What You Need for Teletherapy

The first step is to register on the secure Client Portal here.

After you complete the registration process, you may schedule all appointments using the Calendar in the portal. For each session, you will need to log into your portal account using your computer, phone or tablet.

If therapy is for two or more people, each participant will need to complete the registration process in the portal prior to the first session. Accounts of participants can be linked for relationship therapy.

Scheduling Telehealth Sessions

You will need to schedule an appointment as usual through the client portal calendar or by calling Marsha at 336-298-1222. All sessions are being provided virtually – either by video or phone. You will receive text messages or email reminders as usual prior to your appointment.

Make sure you have electronically signed the “Informed Consent for Telehealth Services” document found in your account on the client portal. Clients registered before March 15, 2020 are covered by the standard Informed Consent signed when you first registered.

If you have children at home, try to schedule sessions when another responsible person will be available to supervise the children for one hour or when they are resting.

If you are scheduling for a couple’s session and have young children, an additional option is to schedule after your children’s bedtime. Late evening sessions are available by request. Email or text me with at least two day and time options. I’ll do my best to accommodate.

Key word for this time…Flexibility!

Preparing for a Telehealth Session

Make sure you have a private space to be in where you wonʼt be disturbed or heard. This may be in a bedroom, home office, or even, if needed, a large closet, basement, or in your car in your driveway. Please do NOT worry about clutter or messy surroundings as we will only be focusing on you and your emotional needs.

If you live with others you will need to make sure family members donʼt disturb you You might consider putting a white noise machine or a small window fan on outside the door of the room you are in to mask the sound so you wonʼt be heard outside the door. There are white noise apps available for your phone and also videos of white noise on YouTube.

Log in about 5-10 minutes early so you can check your connection. I have found that placing my laptop on a barstool in front of my chair puts the camera at a good height so I’m looking close to eye level. This feels more like I’m sitting with you in the same room having a conversation.

• You might try different heights for placement of your device to find what works best for you.
• Couples, seat yourselves so you can face each other during the session. It is more important to look at each other while speaking than it is to me.

Make yourselves comfortable for a one hour session. Have water, tissues, note pad nearby. Create a healing, soothing environment for yourself in this time to are for yourself.

Individuals

• Log into your account and click on the session.
• Select the Connection Test to make sure your camera and microphone are connected.
• Close that window.
• Select Start Video Session at the time of your appointment.

Couples

If you are in the same location using the same device, follow the instructions above for Individuals. Although the client portal has a built in videoconferencing feature, it only allows a connection from one location.

If you are in different locations, please inform me in advance of our scheduled meeting. I will send you a link for Psychology Today sessions for that meeting so both people can log in for the appointment.

For the best connections

• Make sure all unnecessary web-browsers are closed and that no one else in your home is using the Wi-Fi for streaming.
• Close all open apps.
• You might try using Chrome or Firefox as your browser. They sometimes work better than Safari or Explorer.
• Using earphones helps maintain privacy and improves sound quality. I have had good success using both pluggable earbuds and AirPods. Use of the built-in speakers tends to produce echo or other audio issues.
• If your Wi-Fi is unstable, you can used a wired (Ethernet) connection directly to your router.

Troubleshooting

• Make sure your volume is up and that your video and microphone are on. This may happen automatically. There is a chat function on the bottom of the screen so we can type a message to each other if we canʼt hear each other. If the signal is bad, exit the meeting and try again. If that doesn’t work, try rebooting your computer.
• If more than two minutes have gone by and you havenʼt been able to reconnect with Marsha by video, feel free to call Marsha at 336-298-1222.
• If we have video connection but not audio, we will connect by phone while remaining on video.