McGowan Family Counseling offers teletherapy through a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform called Telehealth by Simple Practice. Telehealth allows us to connect anywhere with secure and convenient appointments that save you time and hassle. There's no need to deal with traffic when you can schedule and attend your appointments directly from a laptop or mobile device. All you need is a computer, iPad, tablet device, or smartphone with built-in webcam and speakers and an Internet connection.
*Please make sure to sign your consent forms for teletherapy in your secure client portal before your first teletherapy session.
Using a smartphone or tablet
If you plan to use a mobile device, here are the steps to join:
- Download Telehealth by SimplePractice (for iOS or Android) in the app store. Approximately 10 minutes before your appointment, you should receive an email appointment reminder.
- Open the reminder email on your device and click the unique link. This will open the Telehealth by SimplePractice app.
- If I have already joined the call, you will see my face on the screen. If I have not, you will see yourself.
- When you are ready, click Join Video Call. This will take you straight into the video call.
Using a desktop or laptop computer
If you plan to use a desktop or laptop, there is nothing to download prior to your appointment. Here are the steps to join:
- Approximately 10 minutes before your appointment, you'll receive an email appointment reminder. Please note that the exact time you receive the reminder may vary based on your cell phone carrier.
- Note: If you have already consented to receiving text and/or email reminders, you will continue to receive them for Telehealth appointments as well. For new clients, make sure you have provided your email and or mobile phone number so that I can enable email or text reminders.
- Click the unique link embedded in the reminder. You may have to copy and paste the link into your web browser if clicking the link does not work. Your video call screen will now open in a new tab.
- If I have already joined the call, you will see my face on the screen. If I have not, you will see yourself.
- You will also see the Welcome prompt. Click Play test sound to test the your camera and microphone settings.
- When you are ready, click Join Video Call. This will take you straight into the video call.
Note: The same unique link will be used for all of your virtual appointments.
FAQs
What should I do if I didn’t get the reminder with the link?
Contact McGowan Family Counseling if you did not get the link so it can send it to you again via email or secure messaging.
What is SimplePractice?
SimplePractice, LLC is McGowan Family Counseling's practice management software for scheduling, case management, and Telehealth, and therapy notes. SimplePractice, LLC, uses a HIPAA compliant software so your information will be securely kept.
What can I do to do improve the quality of the connection?
If you live in an area with slow internet, this can really affect the speed of your connection. Here are some basic steps that can improve the overall quality:
- Use wired Ethernet instead of wifi whenever possible. Wifi will work, but you may experience a lag and interference, which can make your video and audio choppy. If you experience a lag or interference while using Wifi, we recommend moving closer to your router. However, wired internet will give you a much smoother, more consistent experience.
- Test your internet connection speed. Google provides an easy way to test your internet connection directly from the google homepage. Simply search: internet speed test. Click the blue button that says Run Speed Test. If it is under 10mbps and you’re using wifi, try using a wired internet connection or restarting your router.
- Close other programs. If you have several programs running in the background, closing them will almost certainly improve the quality. Also, make sure you’re not downloading any large files.
If you are unable to connect, please contact me as soon as possible to see if I can help you troubleshoot.
How should I prepare my space for a Telehealth appointment?
- Identify a suitable room that is quiet, private, and free of distractions.
- To keep background noise to a minimum, make sure to close any doors, shut windows, turn off the television, and keep loud pets in another room if possible. Consider hanging a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door to avoid interruptions.
Is Telehealth private?
Just like a face-to-face appointment, your Telehealth visit will be private and confidential.
Will the appointments be recorded?
None of your appointments will ever be recorded or stored.