ONLINE THERAPY

Online Therapy

Some people struggle to get to appointments every week. It is always best to see a therapist in person, but for some clients, this can be almost impossible. Having video therapy best suits those with physical mobility problems, debilitating psychological difficulties which keep them housebound, as well as those living in remote areas where it is difficult to access a therapy service. For business people who often travel abroad, video therapy means that needing to be out the country need not get in the way of making progress in therapy. You can visit my dedicated site for online therapy at: www.e-therapist.uk

Getting Started with Online Counselling

Secure online platforms

It is important to find an online platform that is secure. I have made some suggestions below of some options that are free as well as offering a high level of security.

• Doxy: This is a telemedicine platform especially for health providers. It is very secure and easy to use. See: Doxy.me. At the time of your session, simply log into: doxy.me/sherylin
• Signal: This is a fantastic app for android and iOS phones. It is very easy to download and use and offers secure voice calls as well as video meetings. https://signal.org/download/

Popular online platforms

I am willing to connect over a medium that you would feel comfortable and secure using. Below are some other popular options clients often opt for.

• Skype is a popular option but not recommended as a longer-term therapy platform as it is not as secure as the above two options. If you would prefer to use Skype, please take some time to read this advice from Get Safe Online: https://www.getsafeonline.org/protecting-your-computer/skype-internet-calls/
• I can work with FaceTime, phone or whatever medium you are most comfortable with. Whatever you choose, you can also get some general advice on online security at: https://www.getsafeonline.org/
• Zoom: This is free for one to one video meetings and can be downloaded at: https://zoom.us/download

Online security and confidentiality

Being safe online: As with anything online, you need to protect yourself and your computer. You need to be sure you have all the usual precautions in place such as an antivirus program, using a personal firewall (there are many excellent free programs available) and updating security programs regularly. Visit Get Safe Online for more information on secure internet use.

Confidentiality: Once your computer and internet settings are secure, you will also need to consider how private you will be when you have your video or phone counselling session. To help you speak more freely, you will need to be confident that nobody can overhear you or interrupt the session. You need to consider when you can be alone and uninterrupted in front of your computer for 50 minutes a week. Perhaps there is a time when work or family commitments are not so demanding and I would be happy to be as flexible as possible to accommodate the best time for you.