What to Bring to Virtual Therapy
Yay you are trying therapy! Now for the important question… what do you bring to your first session? And sessions to come?
Well, there are a lot of benefits to utilizing virtual therapy. You get to be in the safety of your own home, there is no additional commute to an office, or the need to strategize parking/parking meters, etc. So what you bring to virtual therapy gets to be a bit different from meeting in a normal office.
Potential Things to Bring:
Notebook & Pen: If you like to reflect on your sessions and the skills you might learn in therapy, having a notebook nearby may be a helpful way to record important reflections. You can also write quick notes of what topics or specific things you wish to talk about in your therapy session for the day- or next time.
Cozy blanket: I still get to list this one because the PNW doesn’t get hot for another 3-4 months! Creating a cozy space for yourself is also a benefit of doing virtual therapy.
Warm or Cold Beverage & Some Snacks: Now granted, some therapists allow this in person, but some also refrain in case various client’s have specific allergies to foods. You get to bring the snacks or drinks (non-alcoholic only please) to your session at home!
Slippers or Cozy Socks: Since you are home, you can wear comfortable footwear or socks. This adds to the feeling of being in a safe and known space.
A Charger: One of the great barriers to virtual therapy is the battery life of whatever device you are using for your appointment. Making sure a charger is close-by can be a time saver if your device starts to alert you that it is getting low on battery.
Headphones: If you share a home with others some people prefer to have headphones in during session to be even more discrete about their conversations.
A Mindset of Growth: There is a saying between therapists, “people come to therapy when they are ready”- in the broad sense, it is not about being fully ready, but ready enough to be intentional and consistent with services to make actual deep changes in your life. Having the mindset and willingness to step towards developing supportive changes in your life is key for therapy to be effective.
Hopefully you gained a few new ideas of optional ways to create a cozy and supportive space for yourself during tele-therapy! If you have more questions regarding the process of tele-therapy feel free to contact us to set up a consultation call or intake session!
**For couples, depending on if you are in the same location or separate locations for sessions- it is helpful to check in about boundaries while in session (eg. sitting arrangements, taking breaks/pauses, coordinating childcare etc). These can also be things we address in couples therapy, just ask your counselor.
