Let’s Get Started Using Teletherapy!

Everything you know to get started with online therapy

What is Telehealth?

Through audio and video over the internet, you can meet with your clinician on-the-go from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device—it’s your choice! Telehealth allows us to connect anywhere with secure and convenient appointments that save you time and hassle. There’s no need to deal with traffic when you can schedule and attend your appointments directly from a laptop or mobile device. Just like a face-to-face appointment, your Telehealth visit will be private and confidential.

What equipment do I need?

To participate in Telehealth appointments from your home, you need ONE of the following devices:

  1. Desktop computer with a webcam and speakers

  2. Laptop computer with built-in webcam and speakers

  3. Tablet device with built-in webcam and speakers

  4. Smartphone

Note for video-sessions: You will also need an internet connection that is at least 10mbps. For optimal results, a reliable, high speed internet connection with a bandwidth of at least 10 mbps will minimize connection issues and provide the best quality. We recommend using the Pre-call Tool to check your internet connection: www.tokbox.com/developer/tools/precall/

Tip: Scroll to FAQ’s for tips on improving your connection quality.

You can also test your system and get familiar with the video-conference format prior to your appointment by visiting https://doxy.me/precall-test

Where’s the best place to do a Teletherapy session?

When deciding the best place in your home, you will want to choose a space that is private and away from household members, coworkers, pets or any other potential distractions. Choose a quiet, private location. Identify a suitable room that is quiet, private, and free of distractions. To keep background noise to a minimum, close any doors and shut any windows. If possible use good quality headphones with a microphone. This increases the quality of your sound, helps insure the privacy of your session, and is easier than holding a phone to your ear for the entire session.

Here is an additional recommendations for video-sessions:

• Adjust your light. Some small lighting tweaks that can have a huge impact include placing a lamp or other light source behind your monitor, pointed toward you. Also, make sure you don’t have too much light behind you. If you’re on a laptop, make sure the camera is at eye level and not pointing up at the ceiling lights, or down at the floor.

How to join a phone session:

  1. Approximately 10 minutes before your appointment find a quiet, private location that is free of distractions. This might be a your bedroom or office, in a park, or in your car. Choose a space that is away from other people. Using headphones can greatly improve your privacy, the quality of the sound, and your comfort during the session.

  2. Answer the call.

How to join a video conference session:

  1. Approximately 10 minutes before your appointment, you should test your system using https://doxy.me/precall-test. Make sure that you have enabled the camera and microphone on your device.

  2. Click the link embedded in the reminder email to enter the virtual waiting room. (www.doxy.me/lcrr)

  3. When it is time for your session I will bring you into the video call.

Note: If I am having difficulty hearing you or the reverse we may switch the audio to a phone call while continuing to use the video to see one another. This can be helpful when the internet connection is slow and for calls with multiple clients at different locations.

F A Q S

Q. What should I do if I didn’t get the reminder email with the link?

Contact me if you did not get the link so I can send it to you via email or secure messaging. You can also use the link above to enter the virtual waiting room.

Q. What is Doxy.me?

Doxy.me, LLC is my telehealth platform which allows clients to participate in face-to-face sessions virtually. Doxy.me uses state-of-the-art security and encryption protocols, making Doxy.me compliant with HIPAA and HITECH requirements. It does not require you to create an account or download anything. All data is encrypted, your sessions are anonymous, and none of your information is stored. Doxy.me adheres to HIPAA, PIPEDA, and GDPR data privacy requirements.

Q. What can I do to improve the quality of the connection?

If you live in an area with slow internet, this can really affect the speed of your connection. Here are some basic steps that can improve the overall quality:

• Use wired Ethernet instead of wifi whenever possible. Wifi will work, but you may experience a lag and interference, which can make your video and audio choppy. Wired internet will give you a much smoother, more consistent experience.

• Test your internet connection speed. Google provides an easy way to test your internet connection directly from the google homepage. Simply search: internet speed test. Click the blue button that says Run Speed Test. If it is under 10mbps and you’re using wifi, try using a wired internet connection or restarting your router.

• Close other programs. If you have several programs running in the background, closing them will almost certainly improve the quality. Also, make sure you’re not downloading any large files. If you are unable to connect, please contact me as soon as possible to see if I can help you troubleshoot.

Q. How do I get rid of an echo?

The following steps should be done by you and your provider:

1. Use headphones
2. Reduce the volume of speakers
3. Move the microphone away from the speakers

Q. Is Telehealth private?

Just like a face-to-face appointment, your Telehealth visit will be private and confidential.

Q. How can I improve video quality?

1. Restart your computer: restart your computer before your first call.
2. Wifi: be close to your wifi router, make sure no other parties on the network are using up the bandwidth, and you don't have a lot of browser windows open.
3. CPU/GPU usage: ensure no high intensity programs are running on the computer.

Congratulations! You’re now ready to start using Teletherapy!

512-843-2656

3000 Joe DiMaggio Blvd, Suite 1, Round Rock, TX 78665

ANGELA HAYES, MS,
LMFT, MASTER
CERTIFIED LIFE COACH

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