How to get the most out of online counselling

This article will help you make the most out of your online counselling sessions. If you have any further questions, please reach out to me. 

• Download platform - Download the platform that your therapist will use in advance and make sure it is up to date. I use Microsoft teams; I recommend to my clients to have it installed with plenty of time before their first session. Ensure it is the most up to date version and you have completed any sign-in instructions. This enables you to not only start your first session promptly but give you time to get used to the platform. 

  
  

• Camera and microphone - Make sure they are working and of good enough quality. This can be easy to test with the video function on your phone, tablet, laptop or computer. By recording a video, you can see if the quality of the image and sound from the microphone are working and to a good enough quality that you can be seen and heard clearly. Important to remember lighting will pay a key factor in this, so having a well-lit room will aid the quality of you being seen to a high standard by your counsellor. 

  
  

• Confidentiality/space/location - A vital unique point to online therapy is that you will not be in a space provide by your counsellor or a counselling service. Therefore, you need to consider is the space you are going to participate in sessions with going to be appropriate. Consider, can anyone overhear you? Do you feel safe to share intimate details and emotions from this space? Can anyone see you? Is anyone likely to walk in during your session? Counselling rooms are set-up to provide privacy so do consider carefully where you wish to do sessions from and will you be consistently doing all your sessions from this space? A final point to consider is your online security. I have another article exclusively on this topic, so do please look at that as well. 

  
  

• Distractions/phones - My advice is to treat your session like an in-person therapy session. There consider potential distractions around you. You would not have a Tv on in a counselling room, so would it be appropriate to have it on at home while having a session? This seems obvious but is easy to overlook when in the comfort of your own home with many potential distractions that could prevent you from getting the most out of your counselling sessions. 

  
  

• Connection issues - In the event of any internet connection issues, having a phone call can be a good back up. So, in the event of a call disconnecting and be unable to re-connect having your phone available for a call is useful. 

  
  

• Transition after the session - Consider how you would like to transition into and out of the session. Normally with an in-person session you would travel to and from the session so would have time to consider what to bring to a session and time to reflect afterwards. Is there anything you could do before to keep some of this from home? Such a writing lists before and journalling afterwards. Taking a walk before and after could also be a good alternative. Be creative and find what works for you. 

I hope this article helps give you ideas that can help you make the most out of online counselling and if you have any questions, please do reach out to me.