Teletherapy

Dig Counseling Services offers online therapy from the comfort of your home.

Teletherapy is like meeting a counselor in an office. The only difference is you’re doing it from home on your computer, tablet, or phone.

The online platform used is HIPAA compliant, which means your privacy is protected.

Each time you make an appointment, the system I use will create a unique link for our session. It will be sent to your email or by text message, whichever you prefer.

I’ll be sitting in my private office in Harrisonburg, and you can be at home, work, or even in your car if that’s where you need to be for the sake of privacy.

There are important benefits of teletherapy vs. regular therapy

It is private and convenient.

You don’t have to drive to an office or find a place to park. You don’t have to worry about people you know seeing you go into a counseling office and asking questions. If more than one person is involved, you both don’t even need to be in the same location to attend your session.

It is safe.

If you are a person with challenges in mobility, you don’t have to worry about overcoming those by entering an office building that may not be equipped for your needs. And, while this pandemic persists, you don’t have to worry about being exposed to COVID-19!

Is teletherapy right for you?

Teletherapy is relatively new for many people. And I understand if you’re wondering if it’s the best way for you to attend therapy. Because of the benefits I mentioned above, it works well for many people.

In my work with couples, especially, I have found that it is difficult to do all of the work via teletherapy. There is risk involved in terms of whether the internet connection is stable and at times there can be delays in hearing or seeing one another. This adds some difficult to the work that can be frustrating. Having said that, I am open to working with couples via telehealth who are established first as in person clients.

With individuals, I have worked successfully for many years, depending on the need, though there may still be technology frustrations at times. These are all things you need to consider when deciding whether teletherapy is right for you.

When teletherapy is not the right choice…

There are situations where it may be better for you to attend an in-person session. If you have suicidal thoughts or have a suicide plan, it will be difficult for me to provide the kind of support you need through teletherapy.

If you are experiencing thoughts like this or feel that you are unsafe, please call 911 or go to your local emergency room. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention hotline at (800) 273-8255 or the local mental health crisis line. In Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, the mental health emergency phone number is (540) 434-1766.

What will I need for teletherapy?

Ideally, a private Internet connection in your home is best. Test your WIFI connection ahead of time to ensure it is strong enough to support a teletherapy platform.

You will need a computer or laptop with a camera, a tablet, or a phone. It’s best if you can use headphones or earbuds as you will be able to hear me better. It will also keep our conversation more private.

Find a private place to meet with me. If you cannot meet with me from home, I will ask you at the beginning of our session where you are in case of an emergency. Please do not join your session from a public place. This will ensure that you feel free to express yourself and protect your privacy.

Teens should always meet with me from home with a parent or guardian available. Teens (and adults) can feel free to have things like fidget toys, playdoh, or a stress ball available if it’s helpful.

Do not join the session while you are driving! I cannot work with you on the kind of deep level you need when you must concentrate on driving. If you join a session while driving, I will end the session and wait for you to get to a safe place to talk.

Please do not go outside for our sessions, as wind and various other noises may interfere with our work.

Feel free to bring a notebook to write things down. You may also make notes during the week that you wish to share with me.

If you feel teletherapy is right for you, give me a call right now!

I am accepting new individual clients for telehealth.

If you would like to hear more about the benefits of teletherapy, call me for a free consultation at (434) 202-4157.