Online Therapy in Washington, DC
Therapy for Women and HSPs
Does online therapy really work?
Yes! Before 2020, I would never have dreamed of opening an online therapy practice. I wanted the “real thing” of in person therapy. But then the pandemic hit, and I had no choice but to go online. And I’ve seen in my own online therapy practice that it does work. Transformation happens in spite of the virtual connection.
If you prefer online therapy to in person, the transformation might happen because of the virtual therapy. Whether or not you want online therapy is entirely up to you. Trust yourself to have a sense of what’s right for you. If it doesn’t work, you can always change your mind.
Feeling underwater doesn’t have to be your norm.
Get some support in keeping your head above water.
Trying to get it right all the time is exhausting.
Make some space for flexibility.
If only your empathy didn’t feel like a burden.
Start connecting with your strengths.
An Online Therapist in Washington, DC
…..located in Madison, WI? It may not be surprising at all, given the huge influx of online therapy in recent years. I am particularly interested in providing online therapy in Washington, DC because I used to live there! Years ago I worked in Adams Morgan at the Sitar Arts Center, an amazing after school arts center. I loved going to see the cherry blossoms on the Tidal Basin every spring. Eating at pupusas at Ercilia’s and empanadas at Julia’s Empanadas. Playing frisbee and going to drum circles in Malcolm X Park.
5 Ways to prepare for Online Therapy in Washington, DC
Preparing for Online Therapy in Washington, DC Tip #1:
Find a space where you won’t be disturbed during your online therapy session
If we were meeting in my office, I would be responsible for your privacy. When we meet for telehealth therapy, that task falls on you. Therapy is a place where lots of feelings come up. You’ll feel pretty vulnerable sometimes. It’s important that you aren’t worried someone will come in the room or hear you through the walls. Putting a fan outside your door can act as a great noise barrier. (Make sure it’s outside your room, not inside. If you put it inside, the effect is that you will talk louder and people outside the room won’t have the white noise barrier.)
Preparing for Online Therapy in Washington, DC Tip #2:
Keep your power cord handy for your telehealth therapy appointment
Ideally your device would be plugged in throughout your online therapy session. What you’re trying to prevent here is to realize you’re out of battery just as you’re getting into how upset you are about what your partner said yesterday. If you’re not in online meetings much, remember that they do take a significant amount of battery.
Preparing for Online Therapy in Washington, DC Tip #3:
Test your internet connection to make sure you don’t buffer during your virtual therapy session
Virtual therapy sessions require at least 10mbps of Upload speed to run smoothly. You can find your numbers by running an internet speed test. You’ll also want to make sure that you complete all updates for your browser and device.
Preparing for Online Therapy in Washington, DC Tip #4:
Choose a comfortable spot for your telehealth therapy session
If you were coming to my office, I would be the one making the space comfortable. With telehealth therapy, you get to decide what environment you want for your therapy session. Think about what would make you feel cozy, protected, comfortable. Play around with it. Something else that is different between in person and online sessions is that in person sessions have a physical separation between you and the rest of your life. The only thing you would use my therapy office for would be for therapy. Whatever spot you choose for your virtual therapy appointments, you will be using it for something else at another time. It can be helpful to think about how you can separate your therapy space for yourself. Some people like to take a little walk before and after session to separate the space. You could put on a different sweater, or turn your computer a little differently.
Preparing for Online Therapy in Washington, DC Tip #5:
Make sure notifications are turned off during your online therapy appointment
You may be using the same computer for therapy as you do for work. In this case take a few steps to silence your phone and your notifications. It can be distracting and throw you off if you see emails and slack messages coming in during your online therapy session. The focus of therapy is on you. It might take some time to adjust to this, but people find that it pays off.
I’m happy to be a telehealth therapist in Washington, DC.
My psychotherapy private practice is based in Madison, WI. I also provide online therapy in Wisconsin, telehealth therapy in Massachusetts, counseling for anxiety, depression therapy, and therapy for Highly Sensitive People.