How to Prep for Video Therapy
With the spread of COVID-19, many things about our daily routines, responsibilities, and self care are having to change.
One major shift for many, is the switch from in-person therapy, to video therapy.
As this time is one of uncertainty, taking care of ourselves while in self-quarantine or while social distancing is more important than ever. Because of this we at the Gender & Sexuality Therapy Center are offering telehealth options, or video therapy, to allow for ease of continued care.
Why bother with video therapy?
Whether you're engaging in video therapy because you want to or because it's the only option right now, there are a lot of really great reasons for video therapy.
A few include:
Reduced commute (especially if you work from home): This ties into the next point on convenience, but this reduced commute can help eliminate any sort of time wasting commute while still ensuring that you have a regular space set aside to care for your mental health.
Convenience: Whether you work from home or travel, video therapy allows you to maintain the continuity of your sessions with ease.
Comfort: Video therapy might allow you to feel less vulnerable or exposed in sessions. You will be in an environment where you feel comfortable, and will have distance between you and your therapist already created by not being in person
Increased access: Video therapy opens up therapy as an option for those who weren’t able to (for any reason including health, anxiety, transphobia, etc.) comfortably + safely leave their homes for mental health care.
Connection: In this period of social distancing, maintaining regular connections with others is crucial. Without the option for in-person therapy, video therapy is a wonderful alternative to help you increase your person-to-person connection, as well as make space for your own health and wellbeing.
When making the switch to video therapy, there are a few considerations to make that can make the transition easier and more comfortable for you.
Ask yourself:
Is your space private? Find a space where you feel comfortably private. Lock your door, play white noise in the background, or move to a space where there is no danger of someone interrupting your session. Private spaces can be a bedroom, a basement, an attic, a car, a laundry room, a bathroom, etc.
Are you able to establish a “going to therapy” routine? For many people, sitting in a waiting room or commuting to the office helps to shift their mindset and get them into “therapy mode.” If you’re working from home and are planning on doing a video session, you might think it makes sense to just do it from your desk. But that can leave you feeling like you’re in “work mode” still (like you’re on an oddly personal business call). Instead, decide where your safe therapy space is, and give yourself a few minutes to settle into it, letting yourself switch gears before your session.
Can you have space after your session if you need? Just because you’re home and can’t go anywhere else while in self-quarantine, doesn’t mean you need to jump right back into being productive after your virtual therapy session. The time you save from the commute can turn into your processing time. Light a candle, play some soft music, journal a bit about your feelings. Give yourself the time and space to disengage from the heavy subject matter you may have covered in therapy.
If you’re new to video therapy, there are also technical considerations to make. These include:
Using the largest screen you have. But if a phone is the best option, especially considering the confidential space that's fine
Using a device that can be propped up in a stable way so you don't have to hold the device the entire time is ideal
Camera is ideally level with your eyes
Make sure you're in a well lit room
Sit as close to your WiFi router as possible
Close any and all programs and tabs that use your internet
Ask other users in your household to limit their WiFi use while you're in session
Change the quality of video from high definition to standard. This can allow for audio continuity to increase but still allows the image to remain clear
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