It’s finally time for your session! It might be your first session using online technology, or it might be your first session ever! What should you expect?
If you missed the first two parts of this series, you can read more about why to consider online therapy and how to prepare for an online therapy session.
Here’s what to expect with your online therapy session.
The first thing you’ll have to do is sign in. Your clinician will likely provide you with a link that you will click to take you into a digital waiting room. Sign in five minutes before your appointment time if possible so that you have time to trouble-shoot any connection or software issues. You can also use this waiting time to close any unneeded browser tabs, shut off alerts, and mute your cell phone or other devices.
Tip: Use headphones with a built-in microphone if possible. They tend to improve the quality of the sound that you’ll hear AND they help to keep at least one side of your conversation private (if you happen to have other people in the same building as you).
When your clinician signs in, one of the first things that he or she will need to do is verify and document your identity and location. This is a legal and ethical issue. Mental health professionals need this information so that we can assist appropriately in the event of a crisis. You should be asked to:
Show some form of photo ID,
provide your exact physical location,
provide a phone number in case you are disconnected,
and provide the name and contact information of someone who could come to your aid in the event of an emergency.
Bonus points if you can provide the contact information for the emergency services in your area!
This process should not take longer than a minute, especially if you already have the information prepared and ready to go. After your clinician has verified that you are you, then you can actually get started with the session.
Long story short, expect to talk during your online sessions - just like you would during a face-to-face session.
What happens in the session is up to you and your clinician, so these tips are things to keep in mind while you’re communicating using video technology.
Technology is wonderful and empowering. Technology is also frustrating and confusing. If technical issues arise, please be patient with your device, your clinician, and yourself.
Hopefully you’ve set your camera to be as close to eye level as possible and you’ve been intentional about what is visible to your camera. Now it’s time to stop worrying about what you look like. It can be very tempting to watch yourself if your video software has a preview window where you can see what is visible to the other person. If possible, move that preview window underneath your camera so that if you are looking at yourself, it still looks like you are watching the other person. Most programs should allow you to hide that window, but if yours doesn’t, leave the preview window along the side of your screen and simply stick a piece of paper over the window. It’s not a tech solution, but it’s a practical one!
Allow for delays in sound. Sometimes these are little delays (half a second or less) that can be addressed if you pause just a little bit longer before speaking, speak more slowly, or limit the numbers of times that you interrupt or speak over your clinician. If they are big delays (due to connection issues), you might want to try exiting and reentering the video conversation or restarting your browser, router, or device. If possible, let your clinician know before doing these things.
If the connection is disrupted, follow your clinician’s directions for how you will attempt to reestablish a connection. These steps could include exiting and reentering the conversation, phone calls, and/or emails. Your clinician should also have a clear policy on how sessions will be charged in the event of a disruption that cannot be resolved.
One of the ways that you can protect your own privacy is to not record the session. Technology can make it easy to record what is happening on your screen, but consider all the steps that you’ve taken to protect your privacy. If you record what happens in your confidential session, your clinician cannot be responsible for what happens to that video, even if you intend for it to be kept for yourself. If you want to record for reasons relevant to your counseling, make sure that you and your clinician have discussed the risks and potential benefits at length.
Feeling overwhelmed? That’s totally normal. Remember that most people feel comfortable after a few sessions, once they’ve had time to get to know the clinician and the technology. After all, most people are uncomfortable for their first session or two, even if it’s face-to-face. What predicts the success of counseling is not the modality; it’s the quality of the therapeutic relationship that you build with your clinician. This series of posts has been written to help prepare you to meaningfully engage in online therapy, and I believe that the most informed you are, the better you can participate in counseling and work towards your goals.
Did you try video counseling as a result of reading these posts? What other questions do you have about online counseling? Comment below!
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