Ontario Telehealth Services
Photo by: Ron Lach / Pexels
Have you been considering seeking therapy, but just can’t find the time?
Or maybe it’s difficult to find a good therapist nearby?
Have you been put off by a long commute, especially if you live in a remote area?
Are you unable to drive?
Are you a parent of a teen who needs therapy, but you can't drive them to the appointments as you work late?
Do you need specialized treatment for an anxiety disorder or OCD and can’t find a qualified therapist?
We have a solution: Our Video Therapy Clinic!
What can be more convenient than scheduling online and talking to your therapist from the privacy of your own home?
What is Online Therapy?
In general, online therapy includes Videoconferencing, as well as therapy via email or text. At Turning Point Psychological Services, we provide Videoconferencing through a secure system.
Who are we allowed to provide online therapy for?
Ontario residents who are currently in the province or travelling.
North American expats around the world.
Residents of many of the countries (with the exception of the US and Canadian provinces other than Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick).
What are the benefits of Video Therapy?
- Research studies demonstrated that Videoconferencing is as effective as traditional at-the-office therapy.
- You can enjoy therapy from the comfort of your home. Instead of rushing to appointments and spending time in traffic, you can make yourself a cup of tea, go to a quiet room in your home, collect your thoughts, and start the session in a more relaxed state of mind.
- Flexible scheduling. It is often difficult to find a therapist who can accommodate your specific requirements for the time of the session. It is easier to schedule online sessions.
- If you are disabled or housebound for either physical or psychological reasons, you can still reap the benefits of therapy.
- If you travel a lot, you can still keep your regular therapy appointments.
Our Experience with Telehealth
We have been providing telehealth services (counselling over video or phone) since 2013. All our clients and therapists find this method very effective. Our clients love that it saves them time that would have been spent commuting and parking. Many clients have also commented that they feel more relaxed when they have the opportunity to have the session from the comfort of their home.
Telehealth and OCD and Related Disorders
Patients with OCD also have an additional benefit when doing the treatment via telehealth as many of the ERP exercises can only be done in their home environment. Having the therapist conduct home visits to do ERP can be prohibitively expensive and telehealth effectively resolves this issue and makes therapy more affordable. Even OCD patients that normally see us in the office, like to schedule video sessions from time to time to practice ERP.
Some ERP exercises are also easier/more appropriate when done over the phone and not in-person or over video, (such as, ERP in a bathroom, when driving (in a hit-and-run OCD), in a social situation, or at work) and telehealth fully accommodates that. Similarly, patients with OCD related disorders, such as BFRBs or emetophobia, may find it easier to engage in therapeutic exposures when in home without the constraints of the office environment.
Another benefit for OCD treatment is that telehealth makes it much easier to engage the family memebers in the treatment as it is much easier fo the family members of a person with OCD to join the session when they are in their own home.
Lastly, telehealth allows us to provide OCD treatment to all areas of Ontario where otherwise, evidence-based OCD treatment is unavailable.
All in all, we find that the treatment of OCD is often more effective when done over the video.
The Session is Very Easy to Set Up
Photo by: Ben Kolde / Unsplash
No downloads are required
There is no need to create an account
Just 3 easy steps:
Copy the link emailed to you by your therapist into your browser.
Allow your browser to use your webcam and microphone.
Type your name and click check in.
Please review the flow chart with tips for great quality call here.
Before the session:
- Your therapist will direct you to our online consent forms for you to download, fill in, and email prior to the first appointment.
- The easiest way to pay for the session is to send us an Interac e-transfer prior to the session. Your therapist will issue a receipt and email it to you.
- Your therapist will send you the link that will automatically open in your browser. No software download required!
How to prepare for a Video Therapy Session
- Make sure you have a quiet space where you will not be disturbed for the duration of the 50-minute-long session.
- It is always better to use a desktop or a laptop (as opposed to tablets and mobile devices).
- Make sure you have a high-speed internet connection.
- Wired connection is better for the video quality (as opposed to wireless).
- Close all other windows on your computer so that it does not use up your broadband and interfere with the internet speed.
- Restart your computer before the call. This will help to close any software that may be running at the background and interfering with the quality of call.
- Try to have a lighting source in front of you and not behind you.
- It is recommended that you use earbuds/headphones that have a microphone on them.
- It is better to use the camera that is built into your computer screen as opposed to an external camera whenever possible.
- Please check the internet connection as well as the video and audio settings before the session.
- If you experience poor call quality, click OPTIMIZE QUALITY button in the bottom left corner of your sidebar.