Online Therapy in Wisconsin
What is telehealth, telemental health, or video therapy?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth grew in popularity. Online therapy is the option of seeing your therapist without any face-to-face contact, either via video call or phone call. We use secure, HIPAA-compliant services to provide online therapy to our clients.
Who can benefit from online therapy in Wisconsin?
During a global pandemic, everyone can benefit from telehealth! However, there are some people who prefer to use telehealth even during non-pandemic times. Some of the reasons that clients may prefer to use telehealth include:
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Transportation limitations
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Living in a rural area or preferring not to travel to the office
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Childcare limitations
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Aging or disability that makes traveling to the office challenging
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Access to a greater number of providers and specialties in a wider area
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Saving time by having sessions from your home or office
What equipment do you need to have telehealth therapy sessions?
If you wish to have video sessions, you will need a computer or smartphone and an internet connection or data plan. If you are doing phone sessions, all you need is a phone. Using our telehealth system is fairly straightforward! If you are worried that you may struggle to navigate the system, we will be happy to provide guidance. If you are using video chat with your therapist for your session, you will receive a link via email, which you will click on at the time of your session, either on your smartphone or computer- it’s that simple! If you are using a phone for your session, your therapist will call you. Telehealth is really quite user-friendly! We have a comprehensive guide to getting started below!
Is online therapy really effective?
Yes! In fact, studies have shown that online therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy sessions. Many people are worried about trying telehealth at first. It can be intimidating to think about opening up to a therapist whom you have never met face-to-face! However, our therapists are experienced in providing telehealth and are able to walk you through the process and help you become comfortable with them so that you feel safe sharing what you need to in order to feel better.
Online therapy in Wisconsin can work for you!
The evidence for online therapy for depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, and more.
Still, wondering if telehealth can really be effective? Studies have shown that it can be!
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A 2014 study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that online treatment was just as effective as a face-to-face treatment for depression.
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A 2018 study published in the Journal of Psychological Disorders found that online cognitive behavioral therapy is, ‘effective, acceptable and practical health care.’
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The study found the online cognitive behavioral therapy was equally as effective as a face-to-face treatment for major depression, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder.
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A 2014 study published in Behaviour Research and Therapy found that online cognitive behavioral therapy was effective in treating anxiety disorders. Treatment was cost-effective and the positive improvements were sustained at the one-year follow-up.
So, the research shows that meeting with your therapist online can be just as helpful as meeting in-person!
How Do I Begin Online Therapy in Wisconsin?
Many clients report that after the initial meeting, the hesitations they initially had about meeting online are no longer worries. If you feel that meeting via telehealth might be right for you, give us a call to set up your first appointment!
To get started, just follow these three steps:
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Call our office at 608-571-0558 or e-mail us to make an appointment
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Talk with our Client Care Coordinator to find the best trauma therapist for you
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Begin your healing journey from the comfort of your space, at your convenience.
More Mental Health Services at Golden Vibes Counseling Center
At our Madison, WI therapy clinic, we want you to feel comfortable. We know you are a multi-faceted person with a wide range of needs and concerns. That's why we have a lot of different ways to serve you. From therapy in our chic, contemporary counseling space to expert online counseling in Wisconsin, we are ready to meet you where you are. Our professional therapists can help you using a variety of approaches including CBT, EMDR, and Brainspotting. These methods can help with sexual assault recovery, anxiety therapy, depression treatment, reproductive or maternal mental health, multicultural counseling, and more. We also specialize in LGBTQAI+ counseling and poly-affirming therapies and can assist with gender-affirming care. We truly look forward to meeting you and getting to know you as an individual.
We know you may have more technical questions about online therapy and telehealth
This guide includes basic tips and instructions on how to join a video session, as well as some FAQs to make your first video call a success. To prepare, please review the following information before your first video appointment. You may still have questions, so please do not hesitate to reach out.
What is Telehealth?
Through audio and video over the internet, you can meet with your clinician on-the-go from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device (iOS or Android)—it’s your choice!
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 online. Then, attend your appointments directly from a laptop or mobile device.
What equipment do I need?
To participate in Telehealth appointments from your home, you need one of the following devices:
1. Desktop computer with a webcam and speakers
2. Laptop computer with built-in webcam and
speakers
3. Tablet device with built-in webcam and speakers
4. Smartphone (Note: To use a smartphone,
you must first download Telehealth by SimplePractice - available for iOS or Android in the app store)
You will also need an internet connection that is at least 10mbps. For optimal results, a reliable, high- speed internet connection with a bandwidth of at least 10 mbps will minimize connection issues and provide the best quality.
How to join your telehealth session on 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:
1. Approximately 10 minutes before your appointment, you should receive either an email or SMS text appointment reminder.
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. Your video call screen will now open in a new tab.
Note: You may have to copy and paste the link into your web browser.
3. If I have already joined the call, you will see my face on the screen. If I have not, you will see yourself, as shown below.
4. You will also see the Welcome prompt. Click Play test sound to test your camera and microphone settings.
5. When you are ready, click Join Video Call. This will take you straight into the video call.
Note: There may be a slight delay for me to join the session if I am finishing with a previous session. Please be patient and I will join momentarily.
How to join your video therapy session on a smartphone
If you plan to use a mobile device, here are the steps to join:
1. Choose a well-lit, quiet room in your house to have your appointment. Do not sit directly in front of windows due to back lighting.
2. Download Telehealth (for iOS or Android) in the app store. Approximately 10 minutes before your appointment, you should receive either an email or SMS text appointment reminder.
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.
3. Open the reminder on your mobile device, and click the unique link. This will open the Telehealth session.
4. If I have already joined the call, you will see my face on the screen. If I have not, you will see yourself.
5. When you are ready, click Join Video Call. This will take you straight into the video call.
Note: There may be a slight delay for meto join the session if I am finishing with a previous session. Please be patient and I will join momentarily.
A FEW MORE TIPS FOR ONLINE THERAPY SESSION SUCCESS
• I recommend joining the video session a few minutes early to test your settings.
• If you can connect to the Internet, but are having trouble joining the video, you can use our recommended Pre-call Tool: tokbox.com/developer/tools/precall/
• To use a smartphone to join a video chat, you must first download the Telehealth by The app is available in the app store for iOS or Android.
• If you need to cancel or have questions about the appointment, please contact our client care coordinator.
FAQS About Online Therapy in Wisconsin
Q. What should I do if I didn’t get the reminder with the link?
Contact Golden Vibes Counseling Center, if you did not get the link so we can send it to you via email or secure messaging.
Q. What can I do to 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. 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.
Q. Where’s the best place to do a video therapy call?
When deciding the best place in your home, you will want to choose a space that is private and away from household members, coworkers, pets, or any other potential distractions. Here are some additional recommendations:
• Adjust your light. Some small lighting tweaks that can have a huge impact include placing a lamp or other light source behind your monitor, pointed toward you. Also, make sure you don’t have too much light behind you. If you’re on a laptop, make sure the camera is at eye level and not pointing up at the ceiling lights, or down at the floor.
•Choose a quiet, private location. Identify a suitable room that is quiet, private, and free of distractions. To keep background noise to a minimum, close any doors and shut any windows.
Q. Is Telehealth in Wisconsin private?
Just like a face-to-face appointment, your Telehealth visit will be private and confidential.
