A therapist on TikTok showed her tricks for keeping video calls with clients confidential. Here are five ways to keep your sessions private.
- A therapist on TikTok showed what she does on calls with her clients when their parents are listening at the door.
- Lindsay Fleming holds up questions on pieces of paper about the real issue and speaks about something like the clients' math homework instead.
- She said she often has to improvise.
- Psychologist Thorbjorg Vigfusdottir told Insider having to do therapy over video calls at home has compromised privacy.
- Here are five tips on how to create a safe and private space for your next session.
Therapist Lindsay Fleming often has to improvise on video calls with her clients. Having to do sessions from home means privacy has been somewhat compromised, and sometimes her clients tell her someone is listening in.
"When my clients' parents are listening at the door ... We improvise," she wrote on TikTok.
Fleming holds up questions on pieces of paper about the real issue, such as a FaceTime call with an ex, while asking about something innocuous like the client's math homework instead.
"Just trying to keep confidentiality!" she wrote in the caption.
Psychologist and founder of the therapy platform Kara Connect, Thorbjorg Vigfusdottir, told Insider that the pivot to video sessions, which have been made necessary by the coronavirus lockdown, was a sudden change that caused concerns around privacy.
"Doing therapy at home means that, for some, the safe space to talk freely which is usually guaranteed in in-person sessions at the practitioner's office can now be readily compromised by parents, siblings, or flatmates listening in from outside the door, or barging in having forgotten about an appointment," she said.
"While at home, it can be hard for young adults and teens to talk openly about conflicts with their families or flatmates, even though those are normally the most common topics patients would like to discuss."
She outlined five tips for how to create a safe and private space for your next session.
1. Get creative with your space selection
Closing the door might not be enough to guarantee privacy, so take a look around your house for other spaces that might work — your bathroom or garden, for instance.
"If you have a car, could you go sit in there, or would your parents allow you to sit in the backseat on your own for an hour?" said Vigfusdottir. "Alternatively, if you're comfortable with people walking by, then maybe consider sitting on a park bench or the grass. Use headphones for better sound quality and remember that the sound is more important than the picture."
2. Use the phone rather than a video call
A video call can sometimes be a giveaway that you're having a therapy session, so a phonecall with headphones on may be less obvious. This way you can also put the therapist on hold if you're interrupted.
"This also gives you the ability to move around whilst talking so, if you're still struggling to find a peaceful space at home, you could go for a walk instead," said Vigfusdottir. "Just make sure you let your therapist know what works best for you. Try to avoid walking where buildings or other constructions could block or disrupt your signal."
3. Talk to the people you live with
There's still some stigma about seeking therapy for your mental health, and some people may simply not understand.
"Remind yourself that you have the right to ask for outside support even though the space you're in might not be ideal," Vigfusdottir said. "So speak honestly with those that you live with about what you need from them in order to make your sessions as beneficial as possible."
For example, you could ask they wear noise-cancelling headphones or if they could go out for a walk.
"Sharing your hard work and progress with those around you can also be a great step forward and can help to reduce their intrigue in the session itself," she said.
4. Use technology to your advantage
You can minimize the likelihood of interruptions by turning off notifications on your devices and putting a "quiet" or "do not disturb" sign on your door. You can also use the chat function on whatever video platform you're using to communicate something you're not comfortable speaking out loud, or finding a YouTube video of white noise to help mask your voice.
5. Use nicknames
Nicknames are a great way of disguising who you are talking about. You can make them up yourself and share them with your therapist beforehand.
"For example, if you want to talk about your mom during your session, she is now 'the old friend,'" said Vigfusdottir.
People may not understand the damage listening in can cause
Parents or friends may feel like they are listening out concern for their loved one, Vigfusdottir said, but it's vital they understand that privacy is the most important part of going to therapy.
If they are concerned, they can set up a separate appointment to talk to the therapist themselves, provided it's allowed by the confidentiality code of practice.
"The conversations had in therapy sessions are not only sensitive but extremely confidential," Vigfusdottir said. And right now, being cooped up and isolated, finding that space to talk openly about your difficulties is more important than ever.
Read more:
How ASMR can be used as a 'mental tranquilizer' to help you sleep or feel less anxious and lonely
How to stop feeling survivor's guilt during the pandemic if you think you haven't 'suffered enough'