How to prepare for online therapy

As the pandemic marches on, we find ourselves continuing to do teletherapy. It is such a great tool and I’m grateful that we are able to continue meeting despite the current conditions. There is often hesitation and confusion as to what to expect out of virtual therapy. Hopefully this will clear some of that up.

The first thing to know is that there is an online portal where you will have access to the video platform. This is also a place where you can change your contact information, payment options, and even schedule appointments. This is also where you will fill out your initial paperwork so there’s no back-and-forth of signing and scanning papers. It’s all electronic.

After you have completed the initial paperwork and scheduled your intake appointment, you will receive the link for your session. This link will take you to the video portal (there’s also an app you can download on your phone if you prefer). From there, we will meet in a HIPAA compliant/confidential space. It looks very similar to Zoom or Facetime and is easy to use. You will have a chance to make sure your camera and audio are working properly before entering the chat. Once you’re in, you have the option of hiding the box with your picture in it if that’s distracting to you.

From here, it is just like regular therapy. I can hear and see you and your facial expressions. You can see and hear mine. No need to worry if you haven’t prepared something to talk about. We will find plenty to talk about based on the information you have already provided.

Technical issues do happen. From time-to-time one of us loses internet, the screen freezes, there is a lag, or your computer dies. All of these things are fairly minor interruptions and we will get back to it however we can. If we find that we cannot get video to work no matter what we try, we will do a phone session. So far, it has always worked out and I have rarely had to resort to phone sessions. I hope this is helpful and feel free to check out the video below as it gives you a visual walk-through of this information. If you’re ready to schedule an appointment, head over to the schedule page and let’s get started!