence that telephone interventions can be effective…..”[in the treatment of mental disorders.]

Leach, L. S. and H. Christensen (2006). "A systematic review of telephone-based interventions for mental disorders." J Telemed Telecare 12(3): 122-129

It will be noted that the article is published in a journal dedicated to the delivery of telephone based and internet based treatments and is known as The Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare and what it describes as this “fast moving and growing area of medicine.”  The journal is published by The Royal Society of Medicine.
Telephone delivered therapy is being increasingly promoted in primary care.

Research involving 179 patients with traumatic brain injury found that...

“Telephone-based interventions using problem-solving and behavioral activation approaches may be effective in ameliorating depressive symptoms following TBI.”
[Problem solving and behavioural activation are CBT techniques.]

Bombardier, C. H., K. R. Bell, et al. (2009). "The efficacy of a scheduled telephone intervention for ameliorating depressive symptoms during the first year after traumatic brain injury." J Head Trauma Rehabil 24(4): 230-8.

Pilot Study of TCBT [Telephone delivered CBT]…

“The findings suggest that TCBT is a clinically effective, feasible and acceptable means of service deliver”

Turner, C., I. Heyman, et al. (2009). "A Pilot Study of Telephone Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Young People." Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 37(04): 469-474.

Remote therapy has enjoyed growing popularity as a replacement for traditional therapy and innovative practice made possible by electronic medium. Examples include:

• The US Army has initiated a program in which soldiers in combat participate in video-based relationship counseling with their partners at home.[4]
• AbilTo LLC.[5] uses remote therapy to extend the reach of evidence-based practice and introduce innovative new practices, e.g., the team-based applications of cognitive behavioral therapy utilizing a licensed therapist and behavioral coach.
• Mayo Clinic, provides remote cognitive rehabilitation sessions to patients who have had an acquired brain injury. Using an Internet-based, secure instant messaging platform, an office-based therapist conducts the rehabilitation session with the patient, who remains in or near his or her home.[6]
• ·  ^ David Hailey, PhD; Risto Roine, MD; Arto Ohinmaa, PhD. "The Effectiveness of Telemental Health Applications: A Review" (in English). The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. http://publications.cpa-apc.org/media.php?mid=694&xwm=true. Retrieved November 2008.
• ·  ^ Gregory E Simon, Evette J Ludman. "It’s Time for Disruptive Innovation in Psychotherapy" (in English). The Lancet, Vol 374. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19699995. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
• ·  ^ Penny E Bee, Peter Bower, Karina Lovell, Simon Gilbody, David Richards, Linda Gask and Pamela Roach. "Psychotherapy mediated by remote communication technologies: a meta-analytic review" (in English). TBMC Psychiatry 2008, 8:60. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-244X/8/60. Retrieved July 22, 2008.