Teletherapy Best Practices 

Creating a healing, effective space for remote therapy

Optimal Technology Set-Up:

  • You will receive an automated e-mail reminder with your link to the therapy room before your appointment. This link changes for each new appointment. If you need the access email resent or texted, please send a text message to 937.598.9104

  • If you are able to use headphones with a built-in microphone, that is often ideal for optimal sound quality

  • A larger screen, like a laptop, computer monitor, or iPad, that can be set up at eye level without holding a device is ideal. You might need to get creative with stacking books or boxes to achieve this. If you are using a phone, assure that the microphone is not covered when propping the phone up

  • After starting the call, use “Do Not Disturb” or a similar feature to turn off notifications

  • Sometimes, we associate our face on a screen with a judgement of our physical appearance. If seeing your face is distracting, try covering your image with a sticky note

Creating Your Therapy Spot:

  • Ideally, use the same spot in your house each week. This will help therapy become a healthy ritual and will establish a safe space for delving into your emotions

  • If possible, have a soft light in front of or beside you, rather than behind you, so that I can see you clearly. Being brightly lit is not necessary, but make sure there is enough light so I can see and read your expressions

  • To whatever extent you can control, turn off erratic background noise and visual distractions, like music and television. If you want your pet nearby, use your best judgement on how to have your pet be an aid rather than a distraction to therapy

  • If you have other people living in your home, you can set up white noise between you and them. For example, you could put a fan in the doorway. Especially if you are able to use a microphone that is close to you (like connected to your headphones), the white noise should not disrupt the session. You can also ask housemates to put in headphones to help support your privacy

For Couples:

  • If you have (or can get) a headphone splitter and use headphones with a microphone, that may make audio clearer. If not, just make sure you are both seated relatively close to the microphone

  • You will need to sit together in the same screen. If at all possible, use a computer (rather than a smaller device) and sit close together. Sitting at a table with a laptop computer on the table (maybe stacked on books so you are also eye level) and movable chairs or a couch so you can scoot close together is often the best-case scenario

  • Reduce background noise, especially if using a shared/built-in microphone device

Back-Up Plan:

  • If your screen freezes, try “refreshing” to bring back the video

  • If our internet connection is “spotty” we can turn sound off on the video and use the phone for audio or simply use the phone.

  • My phone number is 937.598.9104 if you have immediate questions or need to call

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You may experience surprising benefits of doing remote therapy, including:

  • Increased convenience and, therefore, the ability to have more regular sessions

  • A more fluid integration of what you learn and practice in therapy into your daily life and routine

  • The ability to work through triggers that happen in your own home in the present moment

  • The ease of sharing more openly and freely through a screen than in-person

Additionally, please do not hesitate to talk about concerns or disappointments around doing therapy remotely, such as loss of a separate, protected space to do therapy or the loss of in-person connection.

I look forward to working with you remotely and hearing about how the experience is for you!