Through audio and video capabilities, you can connect securely with your therapist, without leaving your home or work place. Telehealth can be provided to any client as needed, depending on their situation and insurance requirements. Telehealth is provided with a simple link to your phone, laptop or tablet. 

 

Reasons tele-health may be a good fit for you:

• Transportation: including access, costs for transit and/or parking, vehicle dependability.
• Convenience: available when you are available—even during lunch hour!
• Caregiver Responsibilities: including childcare, partner care, and eldercare.
• Accessibility: including physical limitations, mental health limitations.

• Work/Life Balance: asking for time off work can be a challenge.

• Comfort: therapy is delivered in the comfort of your home – when and where you need it!
• Weather: weather in the Northeast can be unpredictable! 
• Privacy: no waiting room encounters; ideal for victims of intimate partner violence or other safety concerns.

 

When tele-health is not appropriate: Despite the benefits of utilizing tele-health, there are certain situations when tele-health may not be appropriate, these include: Complex mental health diagnoses; i.e., visual and/or auditory hallucinations, active substance use, recent suicidal or homicidal thoughts.

 

Why tele-health? Shifting the therapy office to a clients space makes therapy portable, accessible, confidential, and comfortable. In turn, clients often report feeling more at ease, less stressed, and more apt to open up and, in turn, therapy is more effective. The benefits far outweigh any concerns for most clients, as accessibility to care drastically increases and cancellations drastically decrease. Therapy is delivered in the comfort of your home – when and where you need it.

 

WHAT TO DO IN PREPARATION FOR YOUR VIDEO SESSION

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Prepare Your Device

• Look over the Getting Started Guide: Telehealth by Simple Practice that was sent to you when you eSigned your documents.
• If you are using a Smartphone, you must first download the Telehealth by Simple Practice app—it is available for iOS or Android in the app store.
• For a laptop/desktop, you need an internet connection that is at least 10 mbps. You can use the Pre-call Tool to check your internet connection: tokbox.com/developer/tools/precall/ Also, I have found that connecting an Ethernet cable from my computer to my router helps with the internet.
• For laptop/desktop, you do NOT need to download anything. You will be sent a link to your email address or by text shortly before the session; just click on it and the session will begin. When you are ready, click Join Video Call. If I have already joined the call, you will see my face on the screen. If I have not, you will see yourself.
• If you have a choice, it is better to use a laptop/desktop rather than a mobile device for your session.
• It is best to use a Chrome browser. If you do not already have it on your computer, please download it. The second-best browser to use for the Simple Practice platform is Firefox. For either one, be sure that you are running the latest update.

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Clearing Your History/Browsing Data

• Do this in CHROME before each session: Double-click on the Chrome icon > Click on the three dots in the upper right-hand corner > Click More Tools > Click Clear Browsing Data (make sure all 3 boxes are checked) > Click Clean Data > Close out
• If you are using FIREFOX, clear the cache this way: Click on the Firefox Icon > Hit Control + Shift + Delete simultaneously.
• Under History, check as many boxes as you can; Under Data, you can leave the two boxes unchecked > Hit Clear Now

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During The Session

• It is best to have light coming from behind the computer screen if possible, as opposed to being behind behind you.
• Be is a suitable room that is quiet, private, and free of distractions.
• Dress appropriately as you would if you were attending a session at my office.
• Be alone unless I know in advance that someone else will be with you.
• Driving a vehicle is prohibited during our session.
• Sessions are not to be recorded.
• Avoid mind-altering substances prior to our session.