For some of you, the coronavirus crisis has meant a loss of clients, particularly to those therapists who do manual therapies.
Now is the time to really think about any other skill you have, either as a Therapist or before, that you might be able to utilise to keep yourself going. My warmest wishes go out to everyone who is in this situation.
Many of you, however, are able to continue your therapeutic practice online. And a popular platform for this is Zoom. We at the Therapists Network are using it now for our Collaboration Meetings AND Daily offers of support to all Therapists – members or not.
So here are some FAQ I get regarding using Zoom – hope it helps 🙂
Why Use Zoom?
- Zoom is relatively easy (compared to others), Secure and private. As a method of delivering online therapy, it is a robust and great solution.
- Zoom offers a video communications system for free unlimited 1-to-1 meetings.
- It is available to use on a wide range of internet communication and hardware systems.
- Support is offered via; video tutorials, IM chat and a demo (if requested).
- The system has file sharing, screen share and annotation capabilities.
- After initial set up and entering the meeting room, the system is very straightforward to follow.
- The quality of sound and video is usually excellent.
While not many, there are a couple of disadvantages:
- There is so much information regarding group meeting set-ups it can feel a bit overwhelming initially. However, after entering the meeting things become much more straightforward.
- If you were hoping to use this for group meetings (or supervision) the Free version only offers 40 minutes of time in one go – although you can restart another session immediately after.
Is Zoom Safe and GDPR Compliant?
Zoom is OK to use as a tool within your practice. The data transmitted during meetings, webinars, chat sessions are encrypted and secure. Zoom is compliant with the EU-US Privacy Shield agreement. They also have a GDPR compliance statement on their website – Zoom GDPR Statement.
If you record sessions on Zoom then your client needs to be aware of this and they should give written consent to you recording; your contract would be the best place to cover this along with privacy information.
You will need to explain why you need to record sessions, where you store them and how long you hold the recording for. Be explicit, clear and gain consent from your client.
Official Statement: EU GDPR Compliance
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360000126326-Official-Statement-EU-GDPR-Compliance
Can you check your microphone and camera before using Zoom?
Yes, to use Zoom…
- You will need:
A microphone, such as the built-in microphone, a USB microphone or an inline microphone on headphones. - Speaker or headphones.
See here for a step-by-step guide:
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362283-Testing-computer-or-device-audio
I have been told by the software to add an ‘extension’ to chrome or firefox browser, should I do this?
In this instance, Yes. These are small pieces of software that help Zoom and the internet communicate better and thus make things smoother and faster than they otherwise would.
What is the waiting room?
The Waiting Room feature allows the host to control when a participant joins the meeting. As the meeting host, you can admit attendees one by one or hold all attendees in the waiting room and admit them all at once. You can send all participants to the waiting room when joining your meeting or only guests, participants who are not on your Zoom account or are not signed in. This is only relevant of you are having a meeting with multiple users.
Participants will see a screen when joining a meeting with Waiting Room enabled, find out more here:
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115000332726-Waiting-Room
Can I password protect meetings
Passwords can be set by the meeting host when setting up/scheduling a meeting for an added layer of security.
Should I have one room that any client can join? It would make things easier for me.
No, I don’t advise this. Have a different meeting link and ID number for each client.
Once they have a link, and you are online, they could potentially log in while you are seeing someone else. If each client has their own link, this cannot happen.
Eek! I a technophobe and I’m stuck. Can someone help me?
Yes. I am offering tech support for a donation-only during the Covid-19 crisis. See here for more details:
Hope this helps? Comment below any questions? How are you coping in this weird and scary climate?
Kind regards
Claire xxxx
can I send link for session via text
Hi Deborah, Good question.
Yes, you can. Each meeting will have a meeting I.D assigned to it so there are two ways. Either they can click the link (if they don’t already have Zoom it will guide them through getting it when they click) or they can open Zoom if they have it already, and select ‘join meeting’ and put in the meeting ID.
You can also password protect meetings so no one else can use the link to enter. I would advise you send them that separately if you use it.
Hope that helps?
Claire xx
Is there a way to do interactive activities with clients? Like typing or drawing on worksheets?
Hello Janiata. I don’t see why not. You can share resources with your clients using Zoom, and can type information. There is a ‘chat’ button at the bottom of the screen (on my computer its at the bottom, it may appear in a different place on your phone for instance) where you can type comments etc, and share links to online resources. There is also a ‘draw’ facility there too. Claire may add further comments – she is our Zoom aficionado! Best wishes Linda
I am finding it difficult to make heart-centered connections with clients using an online platform. I am not an Licensed MFT, but conduct psycho-social interviews for adoptions. Do you have any resources for us to learn how to authentically engage with clients on zoom?
Hello Gail. We don’t have resources for that,however, I understand how you feel. I am going through the same issue with my clients. It’s easier with clients I have been seeing face-to-face as I already ‘know’ them, but I am beginning to find that I can connect with clients I haven’t met physically. I’m finding that one has to sit and observe body language carefully especially as you can’t see the whole person. Also, another thing is to discuss this with your client – ask them how they are feeling working online and just open up that dialogue. If you both share your concerns, minuses and pluses, then you can connect more that way. How many times do you see one client? Is this just one interview you are conducting with each person? Best wishes, Linda Bishopp.