Tips to Prepare for Online Therapy

With any type of counseling we offer, whether it be in-office or online, confidentiality and quality of care for our clients are a top priority. While online therapy offers new and exciting advantages, it may also require solutions to potential interruptions, distractions, and threats to privacy.

In this post, we aim to provide you with strategies and suggestions for how to best prepare for your online therapy session.

Here are Tips to Prepare for Online Therapy:

Environment Plays a Big Role

A therapy session consists of private interaction between a client and their therapist. While this seems obvious, it’s important to reiterate since it may not always be easy to find privacy outside of a counseling office. The most common place for an online session is in the comfort of your own home, but even this setting can pose challenges depending on your surroundings. Your living space could be too loud, or the opposite, it could be so quiet that you’re concerned others may hear your session. Whatever your situation may be, it’s important to know how to safeguard yourself.

Here are some suggestions for creating the best environment for your online session:

• Find a quiet, well-lit room with a closed door away from any distractions
• Use a computer as it is easier to connect and has a larger display
• Use headphones with a mic for clearer communication, to avoid outside noises, and increase privacy
• Prop up your device at eye-level to maximize comfort and minimize camera movement
• For increased privacy, download a white noise app and place it by your door

Test Your Tech

Reliable technology and a secure internet connection are crucial components of online therapy.

Before your first therapy session:

• Test your device’s camera and microphone settings
• Make sure your device is connected to a private, password-protected Wi-Fi network
• Close any web browser tabs and/or applications that may cause distraction
• Turn on Do Not Disturb or Silent mode on your devices to avoid interruptions

Online therapy is becoming a widely used form of mental healthcare, and if you are considering it, we hope these tips will allow you to gain the most from your experience. It’s important to know that help is always available no matter where you are, and when you’re ready, we can get you started. To learn more about this topic, visit our Online Therapy service page here.