My Journey to Online Therapy
It was not long ago when I was sitting in my nicely appointed office in Ellicott City, MD where I had been serving my community for approximately four years at that point in private practice.
I had carefully selected all of the furnishings, decor and even down to the fine details of what coffee I wanted at the coffee bar in the waiting room.
I worked really hard to create a space that was welcoming and comfortable for my clients.
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In many ways, it was perfect. It was exactly the space I envisioned for myself as I go about my business of helping people.
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Do you know what the truth was?
I was STRESSED.
Stressed about financing this beautiful space.
Stressed about meeting the financial needs of the practice to keep it going.
Stressed about the balancing act of being the best possible clinician I could be when I was clearly in over my head.
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Then I realized something.
It doesn't HAVE to be this way.
What you do is unique and personal, extremely valuable and innovative.
I can do this thing better.
I CAN work smarter and not harder.
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I CAN help people without feeling so stressed.
And just like that, I changed my life.
I packed up my home, my three year old son and we moved to the beach.
Life is good!
And today I am able to do the work I love while also having the life I love without having to choose between the two.
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It was a decision that while was not easy, at the same time, it was simple.
And the questions...It's cool. I love the questions!
What is it like to do psychotherapy online?
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Here's the FACT.
We live in a TECHNOLOGICAL AGE.
Technology guides every part of our life.
The only thing that is different about doing psychotherapy online is you are not coming to a physical office. Everything else is essentially the same.
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Picture this.
You don't have to shoot across town in traffic and arrive at your session stressed and probably 5-10 minutes late.
You can get in your comfy clothes.
You can grab your favorite cup of coffee and your favorite blanket, load up your computer or tablet to chat with your therapist. And when your session is over, you can get back to your LIFE!
Everything is done seamlessly online and from the comfort of your home or office.
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Is it Secure?
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Sessions are conducted in a secure, HIPAA Compliant Portal. We take extra precautions to make sure things are secure on our end. We use encrypted software to make sure your information is safe and sound.
Do I need any special equipment?
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You will need a reliable computer/laptop, tablet or smart phone with a stable internet connection. For best results, we recommend using a computer or laptop.
Is it covered by health insurance?
If we participate in your insurance plan, generally speaking, yes. It is your responsibility to make sure that you understand what is covered by your insurance plans. The select plans we do participate in, in our experience, do cover online counseling the same as an in-person office visit.
What if I want to have my session in-person?
Effective July 1, 2019, we will be offering limited in-office sessions at our new office location in Wilmington, NC. We will continue to offer online to those that want it. All existing clientele based out of Maryland will not have this option and will have to continue online.
What would be the best way to see if Online Counseling is right for me?
If you are unsure if it is right for you, we recommend scheduling a FREE 30 Minute Consultation call, which will be done online. This will give you an opportunity to chat with your counselor to briefly discuss your concerns while also seeing what it would be like to try out online psychotherapy.