Teletherapy

In my practice, teletherapy has proven to be just as effective at fostering growth and change as traditional in-office sessions. In addition to the convenience of not having to travel to and from appointments, many clients open up more quickly and feel more at ease doing therapeutic work from their own home or office. The space (or “container”) of therapeutic work is thus more reciprocal, with you coming to sessions from your own space and me, from mine. Our encounter happens not entirely on your turf and not entirely on mine, but somewhere in between. The strength and intimacy of therapeutic relationships forged virtually differ little from those forged physically. Another benefit of teletherapy is that is allows me to serve clients interested in depth therapy, but who don’t live within driving distance from my office.     

• I can guarantee the privacy of my office. It’s your responsibility to ensure the privacy of the space you use for sessions.
• Try to arrange yourself and your device in a way that simulates a physical meeting. It’s best to use a comfortable chair and to place your device on a table or a desk. Also, try to dress as you would for an in-office appointment. 
• Don’t feel like you have to stare at the screen or remain motionless for the entire session. Feel free to “break eye contact” by looking away whenever it feels natural or appropriate to do so. You can also adjust your volume, screen angle, or distance from the screen as needed.
• Expect some technology issues. Lags, delays, and even lost connections can and do happen occasionally during sessions. Bring these to my attention and I’ll do the same.
• If you feel you doing teletherapy versus in-office sessions is causing you to miss something or that something is lacking in our virtual work, bring this to my attention. Such feelings often point to valuable information about you, your relationship patterns, and our therapeutic relationship.