Secure Online Counseling in California

I am happy to announce the option of online counseling not just for my San Diego clients but any person in California.  Online counseling is convenient, can be utilized by individuals and couples and is more than half the cost of in-office therapy.  Many people wonder how it works and I hope this blog post will answer that question.

Before experiencing and working with clients via online counseling, I was skeptical as to what kind of “relationship” could be forged between me and my clients since relationship and connection are essential to the process of therapy.  I have been very happy and surprised as to the quality of personal connection my clients and I have been experiencing through video counseling.  I don’t find it hinders the therapeutic connection at all.

The video platform I use is both HIPAA secure and compliant and requires no downloading on the part of clients.  I provide a link to my “waiting room” and clients type in their first name, or if it’s a couple both their names, and I see them waiting and connect us for session at the time of our appointment.  As long as there is high speed internet, the connection should be excellent, and I’ve not had any problems with it for close to a year since I started offering online therapy.

As for paperwork, I have an online portal which is also HIPAA secure and compliant.  I email a link where clients can login into their portal, complete all the intake forms via electronic signature and upload payment information which is encrypted and secure.  Appointments can be made and changed by clients through my online scheduler as well.

I try and provide both daytime and evening appointment times to accommodate most peoples’ schedules.  I do not see clients on weekends, but I work full days Monday through Thursday and Fridays I work until mid-afternoon.  If you would like to make an appointment but don’t see a time that fits your schedule, please contact me and I’ll do my best to arrange something.

I’m very grateful to continue work with former clients and am excited to work with many new clients as well through online counseling.  If you are considering this as an option and have more questions, I’d be more than happy to talk with you to see if this is a good option.