Therapy for the Family

Telehealth

Telehealth allows us to meet privately over the Internet using your computer, tablet or Smartphone. This can be a good option for those that may have difficulty attending in-person sessions due to one or more of the following:

• Scheduling conflict
• Illness/Prevention of illness (ie. Pandemic)
• Lack of transportation
• Distance from office makes regular appointments burdensome

How does it work?
At your appointment time, click on the link that was texted to you. You will use the same link for each appointment. Enter your name and click "allow" to the prompts. The connection is secure and HIPAA-compliant to protect your privacy.

What’s needed?

• A computer or phone with ALL of the following:
  • Internet connection
  • Speakers or headphones
  • Webcam/Camera
  • Microphone. (Most Laptops, iPads/Tablets and SmartPhones have these features built-in. Desktop computers may or may not have all)

Recommendations (outside of Covid)
It is our recommendation to consider Telehealth appointments intermittently. In other words, not for every appointment but periodically or when it is difficult for you to attend your in-person appointment. Telehealth is also recommended only if you are comfortable with technology.
If you’re interested or have additional questions, please ask.

Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Can we use Skype, FaceTime or Duo?
Answer: We take your privacy seriously. Unfortunately, Skype, FaceTime nor Duo are HIPAA-compliant platforms and therefore we do not use them.

Question: How will I know where to “meet”, or what to do on my computer or phone?
Answer: You will be texted a link which you will simply click on at your scheduled time. Clicking the link will start our session. Although the link is sent to your phone, it may be forwarded to and used on any device.

Question: What happens if there are technical difficulties?
Answer: We will do our best to walk you through them and if we are unable to resolve them, we will resume via telephone. Or if needed, we will reschedule the appointment for another time.

TELEHEALTH BEST PRACTICES
The appointment link sent via text by our office can be used on any device. Together Family Counseling sends the link to the cell phone on file, but the client does not have to use the cell phone for the appointment; it can be forwarded to be used on the device of choice - a desktop, laptop, tablet, etc. It is recommended to attend the appointment on a device other than the cell phone as incoming calls/texts can disrupt the quality of the session, or even disconnect it.

Therefore, it is recommended to not use the primary cell phone for appointments, or if it is the only option, then activating the "do not disturb" function before the session may help.

To turn on Do Not Disturb
iPhone
Go to Settings > Do Not Disturb and set Manual to ‘on’. You can also adjust your ‘Allow Calls From’ setting to ‘none’. Or Swipe up on your Home Screen and select the moon icon, which turns ‘Do Not Disturb’ on.

Android
Go to Settings>Sound and Notification (under “Device”)>Do not Disturb (under “Notification”); under this setting you can set up a schedule for the do not disturb time or choose “now.”

Technical Troubleshooting
If the connection is glitchy, try the following:

• If on Wifi, move closer to the wifi router or access point
• If using a phone, close all open tabs and turn on Do Not Disturb (see above for instructions)
• If using a computer, close unused windows
• If possible, use a wired connection
• If possible, try connecting from a different device (link may be forwarded or manually entered)