Getting the Most out of your Video Therapy Sessions

Get connected

A glitch free session will greatly enhance your experience of teletherapy, reducing lag time, helping you and I to pick up on subtle cues easily. Though some hiccups are unavoidable, taking time to workout technical kinks prior to your initial session can be a huge help.

Here are some tips for success:

1. Make sure you have a strong internet connection.

2. If you are using the SimplePractice platform in browser, make sure you are using Chrome.

3. Close all other tabs and browsers.

4. Disconnect from your VPN, if you’re using one.

Prepare

Moving my entire practice to video sessions has highlighted a surprising downside of zero commute: no built in transition between work/home and therapy. I found that many clients would come to my office early and enjoy a few minutes in my waiting room to collect their thoughts. Though this built in function is now absent, the same outcome can be cultivated at home. Creating new rituals takes intention, but many clients now report they actually enjoy therapy at home because they can create an ideal space for sharing openly.

Examples of pre-therapy call rituals:

1. Make a cup of tea.

2. Go for a walk around the block.

3. Spend a few minutes silencing work chats, putting your phone in airplane mode, or turning off work monitors.

4. Gather items you might want with your for your session: pets, comfortable pillows, a warm beverage, a glass of water, etc.

Tune in

It may seem like a small thing, but I’ve found wearing headphones really helps both me and my clients feel more present and connected in session. It will help both of us tune out any subtle ambiance noise, and increase your sense of privacy.

Is therapy via video effective?

During the onset of the covid-19 pandemic this was a question that troubled my brain. The entire premise of therapy is based on connection and deep listening. I feared that I would not be able to forge the same level of closeness through a screen. I have been pleasantly surprised that after a few weeks of adjustment, my clients and I settled into a rhythm and soon enough we were humming along, both experiencing the same level of closeness and efficacy as before. A significant percentage of people have indicated that they prefer video sessions, feel more comfortable sharing openly in their own space, and would continue with video calls even after I returned to my office. Below you can find a list of articles both in popular media, and within the science community that suggest telehealth sessions are just as effective as in person therapy:

1. “Teletherapy, Popular in the Pandemic, May Outlast It” - NYT
2. “Internet-based Versus Face-To-Face Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Depression: A Randomized Controlled Non-Inferiority Trial”
3. “Federal data shows that the majority of those who could use mental-health services don’t receive them. With teletherapy, the system now has the potential capacity and flexibility to meet more people on their own time”. - Washington Post

Privacy

For some, finding a suitable spot to engage in therapy is easy. Many clients have access to a quiet room with a door. Some have even carved out a special place in their home where they feel more apt to be vulnerable than they did rushing from work into my office. For others, finding this in home sanctuary has not been so easy. Below is a list of creative ways clients have created privacy and calm in a less than ideal context:

1. If you can, communicate your needs with your partner / roommate / children. Oftentimes therapy can be timed around when other household members are out for a walk or running an errand.

2. Place a white noise machine outside of your room / door (this is what many therapists use when sharing an office suite with others).

3. Some clients are not comfortable meeting in their home, and chose to have their session in their car. The telehealth platform I use has a mobile app, so sessions can be conducted via tablet or phone if you have a robust data plan. Though therapy in your car might sound funky, some clients enjoy driving to a serene location, and feel more capable of being present when they are outside of their home environment.

4. Walk and Talk: It’s typically my preference to see my clients’ faces, but sometimes a video call is not feasible. Though it is different, there can be something special about having a conversation while moving your body (walking). Numerous clients have “taken me on a walk” and reported this method helps them feel more at ease, and serve a dual purpose of getting them out of the house.