How to prepare for a telehealth session

This one is non-negotiable. Because I'm licensed in Florida, you need to be physically in the state at the time of each session. It applies even if you live here and happen to be traveling. If you'll be out of state on a session day, reschedule. The fees page has the cancellation policy.

Privacy matters more than anything else on this list. You want a place where you can't be overheard and won't be interrupted, so you can say what you actually think without half listening for footsteps.

A bedroom with the door closed works. So does a home office, a spare room, or a bathroom if that's the only door that locks. If home is never quiet, a parked car can be a surprisingly good option. Never while driving, though. If you're behind the wheel, we'll stop and reschedule.

If there are people at home, it helps to tell them you need the next 90 minutes undisturbed. You don't have to say why.

Headphones help a lot. They keep my voice from carrying through the house, they cut background noise, and they make the conversation feel closer. Wired or wireless is fine; just make sure they're charged.

A white-noise machine or a fan outside the door can add an extra layer of privacy if walls are thin.

A laptop, tablet or phone with a camera all work. Charge it, or keep it plugged in. Ninety minutes is long enough to drain a battery.

Sit somewhere with a steady connection, close to your router if you can. Test the camera and microphone a few minutes beforehand. If you can, set the camera roughly at eye level, which is easier on your neck and makes the conversation feel more natural. A stack of books under a laptop does the job.

Light helps too. A window or lamp in front of you, rather than behind, means I can see your face instead of a silhouette.

Silence your phone, close email, and turn off pop-ups on your computer. It's remarkable how much a single notification can pull you out of a moment. Put the phone face down in another room if it helps.

Water. Tissues, just in case. A blanket or sweater if you tend to get cold when you sit still. Anything that helps you feel settled. It's your space, so make it comfortable.

If you can, don't schedule a hard meeting for the minute the session ends. Give yourself ten or fifteen minutes to land. A walk, a cup of coffee, sitting outside. Some people feel lighter afterward, some feel tired, and either way a little space helps.

You don't need notes, a timeline of your life, or a list of symptoms. You don't need to have figured out what's wrong. You don't need to dress up. If you want the fuller picture of what happens once we start, see what to expect in your first session and how a 90-minute session works. And if you're still wondering whether video can work at all, there's an honest answer in does online trauma therapy work?

Plenty of people don't have a spare room or an empty house. That doesn't rule you out. Some people book a session for a time when others are at work or school. Some use a parked car in a quiet spot. Some borrow a friend's place for the hour and a half. It's worth a little creativity, because privacy makes such a difference to what you feel able to say.

If none of that works, say so in the consultation, and we can think it through together.

Join a couple of minutes early if you can. Close the door, put the headphones on, silence the phone, and take a few slow breaths. You don't have to arrive calm. The point is just to arrive, rather than dashing in from the last thing. It also gives you a moment to notice how you're feeling before we start, which can be useful in itself.

Life happens. A dog barks, a delivery arrives, a child knocks on the door. None of it ruins a session. If you can, arrange for someone else to handle interruptions for the hour and a half, or shut pets in another room. If something does pull you away, we pause and pick back up.

If you know a session day is going to be chaotic at home, it may be worth moving the session to a quieter time, or finding another spot for that day. You know your household better than anyone.

And if the first session setup isn't perfect, that's fine. Most people work out the small things, like where to sit, which headphones to use, and what time of day suits them, within a session or two. The goal is a space where you can talk freely, not a flawless studio. Good enough really is good enough here.

Can I do a session from my car?

What if someone walks in?

Can I do a session from work?