Tips for Effective Telehealth Sessions
In recent years, in great part thanks to the Covid pandemic, we as a society have become more comfortable with doing regular, everyday tasks online. From grocery shopping to taking online dance lessons, we have learned to gain more out of our technology and therapy wasn’t left behind. When the shut down occurred in 2020, practices across the states had to move online and most continue to offer online services even years after the pandemic.
Telehealth therapy has made mental health services accessible to people that in the past couldn’t get help due to living in a rural area, lack of transportation, physical limitations, or anxiety that kept them from being able to leave there homes. As great as it has been to be able to reach more people, we did have to relearn how to make therapy effective when we are not in a traditional office.
As I stumbled my way through virtual sessions years ago, I began to take not of some things that were helpful in reaching my clients’ goals and others that seem to hinder productivity. If you are planning on engaging in telehealth therapy, you should keep the following in mind.
1) Treat your virtual session time like you would an in- person session.
One of the benefits to virtual sessions was the ease in scheduling and not having to plan for a commute. However, it can be easy to forget you have a session coming up until you get that email reminding you just minutes before the sessions starts. I’ve had people show up while they are still in bed, driving, or cooking dinner. This hinders being fully present or prepared with what you want to talk about. So make sure you set an alarm with plenty of time to get settled for your session.
2) Be aware of where you are
Think about the space you are in and who you share it with. Now think about your therapist’s office or what you’ve seen on T.V. There is a lot of thought that goes into making an office conducive to healing. This includes being intentional about seating, where the clock is located, and making the office as sound proof as possible.
So when you are getting ready for your telehealth session, be mindful of your space. Are you in a public area? Are you driving? Are you going to be worried about roommates or family members overhearing you? You might want to find a location with better privacy or a time when you’ll have the space to yourself.
3) Limit distractions
So I get it. You are on your phone or computer. It is so easy to be tempted to open up a new tab or check your email. When a text or notification pops up, even for a second, we are now distracted. In in-person sessions, this normally wouldn’t be a problem as most clients put their phone on silent or have them tucked away somewhere. But you can minimize distractions by turning off notifications and closing all other tabs.
But technology isn’t the only distraction. I’ve started sessions while people are doing laundry, cooking dinner, walking their dogs, doing their make up, or even at the zoo (ok that was me. I had my own therapy session while at the zoo one day). These are things we would never be able to do in in-person sessions so therefore we can’t do them during virtual sessions either. So leave the bills and the driving for another time (seriously, driving while doing therapy is just not safe!)
Finally, be aware of your pets. Although they can be very soothing and comforting, they can also be big distractions. So if you are worried about a pet needing your attention or simply not being a good therapy animal (real therapy dogs/animals are specially trained, not all pets know how to be therapuetic!) it might be a good idea to have your fur baby in a different room with a special treat.
Finally, if you notice feeling like something is off and you aren’t sure what to do about it, bring it up with your therapist. There might be suggestions or changes that they’ve done with other clients that could help you too. Remember, when in doubt, transparency is the way to go!
