Technology is bringing rapid changes to the field of psychotherapy. A number of recent stories have discussed the possibilities and limitations of so-called teletherapy, or therapy that is performed remotely. Most New York psychotherapists have at least a passing familiarity with this notion; many patients use their phones to “call in” to appointments if traffic renders an in-person visit impossible. And because so many patients now sport smartphones and webcams, the notion of “Skype therapy” comes up often.

Someday it seems inevitable that the pace of progress will make these remote sessions commonplace, and essentially indistinguishable from their real-world counterparts. But for the moment, teletherapy bumps up against a difficult set of practicalities, not least that most video-chat software remains poorly secured, and unable to offer the same protective privacy as a closed office.

And then there is the legal issue, which remains the principal obstacle for many of us in the field of analytic therapy:

The legality of Skype therapy is a gray area because most state laws require the professional to hold a license in the state where the client resides. . . . Some therapists call themselves “life coaches” when they work across state lines; others simply ignore the law. The arrival of distance therapy and telemedicine is rapidly rendering state-by-state licensure impractical. As usual, the law lags far behind technical innovation.

We’ll get there, of course. And it is heartening to see that the tremendous value of talk therapy continues to find its way into national conversations about health and technology. But for the time being, the easiest way to find a therapist in New York remains the old-fashioned way: let your fingers do the walking, and then follow them to your doctor’s doorstep.