3 Tips for How to Prepare for Your Online Counselling Session

If you were to do a simple Google search of the history of online counselling, you will find key points that date back decades ago. However, for most of us, online counselling is something new that came about during the early months of 2020, as the Pandemic altered our world.   

Most of us can probably think back to an appointment during that time, where the conditions were less than ideal for therapeutic change and connection to occur. Kids were screaming, dogs were barking, we had little to no privacy – it was chaos!

Now that we are on the other side, there is a lot that we can learn and take away from our experiences, to ensure that we get the most out of our online counselling sessions. Here are three tips to improve your online counselling experience:

1. Set up the tech

The first step in creating a smooth online counselling experience, is to make sure your technology is set up and ready to go. At Lokahi Wellness Collective, not only do we use the booking platform Jane App to schedule your appointments, but it is also the platform we use to host our online counselling sessions. If you are using a cellphone or iPad for your appointment, you will need to download the Jane App from your App or Google Play Store. If you are using a desktop or laptop computer, Jane App seems to work best using Google Chrome. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with this program and complete your online profile and any Intake/Consent Forms your counsellor sends to you, prior to your session.

For those clients interested in doing EMDR Therapy online - please note, you will need a computer for these sessions in order to do the bilateral stimulation that is part of reprocessing. Your counsellor will go over this with you more thoroughly during your appointment.  

Finally, it’s always wise to restart your computer and/or update your apps prior to your appointment, to work out any “bugs” that might be in the system and prevent glitches from occurring during your session. This process can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 hour to complete – so give yourself time!

2. Prepare your Environment

One benefit of going to a counsellor’s office for your appointment, is that it is free of distractions. The same should apply when attending your counselling appointments online, from the comfort of your home. What this means is that the TV should not be on in the background, you aren’t waiting on someone to call or come to the door, children are being cared for by someone else (or can manage themselves independently for the full hour), and even pets are not able to come into the room and distract you from your session.

You will also want to find a quiet, comfortable space.  Participating from your bed or car might be comfortable or private, but it isn’t fully conducive to a counselling appointment. If possible, find a clean desk or table, where you can sit comfortably in a chair, with your feet flat on the ground. If you can’t find a space like that at home, talk to your counsellor as they may have some ideas and suggestions for you. 

Finally, tidy up your space. This isn’t for the benefit of your counsellor, but for you. If you are in session, but thinking about the mess around you, then it won’t be something that you can fully focus on. By taking a couple of minutes to tidy up the space around you, it will also prepare your mind to do the intricate work of therapy. 

3. Prepare Yourself

It’s not always easy to remember what you want to discuss during a session, so it can be helpful to set an extra 10 minutes aside - prior to your appointment, to reflect on your week and what you would like to share. Some people find it helpful to jot down a list of issues.  Sometimes just the act of writing things down, may help start your journey to discovery and healing.

This is also a good time to use the bathroom and grab yourself a glass of water or cup of tea.

Remember what YOU put into counselling is what YOU will get out of it. Keeping these three tips in mind when preparing for you next online counselling session can make all the difference in the experience you have.