Working On Zoom

I don’t know about you, but I will always remember the week that Covid 19 landed, and we all went into lockdown. I was in England at the time. One week all my clients and I were working in the room, then overnight the vast majority transitioned to working online by video call.

Prior to this, very little Psychotherapy work tended to happen online. It was sort of frowned upon, the thought being that clients needed the structure of travelling to therapy, coming through the door, working for 50 minutes, and then going back out the door to leave. They needed to be in the room to work. Yet needs must, it was a choice of working online or not having therapy at all.

I think I can say that we were all astonished how well video therapy worked! In a world of lockdown, the ability to hold a regular day and time in the week for therapy provided some continuity to life. It provided an anchor that helped clients structure time. Once we had some basic rules in place, we quickly sank back down to the work.

What were the rules that helped us?

I found that making the experience as similar as possible to walking through the door, and as simple as possible, all helped. Prior to the first session, I send some information that includes a Zoom link, that is the only link you need. You just need to bookmark it so you can find it each week. You just click on the link, and I let you in. Rather like knocking on the front door to come into the session. At the end of the session, you log off first. Rather like me closing the door behind you. We agree that neither of us will record each other.

Most importantly you need to find a space that is private and confidential where you won’t be disturbed for 50 minutes. It needs to work in the sun and in the rain. I found clients got very creative in lockdown: sitting in cars parked in driveways became a popular way of ensuring privacy. Although sitting in nature can be calming, consider if anyone can overhear your conversation or see your body language. What seems to work well is if you have a room where you can close the door and have some privacy.

I have continued to offer online sessions, because it works and allows a door to therapy that might not otherwise be available. At the same time, I am delighted to offer sessions in my therapy room: the one with the actual door.

(Gratitude to Tomasz Hanarz at Pixabay for the beautiful photo)