I’ve come to realize that I’m a very outside of the box thinker. If someone doesn’t see my vision, that’s quite all right, and I sure hope they have a great vision of their own. However, if someone tells me my hopes and dreams for the future just can’t be done, then I usually have a fire lit in me to prove them wrong. Hence, the quote above, which I think applies to work life as well as to home life.
My counseling private practice in Flower Mound, Texas is an online video counseling business, run out of my home office. It’s an up-and-coming part of the therapy field which kind of bridges the gap between traditional brick-and-mortal therapy practices and the online work that life coaches have been doing for years. As a visionary, I’m excited to be doing this type of work, and to be on the forefront of the changing therapy field.
One of the things I really love about online video counseling is that it breaks down the barriers to mental health treatment You don’t need a babysitter for your kids; you don’t need to drive anywhere; you don’t need to leave your work office for your sessions. All in all, it saves you time, one of our most precious commodities.
I even tried to show this concept in my work logo (an outdoor landscape with a curvy path leading into the horizon). Why did I choose this particular logo over a more traditional one (such as a person sitting at a computer for an online video counseling session)? Because the whole point of counseling, in and of itself, is to help you find your path and live your best possible life. Therefore, if I can help you find time in your week by not having to drive to see me, so you can use that time for self-care or to play with your children or spend time with your spouse, isn’t that found time a beautiful thing? And, we haven’t even started to talk about the gift of therapeutic space yet!
What is therapeutic space? It’s the environment a therapist creates so clients can feel comfortable during their therapy sessions.
Have you ever walked into an office and felt uncomfortable? I sure have! And why is that? It could be the negative vibes you’re picking up on from the person/people who work there or the décor in the room or even how the furniture is arranged. It’s very hard to create an office space that works for everyone, young and old, male and female. That’s part of the beauty of online counseling; you’re in your own comfortable space right from the start with your things and your own “therapy” pets. Plus, if you’re in a comfortable space from the beginning, this may even help your therapeutic work get done more quickly for you too.
I’ve personally been on both sides of the screen so to speak, as a therapist and also as an online video therapy client. As a client, I was so appreciative to be in my house, in my office, in my space, and with Pisco, my beloved chocolate Labrador retriever for extra emotional support. I’m also one of those people who loves to be at home in the space I created. Plus, my therapist was in another city in Texas, and I was still able to see her, just as my Texas therapy license allows me to see clients across the state of Texas as well!
Are there people who don’t want to do their therapy sessions via online video counseling? Absolutely! I’ve been finding that the people I typically refer out to brick-and-mortar offices are usually the ones who have a lot of free time on their hands, time they are looking to fill, so the extra drive time, etc. is actually a positive for them. It’s often older people who find Internet video chats a little too futuristic still. Also, people who have been in counseling in the past and are looking for a similar therapeutic experience, office and all. I get it; this online set up is not perfect for everyone.
However, for the new mom who is looking for a little extra support from the comfort of her home, this online video counseling setup typically works really well for her. For the women who are experiencing grief and loss in their lives, this online video counseling setup typically works really well for her. For the pregnant women who are concerned about postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, and other postpartum mental health concerns, this online video counseling setup typically works really well for her. For the woman who loves her pets and wants them around for emotional support (aka therapy pets!), this online video counseling setup typically works really well for her too.
I’ve definitely had women contact me who want to set up online video counseling sessions with me from the get-go. But other women have been a little more skeptical about this new type of therapy. However, they often decide after we’ve connected over the phone to give it a try. I have yet to have someone try online video counseling with me and then decide to switch back to in person sessions (with another therapist). It’s very often the opposite, where they are glad they took the chance and tried something new, because they like it and it fits in well with their busy lifestyle.
[…] must occur within the state where the therapist is licensed, either in office or online. Since coaching is unregulated, it can take place across state lines and even […]