Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is teletherapy actually effective?

A: Yes, research has found that teletherapy is as effective as in-person therapy.

Q: What if I don’t have a computer?

A: You can use a mobile phone. It’s just not as ideal because I can’t see as much of you in the screen. Your body language is as helpful, sometimes more, than what you’re saying. Also, I will often share things on my screen, and it is much harder for you to see on a phone.

Q: What if I have children at home?

A: You will need to have someone to watch your children while you are in therapy so that you have focused, dedicated time for you.

Q: What if I live in Missouri (or Kansas) but I’m in another state? For example, you’re visiting someone, on vacation, or you are in college in another state.

A: It depends on the state as to whether I can conduct therapy with you there. I am licensed in Missouri and generally you’ll need to be physically located in Missouri during therapy. If this is a question for you, contact me and we can discuss and determine what the options are.

Q: What if I have a panic attack or I dissociate or pass out (or some other emergency) during therapy?

A: I require you to have an emergency contact person’s name and phone number on file. This is someone who could come to your location to assist you in the case of an emergency. I also have on file your local police department phone number so that I can contact them if needed (calling my 911 may not reach your emergency services depending on where you live). Having said that, there are precautions we take together to manage the session and avoid panic attacks or dissociation. But, things can happen so there is a procedure I follow.

Q: What happens if the video or audio is bad? Or, what if the internet goes out during the session?

A: In a former life (before I changed careers to become a therapist), I worked in IT. I can troubleshoot a number of things. Outside of things that are fixable, I have a backup option for sessions. If the connection is bad, we can reconnect to my backup option. If the connection is cutoff, I call you and we can complete the session via phone or reschedule to complete the session.

Q: What else do I need to know?

I need to have a copy of your driver’s license or other photo ID to confirm your identity.

I will confirm your current location at the start of each therapy session.

Choose a location that has good lighting. It is best not to have a bright window behind you. Facing a window is great.

Please know that I will not conduct therapy while you are driving, or riding in a car with someone else, or trying to multitask (doing laundry, cleaning, etc.). I take your mental health seriously. I know distractions are common and we are all very busy, but you deserve dedicated time to focus on you.

If you have any addtional questions about teletherapy that I haven’t answered here, please let me know!