HEALTH
How To Maintain Privacy With Telemental Health
Telemental health offers immense flexibility and convenience to those seeking help, but it also raises concerns about privacy and confidentiality. Other people in the household may overhear a session, limiting the patient’s ability to be honest or open. Certain topics may also be uncomfortable for family members in the home to overhear. Learn how to maintain privacy with teletherapy.
Tips to Maintain Privacy With Telemental Health
1. Find a Secluded Space
An excellent way to avoid people hearing your conversations with your therapist is to get away from them. Find an area in your home that people do not frequent. Find an empty room you can convert into your designated therapy space. Your bedroom, home office, or balcony will also work if getting a separate room is not possible. Hang a door sign that says “Do Not Disturb” to establish boundaries. You can even go out of the house and sit in a park, car, or empty corner where there is nobody around.
2. Talk to Others in the Household
Before your telemental health sessions, talk to family members and roommates living with you. Explain what teletherapy is and why you need a private space when talking with your therapist. Ask them kindly to respect the privacy of your therapy session by not entering the room or disturbing you during that time. You can tell them you will respond after the session if they need something. If there’s limited space in your house, ask if they can spend some time away from the home during your therapy session. They can run errands or go for a walk. That will provide the privacy you need.
3. Invest in Headphones or Earbuds
Your laptop’s or phone’s speaker may be loud enough for people nearby to hear. Invest in some good headphones or earbuds to prevent that. These devices will allow only you to hear what the therapist says. They also enable you to speak at a lower volume than if you were using the laptop or phone’s speaker, further protecting your privacy. If you live in a noisy area, invest in noise-canceling headphones to filter out extra sound. This allows you to hear your therapist’s voice and not other noises in the background.
4. Consider Text Therapy for Sensitive Issues
If you want to discuss certain sensitive topics but can’t find a private space in your home, consider text-based therapy. While video calls are more suitable because they allow your therapist to observe your facial expressions and body language, messaging can be an excellent alternative. You can message your therapist to communicate ideas, problems, and issues without risking anyone in the household hearing you. If you’re worried about someone snooping through your messages, create a separate email address or messenger account for therapy sessions.
5. Get a White Noise Machine
White noise machines provide a cover for soundproofing. They generate sounds like rain, waves, and chirping birds that overpower other noises in the background. That can make it difficult for others to hear your therapy session through doors or walls. If you can’t invest in a white noise machine, try playing some music or other sound recordings. That may help mask the conversation to prevent others from overhearing. Do not make these sounds so loud that they interfere with your session.
6. Speak Softly
If you are in a room where people can hear you, reduce your voice volume. Keep it low enough so people outside the room cannot determine what you’re discussing. Stand or sit closer to your laptop or phone’s microphone to avoid raising your voice. The sound will not travel as far and will be more difficult for others in the house to hear. If your therapist struggles to understand, ask them to adjust the sound levels of their device. That should make it easier for both of you to communicate without anyone nearby overhearing your session.
7. Use Apps With End-to-End Encryption
Telemental health usually happens through secure video platforms, but if you want extra security, use apps with end-to-end encryption. These applications are designed so that only the sender and recipient of the messages can read them. No one else, not even the app makers, can access the content. That adds an extra layer of security that gives you peace of mind when discussing sensitive information.
Try Telemental Health Counseling Today
Privacy may be a concern during telemental health sessions, but these tips can help you maintain some confidentiality. Find the most suitable option and stay committed to the process. With some preparation and awareness, you can protect your privacy during teletherapy to help you have meaningful conversations with your therapist.
Kenneth is a proud native of sydney, born and raised there. However, he pursued his education abroad and studied in Australia. Kenneth has worked as a journalist for almost a decade, making valuable contributions to prominent publications such as Yahoo News and The Verge. Currently, he serves as a journalist for The Hear Up, where he focuses on covering climate and science news. You can reach Kenneth at [email protected].
