On-Line therapy

Self-care for clients

Privacy

Ensure that your therapy space is safe and secure and that you cannot be overheard!

You may need to ask others not to go near the room where you are. People might forget so it may be a good idea to lock it if you can.  Or perhaps you could have an agreement they go out and have their daily exercise during your session.

It can also help to play music or white noise near the door to your room.

Some people use their car – but this can get hot if you are parked in the sun. Obviously, you cannot open the window, unless you are somewhere remote.

Headphones can also help as they cannot hear what your therapist is saying and you may hear better and thus speak more softly.

Create a calming space

Ensure your therapy session is different from other online work:

Some people find it helpful to designate a special therapy space, perhaps somewhere you don’t normally spend much time, so that it is somewhat separate from your everyday life.  You may like to experiment and find out what works for you. 

Many people find it helpful to incorporate some kind of ritual before and after therapy sessions, as it helps create a kind of virtual ‘threshold’ between your therapy and the rest of your life.

You may already have your own ritual, or you can try to centre yourself by sitting quietly for 5 or 10 minutes, while doing a body scan, or perhaps some mindful breathing……

Give yourself some time and space to reflect on your session; many people like to keep a therapy journal for this purpose.

Self-care for therapists

Environment

Make sure your environment is comfortable. You will spend a great deal of time there.

Ensure that your therapy space is safe and secure and that you cannot be overheard!

Headphones can help as no one but you can hear your client. Also, you may hear better and thus speak more softly.

Minimise distraction

Ensure your environment is free of clutter.

Ensure your phone is either off or on silent. Ditto your answerphone.

Turn off your email when you start the session.

Body

Ensure a good posture on a comfortable chair.

Get up between sessions and walk around, move your arms and neck and perhaps do some stretches.

Position your computer screen so it’s 20-24 inches from your eyes.  The centre of your screen should be about 10-15 degrees below your eyes for comfortable positioning of your head and neck.

Eye care

Rest your eyes between sessions. 

Look away from the screen into the distance at regular intervals, ideally every 20 minutes, and gaze at a distant object (at least 7 20 feet away). This reduces fatigue by relaxing the focussing muscle inside the eyes .       

Use moisturising eyedrops.

Every 20 minutes, blink 10 times by closing your eyes as if falling asleep (very slowly). This will help remoisturise your eyes.

At lunch time and after the working day, lie down for ten minutes with a hot flannel over your eyes.

Drink plenty of water, have a glass by your computer.

Helpful reading

Gillian Isaacs Russell’s book  ‘Screen Relations’.

Taking therapy online:  research into therapeutic practice in the digital age.. Stillpoint Spaces International. – https://www.stillpointspaces.com/therapy-online-research/