COVID 19 & Teletherapy
Seeing a therapist used to imply being in the same room with them, but not any longer. Teleconferencing has made it possible to see a mental health professional from a distance.
With recent requirements for social distancing, many therapists and clients have had to either pause their work or make other arrangements, including meeting by video conference.
I've been providing teletherapy services for a few years now. Here are some common questions and issues that come up when thinking about making the transition.
Will My Therapist Agree to Online Sessions?
Some therapists (myself included) are enthusiastic about using teletherapy, some won't use it at all, and a large number of therapists approach it with some reservations. I've been surprised how many therapists are now moving to it with the COVID-19 outbreak and resulting social distancing. Most therapists generally seem to find that it's a very beneficial approach.
Even among therapists I know who were skeptical about online sessions in the past, the majority have opened to the idea. They seem to recognize it as a good option to avoid an untimely break in the therapy relationship, and to provide continuity of care.
Will It Be Weird?
If you're generally comfortable with communicating through a screen (e.g., Skype, FaceTime), you'll probably be comfortable moving to online therapy. If you can't stand this form of communication, you'll likely have a harder time with it. Of the dozens of clients I've treated through teletherapy, most seem to find the transition to be smoother than they expected. Therapy tends to be intense, and quickly enough you're likely to forget about the medium and focus on the work.
That said, expect some differences with teletherapy. It's different when you're not in the same room with someone, and you're experiencing them in two spatial dimensions instead of three. It can also be harder to pick up on body language through a video. And while most of my clients seemed to be comfortable with making the switch, a few were not, or found the transition to be quite challenging. Occasional tech issues come up (like a delay in the audio and video), but typically can be handled with a little patience and humor.
Is It Effective?
Research suggests that therapy by video conference can be very effective, which has also been my clinical experience. It depends on you and your therapist, of course, but in general you should expect it to be helpful if you were finding in-person therapy helpful.
Personally, some of the most powerful clinical experiences I've witnessed have occurred through teletherapy. In my own practice, I've seen it work for people dealing with things like depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, insomnia, relationship issues, grief, and trauma.
Will Insurance Reimburse Me?
A growing number of insurance providers seem to be willing to cover online therapy sessions. They'll probably require the standard things for reimbursement: your identifying information, the provider's license and so forth, a diagnostic code, and a session (CPT) code. Check with your insurance provider before starting your sessions if you'll depend on reimbursement to cover the sessions.
How Does It Work?
You and your therapist will agree on a platform to use (or in some cases may decide to forego video and simply speak by phone). Some rely on Skype or FaceTime, although those options are not HIPAA compliant. More secure platforms include VSee, Zoom, and Doxy, among others. There may be a fee for your therapist to use the technology depending on the service, but it should be free for you (aside from your therapist's session fee, of course).
How Should I Prepare for My Sessions?
Some important and finer points about the logistics of teletherapy:
Do a test of the software beforehand for your own peace of mind and to be sure it will work, and verify that you have your therapist's contact information (e.g., VSee username).
Find a place in your home where you'll have as much privacy as possible. This could be a challenge if kids are out of school or other family members are always home (or work from home).
Along those lines, I recommend ear buds for privacy and also better sound quality. That way your therapist's voice won't feed back into your microphone and out their speakers.
Make sure you're sitting somewhere you'll be comfortable for the length of your session.
Have your screen on a stable surface, since excessive movement can create a feeling of seasickness for your therapist. If they're new to teletherapy and their screen is bouncing around, ask them to do the same.
A finer point: try to have the top of your head near the top of your video screen, rather than in the bottom half of the screen. That way when they're looking at your face they'll be looking more or less into their camera (assuming it's at the top of their computer), so it will feel like they're looking at you.
Be sure to close email and turn off notifications that could be distracting and dilute the experience for you. You'll want to have your full attention focused on your session.
Also close programs that could slow down your computer's processing ability and interfere with the quality of the video.
You may also need to work out payment arrangements with your therapist if you generally pay in person. Some therapists will keep a credit card on file for you; others will ask that you mail a check. Find out what they prefer.
Are There Other Advantages to Online Therapy?
One plus of online therapy you'll notice right away is that there's no travel time involved, so your sessions will probably take up much less of your day. With that in mind, you may want to build in some transition time into and out of therapy, since travel time often provides a buffer before and after your session. It might be challenging, for example, to return directly to childcare after an emotional session. Even a 10-minute break to process and digest the session can make a big difference.
You'll also never have to cancel for weather (assuming you have electricity and Internet), and there are no concerns about whether you could pass along a sickness to your therapist (or vice versa) if you're well enough to meet but possibly contagious. It's also possible to see your therapist when you're traveling, just as I've been able to see clients when I've been on the road.
What If My Therapist Won't Do Online Sessions?
If your current therapist isn't open to doing teletherapy, you might consider speaking with a new therapist who does offer online sessions. Obviously it's not ideal to have to start over with someone new, especially if you've been seeing your therapist for a while. But it may be your only option if you're committed to continuing therapy with as little interruption as possible.
If you don't want to start with a new person, consider other resources during the hiatus from seeing your therapist (and work with them on the plan, if possible). For example, there may be books, brief online courses, or other resources that will help you to continue the work. Your therapist might be open to having brief phone check-ins during this time.
Seek out additional support from loved ones, as well, and be sure to take care of your basic needs like sleep, nutrition, and movement to keep your body and mind healthy. You might find journaling to be helpful during this time, as it's been shown to be an effective way to process thoughts and emotions.
Keep in mind that there could be unexpected benefits to taking a therapy vacation. While it may not be ideal, an unplanned break from therapy can lead to surprising growth, as the work you've done settles in and takes hold.
The Bottom Line
If you're considering teletherapy, talk it over with your therapist and see if it's worth giving a try. You don't have to know in advance if it's the right decision for you—you can always plan to do a limited number of sessions to see how it goes. If it works well, it could be a convenient and time-saving way to continue the important work of therapy.
Find the fill article here.
If you're looking for a therapist who provides online sessions, I invite you to contact me to schedule your free phone consultation today! Contact Me Here
Forgiveness
What does forgiveness mean to you? What does it mean to forgive someone? What does it mean to forgive yourself? It sounds like it would be an easy question to answer, but I challenge you to pause and really think about the last time you forgave someone, or even yourself. Many times, it’s easier to forgive someone else before you can forgive yourself. Here are a few key things to remember when forgiving yourself:
admit the wrong: take ownership of what you did. You have to deal with it, face what you did, and how the situation was created by what you did. We are all human and you’re going to make mistakes.
prepare to restart and try again: continuing to punish yourself for the past only blocks you from your own happiness in the present. You are allowed to grow and become a better person. Make amends with others and yourself, keep what you have learned, and let go of the rest.
a restart is not an undo: although forgiving yourself is important, you have to remember that others may continue to hold on because you cannot control how anyone else thinks or feels, and forgiveness is not permission to do it again. You can’t force someone else’s forgiveness, and just because you apologize doesn’t mean that the person who was affected will accept it; however, that does not mean have to continue to punish yourself for whatever happened.
In order to grow as people, we have to learn from our mistakes and our past. We have to forgive ourselves even when others might not. Forgiveness is an important and necessary part of building a loving and trusting relationship with yourself.
What are some ways that you forgive yourself? Share in the comments below!
If you are finding yourself struggling with forgiveness and live in the Los Angeles/Westlake Village area and are interested in individual or couples therapy, I invite you to contact me via email at: tanyasamuelianmft@yahoo.com . I happily provide a complimentary consultation. Contact me now to see if we might be a good fit to work together!
Preparing for a Good Week Ahead
Happy Sunday! There are a few tricks to setting yourself up to have a really good week ahead. How you spend your Sunday has a big impact on you feel the rest of the week. Having a Sunday ritual helps to create the positive environment and mindset you want to have in order to be prepared for a really great week ahead. Here are some tips:
meal prep: taking some time out of your day to meal prep will allow you to get all of your meals ready for you to just grab and eat during the week. Not only will it save you time and stress, but it also makes it so much easier to eat healthy since you don’t have to think about it.
clean up your space: the way your space looks makes a huge impact on the way you feel. If your home is messy, you feel like your life is a mess, too. Kick off the week right by spending a little time on Sunday tidying up.
enjoy some self care: taking time for yourself on Sunday will boost your mood, relieve stress, and will make you feel overall happier so that you can dive into the new week with a good mindset.
set your intentions: setting an intention for the week ahead is so powerful. It’s not so much about goal setting or what you want to check off your to do list; it’s more about deciding how you want to feel in advance.
plan out your week: this one is especially important if you know you have a busy week up ahead. Instead of just letting your to-do list roam around in your mind, get it all down on paper and map out when you’ll get what done. This will instantly relieve some stress which allows you to focus on just the tasks that need to get done for the day — instead of feeling overwhelmed by everything that needs to get done that week.
What are some of your Sunday rituals? Share in the comments below!
If you live in the Los Angeles/Westlake Village area and are interested in individual or couples therapy I invite you to contact me via email at: tanyasamuelianmft@yahoo.com . I happily provide a complimentary consultation. Contact me now to see if we might be a good fit to work together!
Common Reasons for seeking out Therapy
Many people don’t seek out therapy until things have become so unmanageable that they can longer function properly. Life can be crazy and during this time, we have somehow stopped listening to our bodies, minds, and spirits and have come to a place where our lifestyle is no longer sustainable. This is a vicious cycle that we must become aware of and break. If you relate to any of these common reasons, maybe it’s time to find a good therapist and give yourself some TLC. Here are some very common reasons we need to become aware of:
depression and anxiety
adjusting to changes in life
relationship difficulties
addiction
mood changes
changes in eating and/or sleeping habits
grief
personal growth and deeper awareness
If any of these issues resonate with you, you are not alone and it’s totally normal to be experiencing any number of those listed curveballs at any given time! I encourage you to pause and check in with yourself and your needs. Therapy can be the link to help you reconnect with your needs and develop the tools to help you cope with the curveballs in life. If you live in the Los Angeles/Westlake Village area and are interested in individual or couples therapy I invite you to contact me via email at: tanyasamuelianmft@yahoo.com . I happily provide a complimentary consultation. Contact me now to see if we might be a good fit to work together!