I offer telehealth appointments for clients to reduce the barriers that make it hard to come in for counseling. Some of those barriers include but are not limited to: the current outbreak of COVID 19, other illnesses or disabilities, and distance. I am licensed to practice in the State of WA, so if you are a resident of WA, you can choose to use my telehealth option. Please note there are some limitations with telehealth for trauma therapy/EMDR. This can be discussed during your initial phone call to me or during sessions as we go forward..
I am currently using a platform called VSee. It is fully encrypted and HIPAA compliant. It is free and relatively easy to use. You must have spoken with me on the phone and scheduled an appointment to use this option.
To get started, click the link to go to my clinic: https://aquilinecounseling.vsee.me/u/clinic. You can do this from a desktop or laptop computer or enter this address in the browser of your phone or tablet. Please follow the prompts that are provided on the program. You will need to log in using your Google account if you have one or create a log in with VSee. You can also download the VSee Clinic app and use that if you prefer.
Once you enter my virtual waiting room, I get notification and will initiate the call to you. If you have any trouble with this, please let me know and I will do my best to walk you through it. If needed I can send you an email with screen shots of the step by step process. Please give yourself 5 or 10 minutes prior to the session to log in for the first time, so we don’t lose session time. The first time is the most confusing; after that it should be pretty easy.
For those of you using insurance, according to the WA State mental health parity law, as of January 1, 2017, all insurers in the State of WA are required to cover telehealth via live video. However, my understanding is that there are loopholes for some insurance companies. One of the loopholes is if your insurance is located out of state. Coverage may also vary by plan. I can’t guarantee your session will be covered. If they don’t pay for your telehealth appointment, you will be responsible for the session charges. If you are in doubt, please call or go online with your insurance company to find out.