What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the term ‘online therapy’? For many of us, it’s the fact that you can engage in therapy from the comfort of your home.

If you’re new to online therapy and are looking for guidance about preparing for sessions, you’ve come to the right place! 

Our blog is an easy-to-follow step-by-step guide on preparing your home for online therapy. Join us for eight simple yet detailed therapy setup and preparation steps.

Preparing for Online Therapy: A Step-by-Step Guide for Attending Counselling at Home

Before we start discussing the therapy preparation steps in detail, here’s a gentle reminder that there’s no universal to-do list to refer to while preparing for online therapy. Following these steps can simply help you get the most out of your online therapy sessions. 

The only essentials are: a stable internet connection, a charged device with audio/video capabilities and some privacy for the duration of your session. Thus, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the number of steps below, feel free to follow the ones that you can. Even following a few of them can make a big difference!

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1) Decide Which Room You’ll be Attending in

Choose a space where you’re likely to feel most comfortable and have fewer interruptions and distractions. This doesn’t have to be a separate room, even a silent balcony or your parked car (if it’s hard to find privacy inside your house) can work well. 

Below are a few factors to consider while preparing for online therapy and deciding on the right space:

• Easy access to a restroom
• Good lighting and temperature (discussed in detail below)
• Minimal noise (Pick a room where outdoor noise is less)
• Internet strength (make sure this room gets a strong internet signal)
• Privacy (select a room where you’re least likely to be disturbed)

Tip

If some outside noise is inevitable, try using white noise (a fan or an app that plays ambient sounds) for some added privacy.

2) Check for Ideal Lighting and Temperature

Good lighting is key to a good online therapy session. When preparing for online therapy, remember to check the lighting in the room where you’ll be attending the session. Therapists often rely on factors like facial expressions, body language, and gestures in addition to hearing you talk.

Another helpful step in online therapy preparation is to consider what temperature you’d like your room to be. 

If you’re someone who tends to run hot, choose a room with an air conditioner and switch it on a little ahead of your session. On the other hand, if you tend to get cold easily, consider having a blanket or comforter by your side.

The idea is to create an environment that feels safe and comfortable for you.

Tip

Before your session, set up your device, open your camera app and test the lighting and visibility. Adjust curtains or lamps if your face looks shadowed or dark.

3) Ensure Minimal External Noise and Distractions

Therapy delivers the best results when you’re focused and present during the session. This is why the third step in preparing for online therapy is to reduce possible distractions.

Here’s a quick list to help you reduce distractions when attending counselling from home:

• Close windows if the roads outside your home are typically noisy
• Switch off or turn down the volume of televisions or music outside your room
• Let roommates and family know not to disturb you and ensure minimal noise (discussed in the next section)
• Check for any sources of noise inside the room, eg, a creaky ceiling fan or air conditioner
• Try to keep your mobile phone away or on silent mode for the duration of the session
• Close unwanted tabs and applications on the device you’re attending from

Tip

If you live in a dorm, use a do not disturb door tag to prevent anyone from trying to enter the room during your online therapy sessions.

4) Inform People You Live with (If Possible)

It may be awkward to open up and be honest with your therapist if there’s a possibility of someone overhearing you from outside the room. Also, as we already saw, other people in the house can also mean more external noise and possible interruptions.

Hence, consider asking them to offer you some privacy for an hour or so. Remember, you don’t have to go into details. Simply saying you have an online meeting can work.
 

Tip

Don’t worry if it’s not possible to let other people know about your therapy session. Using earphones, speaking softly or running a fan or an ambient sound audio can help ensure privacy too.

5) Check Your Internet Connectivity and Device

One of the non-negotiable essentials for an online therapy session is a good internet connection. Doing the following device and internet checks is an important part of preparing for online therapy:

• Run an internet speed test about an hour before your session (on the device you’ll be attending from)
• Make sure your device is charged and ready
• Check your device’s camera, speaker and microphone
• If you’re planning to use earphones, external speakers or a webcam, connect them to your device and check those as well
• Log in 10-15 minutes early to recheck your connections

Additionally, Here are some things you can try if you encounter slow internet speed on your test:

• Close other applications or tabs open in the background
• Pause any ongoing downloads or uploads
• Restart your device, as well as your modem and router
• Reach out to your internet service provider if the slow speed still persists after these steps

In addition to the above, we also recommend using a laptop or desktop computer as opposed to mobile devices like smartphones or tablets. This is because audio/video calls may drain the batteries of mobile devices faster than a personal computer (PC). A PC is also more likely to have better internet bandwidth, which ensures better call quality.

Tip

Have a backup internet connection (eg mobile hotspot) and keep your device charger handy. These are not essentials, but it’s ideal if you can have them around.

6) Gather Materials and Tools for Your Session

Items like a notebook, pen, tissue box, blanket, and a bottle of water can help you make the most of your sessions.

When preparing for online therapy, pick materials that you personally reach for frequently, as well as tools that can help you stay grounded during sessions. 

Many therapists suggest having art supplies or other tactile tools like Pop-Its nearby. These can help bring you back to your body during deep conversations, when you zone out or feel distracted.

Tip

Some people like to light a scented candle, make a cup of tea, or hold a comfort cushion or plushie. Remember, the main goal of preparing for online therapy is to have things that ground you and make you feel safe and comforted.

7) Review Therapy Notes and Goals for the Session

Before your online therapy session, set aside some time to reflect on what’s been on your mind lately. Review notes from previous sessions and think about what you’d like to focus on that day.

Is there a recent incident or challenge you want to talk about? Would you like to follow up on the previous session? Or do you have new goals to work towards? 

Noting down your thoughts can provide structure and help you in preparing for online therapy sessions.

Tip

Similar to setting time aside before your session, try to block 10-15 minutes after your online therapy session for some post-therapy reflection. During this time, jot down what you discussed, how you’re feeling and anything you’d like to follow up with your therapist.

8) Practise Relaxation Techniques (If You’re Feeling Anxious)

It’s completely normal to feel nervous, jittery or anxious before a session, especially if it’s your first session. Once you’re done preparing for online therapy, try practising grounding exercises and relaxation techniques like box breathing, belly breathing and body scans.

If you’re still feeling anxious afterwards, feel free to let your therapist know how you’re feeling. A good therapist is trained to help you feel relaxed, safe and grounded in the therapy space.

Tip

Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique. Inhale slowly for four counts, hold your breath for seven counts and then exhale slowly for eight counts.

Conclusion

Before we wrap up, here’s a gentle reminder for you: When preparing your home for online therapy, the main goal is to create a home environment that makes you feel safe, comfortable and lets you open up easily.

Thus, therapy preparation will look different for different people. We recommend that you use our guide as a starting point and personalise it based on your unique needs and preferences.

As long as you have a stable internet connection, a device with audio/video capabilities and an hour of privacy, you’re all set to attend counselling at home!