Your Telehealth Session

How to prepare for your Telehealth Session: Setting up your space

Location

Check that the sun is not glaring on their screen. This makes it hard for me to see you. If glare is a problem, close the curtains or change the direction your screen is facing.
Try and sit at a table/desk, as sessions may involve writing, drawing or otherwise interacting with activities that require a flat surface.
Make sure the location is private and you and/or your child can’t be overheard or interrupted.
Creating a space that is comfortable and safe is important for therapy to work most effectively. If the privacy of a session is compromised your therapist reserves the right to cancel the session. In this case a full fee will apply. If you think privacy may be a problem, please discuss this with Kim so we can talk about options.

Make sure your child has readily available

Use a desktop computer if possible. Some sessions will involve screen sharing. If a desktop is not available use the next biggest screened device: laptop, ipad or similar, then phone as a last option.
If you are using a mobile device, make sure you can use it hands free.
Ensure that you are using a device that it is fully charged, and placed where the therapist can see you and/or child and that you are close enough to the microphone so that your therapist can easily hear you.
Check your connection – if at home you may need to move your computer to a place with a stronger internet connection.
Have headphones nearby – they may be needed to prevent echo/feedback.
You may need to try and keep others at home off the internet at the same time as the session to minimise demands on connection.
Sessions are for 25 or 50 minutes, but allow an extra 10-15 minutes in case there are technical difficulties.
If they / you will be using a laptop with a track pad, please see if you can attached a handhold mouse.
Please note I reserve the right to terminate a session if your child will not turn on the camera. It is important both for security and privacy and confidentiality reasons that the camera is kept on.

Your session structure will change depending on various factors including your child’s age, developmental stage, language abilities and the reasons for therapy.
Your first session is a child free session. It is attended by parent/s and/or other appropriate carers/guardians.
From then the sessions may be parent only, parent and child together, or child only.
It is also common that sessions are a combination of the above.
It is usual that a parent is present for the start of the session to help provide an update on between session progress/challenges.
It is required that you or another responsible adult be available for the whole of session time, to provide an update, to be available for psychoeducation/skills training, to answer any questions your child may have, to be involved in any discussions with your child as required.
This means for the session time please do not take or schedule phone calls that will take you away from being available. It’s just like sitting in a waiting room, although it's usually a bit more comfortable and you can do your dishes or laundry whilst waiting if you choose.
Even if you are not required physically in the actual session, you need to be close by in case your presence is required. You also need to make sure I can contact you on the contact number you provided during the session. Therefore, your child cannot use your phone to attend telehealth sessions.

We will work through it and find a work around. It is extremely rare that a session needs to be rescheduled for internet connectivity problems.