Telehealth Therapy
We’re Here for You: From Our Homes to Yours
Telehealth, teletherapy, online counseling…whatever we call it, we are grateful to have this tool to better serve our clients. Effective March 13, 2020, all appointments will be conducted using Telehealth platforms until current shelter in place and social distancing measures are no longer needed. All of our Telehealth options are HIPAA-compliant, free for clients, and accessible from either your mobile device or home computer. We’ve been fans of telehealth for a long time. It can be a wonderful resource to stay connected to therapy services when you have mobility limitations, are traveling (currently only within the state of Texas), or have work or school logistics that make getting to a physical location for a session difficult. We want you to feel confident and comfortable using this tool to meet your needs. We’re here for you: from our homes to yours.
Telehealth Questions
How does Telehealth work?
First schedule an appointment with us! You will get a welcome email from your therapist with options for your ideal telehealth platform and detailed instructions for getting set up for the first session. Your therapist will start your video-based therapy session at your appointment time and sessions will unfold just as they do in person…with just a little more physical distance!
What platforms will Telehealth use?
We offer several different Telehealth platforms in order to meet the diverse needs of our clients.
What equipment/software do I need in order to attend a Telehealth session?
You will need to download any of the appropriate apps that you and your therapist agree works best for your sessions. Additionally, you will want to conduct your sessions on a reliable mobile device or home computer with a strong internet connection.
But is Telehealth Effective?
We have been fans of telehealth for a long time. It’s great for working folx who can’t get away from the office. For at-home parents who can’t get childcare. For students on break, or who want to minimize missed class time. For anyone with impaired mobility. The list goes on! But this is different, isn’t it. We weren’t expecting this sudden and complete reliance on technology for therapy. We are reeling from this rapid development too. So we adapt as best we can. We take what we know to be true and apply it in new ways: that therapuetic connection and staying in relationship is critical for our people. That we believe in our ability to navigate these new waters together, and that we are better when we stay connected. We believe that as much as we value the deep in-person connections we make with you, that our relationships transcend proximity.
Even with Kids?
There are some incredible resources for working with kids using telehealth. After all, this is a medium that most kids are already super skilled at using! Our therapists have been shoring up our collective knowledge bank to maximize our time providing telehealth with kids, teens and families. It may look and feel different than an in-person session, but it may surprise you how easy it is to keep therapeutic work going online. We can play games, use shared-screen technology, do artwork together, practice mindfulness through guided meditation, dance & move our bodies together, hold parent check-ins and do shorter sessions to keep little minds engaged.
Considerations to Create a Comfortable and Confidential Telehealth Session:
Make sure you will have internet access at the time of the appointment (if you do not have reliable internet, let’s meet by phone!)
Get onto your phone, laptop, or tablet a few minutes prior to the session so you have time to log in and make sure audio/visual is working
Be mindful of the location you are at for the session so that you have an optimal space that suits your needs for comfort and privacy (planning ahead with people who might be in close proximity during the time of the session may help as well as thinking about places for you to be with your device).
Whenever possible, practice some self-care by preparing a cup of tea, having some tissues handy, snuggling under your favorite blanket, having a journal handy, or whatever other small comforts will enhance your experience. Treat this time (and your self) as special and, if possible, allow yourself space to be free from distractions.
If we run into technical difficulties, our backup plan will always be a phone call and we will make sure we have an accurate phone number to reach you at in the event of a disruption to our video session. The most important thing is for us to connect; the medium is a distant second.
