Frequently Asked Questions
- Where are you located?
I am located in the state of California. I currently offer online, Teletherapy ONLY to clients residing in California.
- Do you offer in-person sessions?
Currently I offer teletherapy sessions only, no in person sessions. Teletherapy is a form of therapy done virtually through a live video connection, (similarly to Skype or Facetime). I use a HIPPA compliant software called Simple Practice to make sure that our session is private and that your personal information is protected.
- What is Teletherapy?
Through audio and video over the internet, you can meet with your clinician on-the-go from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device (iOS or Android) – it’s your choice! Telehealth allows us to connect anywhere with secure and convenient appointments that save you time and hassle. There’s no need to deal with traffic when you can schedule and attend your appointments directly from a laptop or mobile device.
So, How Does It Work?
It’s quite easy, you schedule your appointment time just like you would set an in office appointment and make sure your distraction free. You will receive a link from me in which you will click on prior to your scheduled time. Once in, you will be automatically directed to an online waiting room in which I will join you at your scheduled appointment time.
- How easy is it for me to use Telehealth?
It’s very easy for clients. You can start an appointment directly from your web browser on your computer or tablet or from your mobile phone by just clicking on the link sent to you by me (link also located at bottom of page). Once you click the call, you’re all set. It will place you into a virtual waiting room in which your therapist will receive you.
- How secure is Telehealth?
Telehealth is developed in a secure and compliant manner that meets administrative, technical, and physical control requirements defined by HIPAA. The information security and compliance program is derived from the HIPAA, HITRUST, and NIST security frameworks to ensure our measures meet all necessary security and privacy controls.
- How should I prepare my space for a Telehealth appointment?
Identify a suitable room that is quiet, private, and free of distractions. To keep background noise to a minimum, make sure to close any doors, shut windows, turn off the television, and keep loud pets in another room if possible. Consider hanging a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door to avoid interruptions.
- Is Telehealth private?
Just like a face-to-face appointment, your Telehealth visit will be private and confidential.
- Will the sessions be recorded? And can I record our sessions?
None of our sessions will ever be recorded or stored. No, the client cannot record during sessions.
- Where’s the best place to do a video call?
When deciding the best place in your home, you will want to choose a space that is private and away from household members, coworkers, pets or any other potential distractions. Here are some additional recommendations:
· Adjust your light. Some small lighting tweaks that can have a huge impact include placing a lamp or other light source behind your monitor, pointed toward you. Also, make sure you don’t have too much light behind you. If you’re on a laptop, make sure the camera is at eye level and not pointing up at the ceiling lights, or down at the floor.
· Choose a quiet, private location. Identify a suitable room that is quiet, private, and free of distractions. To keep background noise to a minimum, close any doors and shut any windows.
adapted from Getting Started Guide by Simple Practice
- Tips for Success
We recommend joining the video appointment a few minutes early to test your settings.
What can I do to do improve the quality of the connection?
· If you live in an area with slow internet, this can really affect the speed of your connection. Here are some basic steps that can improve the overall quality:
· Use wired Ethernet instead of wifi whenever possible. Wifi will work, but you may experience a lag and interference, which can make your video and audio choppy. If you experience a lag or interference while using Wifi, we recommend moving closer to your router. However, wired internet will give you a much smoother, more consistent experience.
· Test your internet connection speed. Google provides an easy way to test your internet connection directly from the google homepage. Simply search: internet speed test. Click the blue button that says Run Speed Test. If it is under 10mbps and you’re using wifi, try using a wired internet connection or restarting your router.
· Close other programs. If you have several programs running in the background, closing them will almost certainly improve
What is your Cancelation Policy If you do not show up for your scheduled therapy appointment, and you have not notified me at least 24 hours in advance, you will be required to pay the full cost of the session.