What to Expect from Your First Online Psychiatry Appointment?

Woman attending a telehealth therapy session

In recent years, online psychiatry has proven to be one of the most efficient ways to receive help for a wide range of issues from the comfort of your bed or living room. With this treatment method, you can quickly get the solutions to any problems that may be troubling you, allowing you to improve your mental health.

What is Online Psychiatry?

Online psychiatry is tremendously similar to regular counseling sessions where you speak to a therapist and work through any problem you have. However, if you choose to have an online psychiatry session, you can expect to do it through a video call on your phone or computer.

Today, online psychiatrists can quickly help you work through various issues you may be facing, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and various other disorders. If you live in an area that does not have many therapists, or you would prefer to have your sessions in a place that you feel more comfortable in, then online psychiatry may be the best option.

How Can You Prepare for an Online Psychiatry Appointment?

Before every online therapy session, you should always try and prepare your mind and space. Here are some helpful tips that can help guide this preparation process:

Pick a Quiet Place

Therapy is all about communication. In an in-office session, you and your psychiatrist will generally have the room to yourselves, allowing you to discuss any issues without being disturbed. So, you should try as much as possible to recreate this environment in your telehealth online psychiatry session.

Before your meeting, take some time to pick a quiet space that will allow you and your therapist to communicate effectively. This area may be a bedroom, living room, home office, etc. However, the place you choose to have your session does not matter, provided you will remain undisturbed throughout the meeting.

Woman Attending a telehealth therapy session

Check Your Camera and Microphone

Only a handful of things are worse than taking the time to prepare for a session only to discover that your camera or microphone does not work. Without this equipment, your therapist will not be able to hear your voice or read your facial expressions, which will make it challenging to provide meaningful advice.

You may also want to ensure that you fully charge whatever device you use and have an active internet connection. These measures will help ensure that your telehealth session does not end abruptly halfway through.

Pick out a Good Pair of Earbuds

Privacy is one of the core aspects of therapy, and you should always try to make your sessions as confidential as possible. If you live in a shared apartment or dorm, we recommend using earbuds or headphones during your meeting. This device will help ensure that no prying ears will hear what your therapist is telling you.

Earbuds or headphones are also excellent at improving the sound quality of your session, as they allow you to pick up on every word your therapist says.

What to Expect from Your First Online Psychiatry Visit?

Feeling nervous about the process can be easy if you have never had an online psychiatry session. Your mind may be bursting with questions about privacy, how long the session will last, how personal it will be, and so on. Fortunately, most online psychiatrists will provide a detailed guide about everything that you need to know about online counseling, so don’t fret.

Alternatively, if you have any specific questions that you don’t find in their guide, don’t hesitate to shoot them an email or ring their telephone lines. They will always be happy to reply to any queries or issues that you may have.

A woman speaking with her telehealth psychiatrist

What Happens at The First Online Psychiatry Appointment?

During your first session, your psychiatrist will likely conduct an initial evaluation of your mental health state. This check may include the following questions:

  1. What behaviors are currently bothering you, how long do they last, and what do you think triggers them?

  2. Are these behaviors affecting your work, school, or personal life?

  3. Have you noticed any mental or physical health symptoms?

  4. Do you have a family history of this condition?

These questions will help guide them as they discover the core issue you are battling. After you answer these questions, you can expect your online therapist to provide an active treatment plan for you that may include multiple therapy sessions, medications, and other treatment guides.

Is My Online Psychiatry Visit Private and Secure?

One of the core concerns you may have about online psychiatry is privacy. Feeling worried about another person listening in on your sessions or being scared that your therapist will share and record your personal experiences with others is natural. Fortunately, most therapeutic practices understand these fears, which is one of the core reasons they actively follow HIPAA privacy rules.

These regulations help ensure that all telehealth sessions use encrypted video connectivity so that no third party can access your call with your therapist. Most practices also take additional steps to only make use of video call platforms that allow two-way access to recording, which means that nobody will be able to record your conversation without you giving permission.