Since 2020 I’ve offered video counseling and phone counseling. While the majority of my clients report having a positive experience with this kind of therapy, it can be an adjustment for some. While nothing can make video counseling feel exactly like live sessions, here are some things that might help you get the most out of online counseling:
Find a quiet place and get comfortable
When i had a physical office space, I tried my best to make it a welcoming and peaceful place. When people are relaxed, they engage more in the session and open up more easily. Do your best to do this for yourself. Have a pillow to lean against and keep a drink nearby. Consider keeping a blanket nearby if you tend to get chilly. If there is a lot of background noise where you are, consider turning on some quiet background music—something mellow is usually best.
Choose your hardware wisely
You have a lot of options when it comes to the tech you use for video counseling, but what you choose will impact your experience somewhat. If you have a desktop computer with a webcam available, that’s probably going to be your best bet. A laptop works too, but either way it’s best to connect to the internet over an ethernet cable rather than through WiFi. If that’s not an option WiFi should work fine, but the video quality might not be quite as clear.
I’d recommend using your smartphone as a last resort, as this will tend to be the lowest quality, but I’ve also had many online counseling sessions where the client used a phone without problems. Video quality is more important to some, less to others, but it’s something to consider.
Headphones are also a great idea, both for privacy and to minimize distractions.
Ask for privacy, but be patient and flexible
If you live with other people, don’t assume your housemates will know to leave you alone. Many will assume that they’ll need to not bother you for an hour during your online counseling session, but they may not realize how important privacy is if they’ve never gone to counseling before.
It doesn’t hurt to make it clear what you need, and it helps to remind them again before the session starts. This is especially true with children and teens, who may not understand that you need complete privacy, or may make their own choices as to what constitutes an “emergency” worth interrupting over.
However, don’t be afraid to talk to your housemates about this--Most people will understand and do their best to respect your privacy. However, try to be patient with other people in your house. Remember that they’re also undergoing major transitions, and an interruption or two isn’t likely to completely derail a session.
If privacy is especially important to you, consider leaving the house for a bit. I’ve had more than a few great sessions that were conducted while the client was sitting in their car connected to a McDonald’s WiFi.
Be adaptable
While many people still prefer in-person sessions, over the last few years I’ve found video and phone counseling to be effective and enjoyable for clients. Frankly, after the first few minutes of a session, I start to forget that I’m not sharing a room with the person--it just feels like a normal conversation. Several of my clients have said the same.
The worst experiences have been due to technical problems--you may have noticed your internet is slower these days, a result of seemingly everybody being online at the same time. There’s just not a lot we can do about that, unfortunately. If we have a bad enough connection, phone counseling is a good backup solution we can switch to.
Get organized
It can sometimes feel like an hour-long online counseling session isn’t enough to cover all the possible subjects.
One thing that can help with this is to be more organized. Keep a notebook with you during sessions to jot down notes and ideas, and refer back to it regularly between sessions. Write down questions or random thoughts you have and share them at your next session. This simple exercise can help you get the most out of your video counseling sessions.
I hope that this can help everyone with the transition! If you have any questions or concerns about video counseling in Oklahoma, please feel free to reach out
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I’m now offering video counseling to all residents of Oklahoma. Get help today with feelings of anxiety, panic, depression, isolation, and more. Mindfulness-based online counseling can help with adapting to the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the other stressors and challenges already present in your life. Find out more about the services I offer through video counseling in Oklahoma or schedule today!