Online Therapy
Perfect for those who have goals to achieve, dreams to fulfill, and potential to realize.
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Reach out to schedule a free phone consultation
415-310-5652 ● andrea@andreachilton.com
Welcome to the wonderful new world of Online Therapy! Find the support you need from the safety and convenience of your own home.
With the advent of Covid, we all live in a different world than we did before February 2020. The pandemic forced a change to my practice where I began seeing my clients online through video conference. At first I was concerned that the efficacy of the work would be diminished by this medium, so I spent a lot of time learning how to best facilitate this transition, and now have it firmly mastered.
What I have learned over time is that almost all of my clients find the work has remained at least as effective as it had been when we met in person.
In fact, many elements of this change helped. For many people, going into their more vulnerable experiences has been assisted by doing so in the safety of their own homes. Not to mention no longer having to battle city traffic, parking and public transportation just before and after sessions. In the SF Bay Area, that is worth its weight in gold!
My personal favorite element of this transition is how it has made me accessible for clients located anywhere within the state of California. Finding quality therapists who are available in smaller towns can sometimes be really challenging, but not any more.
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An unforseen benefit of online therapy is a way that it actually puts therapist and client in much closer face-to-face contact than in-person sessions do.
This can further a sense of connection that is imperative for the work to be effective. It also allows me to catch micro-expressions much more readily, which helps us gain access to less conscious parts of your experience.
So, while it is true that online work is not the best fit for everyone, most of those that I work with have found it a welcomed and helpful transition. The only way to know this for yourself is to try it. In our phone/zoom consultation, I pay close attention for any signs that online work might not be best for you. If I believe you are not a good fit for it, we will discuss other options
How Does Online Therapy Work?
If we proceed with online therapy sessions, I will send you a private link to connect to my professional Zoom account for our meetings. I recommend that you bookmark this link for ease of access for your ongoing sessions. The link is encrypted and password protected, so is as secure as possible for online meetings
A little bit of prep can go a long way in opening up your path to the ease and convenience of online sessions.
A few steps now vs. weekly traffic and parking headaches? Yes please!
Here are some tips on how to get the most out of your online sessions.
Private Location
Choose a location for our session where you have sufficient audio and visual privacy. If you live somewhere without good sound insulation, I highly recommend that you either purchase an inexpensive white noise machine, or download a white noise app on your phone. Place your white noise device just outside the door of the room you are sitting in; it is highly effective in eliminating sound transfer. If this is your phone, use a different device, such as a laptop, tablet or desktop computer for our session.
I use this white noise machine:
Device Choice
Use a device with the largest screen possible to eliminate screen-fatigue and allow you to best take me in. I find a laptop or desktop computer to be perfect for this. Our ability to clearly see each other, our body language, our facial expressions, and to have good eye contact, really assist the efficacy of online sessions. If a laptop or desktop computer is not available, your tablet or phone will suffice, just set it up in a way that you don’t have to hold it during sessions.
I use this light/phone stand combo:
This is an inexpensive stand for tablets:
Position
It is best for you to be somewhere you can sit upright and comfortably. I recommend you set your device up in such a way that you do not have to hold it with your hands, and you can sit back from the camera a bit so I am able to see your face and torso, as this makes it easier for you to get relaxed and focused in session, and for me to be able to pick up on body language. See the links above for my recommended phone/tablet stands.
Network
For most people, modern Wi-Fi and cellular networks have sufficient speed to support video sessions without interruption. If Wi-Fi-related disruptions occur, connect your device directly to your modem or router. If your device doesn’t have an ethernet input, there are adaptors you can purchase that adapt USB-C inputs for ethernet. If that is not possible for you, I recommend you connect to the fastest network you have available. For some people this is their cellular connection.
I recommend these adapters:
Timing
I recommend you enter the meeting 5-10 minutes early in case you have any technical difficulties, and to give yourself a little “waiting room” time to get settled before session. This can be a great time to settle in, breathe, get centered, and feel prepared for your session right off the bat.
Audio
A high quality headset/bluetooth device is often helpful to maximize audio and privacy.
Prepare
As much as you can, handle these technical issues before your sessions so that you don’t have to utilize session time for them.
Ask For Help!
If you experience any recurring technical difficulties, tell me about them. I likely have helpful suggestions to help smooth your path to the convenient new world of online therapy!
I’m intriguded by online therapy, but want to make sure I find the right person … someone who “gets me.”