Virtual Therapy Consent and Guidelines
Teletherapy is an option either fully or in hybrid combination of in person and virtual therapy at my office. The mode of session is assumed in person unless we have agreed that it will be teletherapy consistently or I am notified by you during the scheduling of your next appointment. If you do not receive a link for your session at least two days prior to normally scheduled session, please let me know.
I use Teletherapy, the online therapy app that is provided by my Health Records Platform, Simple Practice. This service is confidential, HIPAA compliant, subject to all the ethics and laws of the healthcare industry and, in my experience, quite reliable. My platform recommends that you use the most recent Chrome browser but it will often work with other browsers as well.
The teletherapy platform can be accessed via the link sent to you with your appointment reminder. If you are using a cell desk top computer or a tablet, most people can click that link and begin the process of accessing the virtual waiting room.
However, if you are using your cell phone or some selected tablets, you may be directed to download the teletherapy app the first time in order to access your appointment link.
Please review the following guidelines so that we can make the most of virtual therapy in our work together:
1. Choose a quiet space where you have the privacy to speak freely and without interruptions. This might be a bedroom, home office or even in your car. If others are in the area, you can post a “do not disturb” sign on the door or ask them to use headphones during your session. It is important that you feel comfortable talking freely with minimal or no distractions. If that isn’t possible, you might consider doing sessions at the office in person where there is a higher level of privacy.
2. Minimize distractions. Silence or pause notifications on your phone and close unnecessary applications on your computer. Inform household members of your therapy schedule to reduce interruptions.
3. Make sure your computer, camera, microphone and internet are in working order. Ensure you have a stable internet connection and a device with a good camera and microphone. Using headphones or earbuds can improve sound quality and privacy.
4) In the event of internet failure or that we get disconnected: Even the best systems can have technical issues sometimes. Please call or message me if you cannot log on or have an internet failure. I will do the same. If we are disconnected unexpectedly during a teletherapy session, I will first try to log back into the virtual therapy session and then try to call you on your cell phone to make an alternate plan. A telephone session or hybrid of telephone and online can be offered as a backup plans if technical issues occur.
If you elect to participate in teletherapy, a consent form for this service will be included in your intake packet or delivered to you prior to the session.
Please review it and complete it as soon as received.
