Tele-Health &
​on-line therapy
​I am happy to offer my clients the option of secure telehealth/online therapy! Please review the information on this page to get your space and your tech set up before we meet. Each session will have a unique link sent to your email/text 48 and 24 hours before our scheduled time. 
​Why Tele-Health?
  • Easy and confidential access from wherever you are (home, work, car) with no additional drive time in your schedule 
  • Ensures your physical health and safety from COVID (or other illnesses)
  • If we were to meet in person: 
    • CDC and professional guidelines require both of us wear masks and keep a distance. 
    • You must wait in your car until the appointment time vs waiting in the lobby
    • If anyone in the office (another client or another therapist, or another therapist’s client, e.g anyone in the suite) tests positive for COVID, your personal information must be released to the state health department for contact tracing, compromising your confidentiality and possibly our therapeutic relationship. 
  • Most insurance companies will cover Telehealth the same as in office meetings. ​
FAQs: 

Q: Is Tele-health video and audio or audio only?
A: Tele-health is video and audio, face-to-face or as if we were meeting together 

Q: Are sessions recorded?
A: No. I do not record sessions nor does the EHR platform I use. 

Q: Will EMDR and Play Therapy still be an option?
A: Yes. 
​
Q: What are the technology requirements?
A: To use tele-health for your therapy, you will need a secure setting for the session that will ensure your privacy, and a computer with internet connection. The system is cloud based with point to point encryption which meets HIPAA criteria for privacy. 

Q: Can I do this on my phone?
A: Yes. Tele-health is supported on the latest versions of Google Chrome and Firefox on desktops/laptops and can be used on Android (Goggle Chrome, Firefox or the app) or iOS devices (Safari or app). You do not have to download or install any special software for our sessions. If you would like the mobile app, you can download it by searching for Telehealth by SimplePractice on your mobile device. 

Q: Is it confidential?
A: YES! Tele-health through my new EHR platform is streamlined for you, making it easy to connect with HIPPA compliant video.
​
Q:  I’m used to in-person therapy. Is it going to be as good as in-person therapy?
A: As with any type of therapy, there are differences in experiences.  While it may not feel the same at first, you will notice talking to your therapist online can feel quite similar to face-to-face. You see one another and can hear one another. Ever talk to a friend on FaceTime and feel like you are spending time with them? In this digital age, video conferencing is frequently replacing in-person gatherings.   In addition, you may find that being surrounded by the environment of your choosing allows for a different experience of comfort and openness.
​Creating Confidential Space
Things to consider:
  • Is the space private?
  • Can you lock the door? If not, will others who have access to the space respect your request for privacy and not enter the room? Can you/have you had a conversation with them? Were they receptive?
  • Can others outside the room hear you talking? If so, can you create white noise with a fan or other form of background noise (preferably placed outside the doorway of the room you’re in)?
  • Consider using headphones or earbuds so that your provider’s voice is kept private and is only hearable by you.
​
If you have a hard time finding confidential space, here are some examples that others have used. These are not ideal but should be considered secondary choices if an ideal setup is not available. If you use any of these, please make sure that the space is comfortable for you. Being comfortable is also highly important!
  • Laundry Room
  • Walk-In-Closet
  • Basement
  • Attic
  • Actual last resort: your car parked in a safe, private spot (I want to emphasize that private does not mean secluded—please do make sure you are in a safe location!)

Technical Setup:
  • A laptop or desktop computer is ideal — preferably the biggest screen size that you have available to you (that you can also have in a comfortable, confidential space). 
  • Whatever device you’re using, please make sure that the camera is about level with your eyes. It may require propping up your device or monitor on other items, such as books.
  • Please make sure that you’re well lit and don’t have a bright light source directly behind you.

Clear Your Internet (this is really important for a good connection!):
  • Be sure to move your computer as close as you can to your WiFi router (the box that makes the WiFi) or, better yet, plug your computer into the router with a cable!
Other notes:
  • Be dressed and ready to go (as if you were going to school/work or seeing friends). 
  • Do not be intoxicated 
  • Do not be driving a vehicle (can be parked)
  • Do not have friends attend the session