Curating Your Virtual Therapy Experience

therapy

Feb 15

Welcome to the FUTURE! Where therapy can be done virtually. As a virtual therapist, I have learned that there are SO many ways to make virtual therapy feel as personal and influential as sitting in a physical therapy office.

Virtual therapy may be right for you IF you:

live far from your desired therapist
have a hectic schedule
have transportation barriers
simply prefer virtual settings to in-person

One of the TOP concerns I hear from folks who are new to virtual therapy is that virtual won’t feel as comfy or personal as in person. I want to share a few tips I give to my virtual therapy clients on how to make virtual therapy feel like the perfect oasis of self care in their week.

virtual therapy

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virtual therapy |

LOCATION. LOCATION. LOCATION.

Think about a space in your home that feels safe. Try to recreate what an in-person office would have:

Comfortable seating.
Quiet.
Limited Distractions.
Natural light and fresh air - outside spaces are great options!
Art, decor, and textiles (blankets/pillows).
A general feeling of calm.
Pets - if do not require lots of attention :)

Dedicate this space to YOU and your therapy time. This means that when it is time for therapy, this space feels tidy and ready to welcome allllll of the healing energy.

Avoid car visits, spaces in your home where family might be coming in and out, and rooms with lots of clutter.

If you are like me - a matching lounge set feels like a hug from an angel. Easy, soft, cute. DONE.

If you are exploring themes in therapy like confidence, self-expression, or even creativity - maybe wearing something trendy or in your personal, unique style is the way to go.

Regardless of your thread choice, make sure that what you wear to your virtual therapy session is YOU and that you feel good in it.

Let’s play a game of This or That to help you narrow down exactly what you want in your space before your session begins! You can add or omit items if needed :)

This

Coffee

Notebook and Pen

Sweet Snack

A Fan

Fidget Toy

Quiet Music in the Background

Candles

That

Tea

IPad

Salty Snack

A Space Heater

Paper for Doodling

Complete Quiet

Oil Diffuser

These things, though small, are so important to setting the tone for you session! The goal is to feel relaxed, comfortable, and in a place of preparedness to process whatever comes up in your session.

After your session, it is helpful to have a plan for “what next”.

In my own practice as a therapist, one of my top priorities is helping people identify how to put all of the meaningful things they are learning in session into motion. We only see you 1 hour per week (or less frequently in some cases) - so let’s make sure the rest of your time is conducive to your growth!

Things to consider as post-session plans:

SELF. CARE. BABY. (skin care, drink water, take time outside, move your body, etc etc etc.)
Call someone you love AND who brings good vibes into your day.
Take yourself on a date to grab a coffee, sweet snack, or for a walk in the park.
Spend time journaling and downloading what you learned about yourself, others, or the world around you in your session today.
Practice gratitude - reflect on the ways you showed up for yourself today.
Plan something later in the day/week/month to look forward to that supports your goals! (example: if you are working on building healthy friendships, think of someone who models the qualities you desire in a friend and invite them to coffee)
Give yourself a big hug.
Debrief your session and ask for accountability with a trusted person.

The goal is not a perfectly curated therapy space.

Sure. That is a great visual and maybe it would look really cool and trendy on your socials to post a pic of your aesthetic space with the caption “therapy era”…

But the point of this blog is to remind you to:

Create space for yourself that FEELS good and safe.
Allow yourself to rest.
Take time to learn what is comfortable to you.
Engage in therapy as if it is an oasis in you week.

I cannot wait to see how this works for you. If you create a cutie space and want to share it on the socials - TAG ME! I wanna see ;)

Instagram: @humantothefullest

TikTok: @haleighculv

Go forth and be cozy, angel!

Haleigh Culverhouse LCSW

Welcome!

My name is Haleigh, and I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in Lake Jackson, Texas. My private practice is a safe and inclusive place for all. Whether you need to process an issue significantly impacting your life or explore more of your personality and who you are - you belong here.

See my Services