Technology is changing the way I “do” therapy at Seattle Direct Counseling It allows me multiple ways to help my clients, especially when face-to-face (F2F) meetings are not possible. Such situations arise when clients live far away, are on travel or vacation, or when family members that need to be included in a session do not live nearby. I can also see this being helpful in a teleconferencing situation when a client needs hospital treatment in another city, yet wishes to connect with his or her therapist/coach, such as when a client is present at the death of a loved one, or is undergoing surgery.
The advancements in technology are so striking, health conferences have dedicated entire tracks to its impact. Health 2.0 October 7-8, 2010 kicked off with a health hackathon on October 2, 2010, rewarding innovators to come up with new applications, programs, and means to give patients more control over their healthcare, or to assist helping professionals to provide better care through things like mobile tracking, resources such as better access to prescription drug databases, and innovations in healthcare delivery.
See how I’m making connections with more people through the use of new technologies such as FaceTime:
FaceTime is a Wi-Fi platform that allows iPhone 4 users (and soon, Android users!) to conduct a coaching or counseling session as if you are in the same room. It functions much like Tiny Talk or Skype, and it works on your mobile device. Rather than bringing your laptop somewhere, your phone allows you to create a virtual office with a Wi-Fi connection.
I understand FaceTime will be added to other mobile devices with front-facing cameras, such as a tablet or the new iPad to be released sometime in 2011. But until then, it’s available on the iPhone 4OS, and if you mention that you read this here on my website, I will give you a free 15 minute coaching session, or a free 30 minute counseling consultation.
Look who else is taking advantage of FaceTime:
Already, some of my current clients have converted F2F sessions to FaceTime sessions out of sheer convenience or because of travel. Before conducting any session, I will explain to you the limitations and the risks of using electronic transmissions of any kind in the counseling/coaching session, and you’ll sign an informed consent document absolving me from all liability regarding confidentiality, as confidentiality via electronic transmission cannot be fully guaranteed.
In my private practice, I do everything within my responsibility to provide confidential space. The Internet cannot ensure absolute privacy; therefore, we will take precautions, including my insistence that no recording be made of sessions.
