According to research, online therapy provides just as much benefit as in-person therapy.
After offering thousands of online sessions (which we’ve offered since before the pandemic), my team and I can confidently corroborate that finding -- our clients make progress towards their goals even when we can’t meet face to face.
That said, some of our clients seem to get more out of online sessions than others.
Those who pay attention to factors that will enhance presence and comfort for themselves and their clinician seem to reap the most benefit from treatment.
If you’d like to maximize your teletherapy sessions, try the tips below. And good news -- many of these require minor adjustments yet will make a significant impact.
(And for those of you who can’t implement all of the following tips because #pandemic, rest assured -- no need to be perfect! While these tips will enhance your therapy, simply showing up to sessions is the number one way to support your mental health.)
1. Take video calls on your computer (not your phone)
Set your body up for optimal presence, relaxation, and engagement during the session by taking your video call on your computer rather than your phone.
The larger screen and stable setup will support your body to feel as comfortable as possible.
This arrangement will also allow your therapist to see you more clearly. The more your therapist can track your nonverbal body language without a ton of camera shaking during the call, the better they’ll be able to guide you.
If you absolutely must use your phone, place it on a stand or lean it against something so that your hands are free and the video is stable for your therapist.
2. Face a light source
As mentioned above, your therapist guides the session in response to your body language. This includes microexpressions, subtle and fleeting facial expressions that indicate how you’re feeling.
Since your therapist isn’t in the room with you, help them better read your microexpressions by ensuring you’re well lit.
Position yourself such that your light source faces you, i.e. shines on your face. This might mean facing a window, lamp, or one of those fancy ring lights.
Turn off any lamps and cover any windows behind you so that you don’t blind your therapist or become a dark silhouette.
3. Use a headset with a microphone
Like microexpressions, your voice -- its cadence, tone, and prosody i.e. rhythm of speech -- provides information about your emotional state.
A talented therapist tailors sessions according to cues provided by your voice. In addition, they will use their voice for coregulation, i.e. our innate capacity to emotionally regulate with the help of others. In other words, they will use their voice to positively impact your state and the tone of the session.
As such, set yourself up for the best audio possible by using a headset with a microphone.
Even if you’re in a quiet environment, a headset will prevent issues such as echoing and enhance the quality of your therapist’s voice.
4. Leave a buffer before and after sessions
Pre-pandemic, most clients enjoyed a progressive transition from the hustle and bustle of daily life into therapy as they traveled to and from their therapist’s office.
The blessed zero commute that comes with our new work-from-home world has its downsides. Therapy goers miss out on key contemplation and integration time as they shift from work meetings and pandemic parenting into sessions with little to no break in between.
We’ve noticed our clients sometimes struggle to fully engage in sessions without time beforehand to get out of “work” mode. And no buffer on the other side of sessions means less time for integration, which may mean some of the gains of therapy are less likely to stick.
As you can imagine, this issue’s relatively easy to fix -- simply carve out time before and after sessions. I recommend at least 15 minutes, more if possible. Use your transition time to make a cup of tea, meditate, stretch, journal, or simply let your mind wander.
5. Eliminate distractions
Ideally, therapy enables new perspectives, ways of looking at ourselves, our lives, and our problems that have remained otherwise elusive. We do this by taking time in session to “hear” thoughts, feelings, and sensations that go unnoticed in our day-to-day life.
That kind of inner listening that makes therapy deeply healing requires focus. As such, set yourself up in an environment with few distractions.
Above all, find a private space, one where you have no fear of being overheard.
Make sure to tell housemates or family members that you’re busy.
Put your devices “Do Not Disturb” and don’t check your messages or notifications during the session.
Make sure you have a strong internet connection so as to avoid technological interruptions.
What other strategies do you use to make your therapy sessions as helpful as possible? We’d love to hear what works for you -- please drop a comment below.