Ashley Seeger, LCSW

Online therapy is a wonderful way to get the help that you or your marriage needs while we are all quarantined. It is also a great way to connect and get help whenever you cannot meet in-person either because of work trips, difficult schedules or illness. With the current COVID crisis and the overwhelming amount of stress, grief and disruption that comes along with it – online therapy is an important way that you can take care of your mental health while under a Stay at Home/Safer at Home order.

Online therapy looks a lot like a video call (Skype, Facetime). However, I use a HIPAA compliant and confidential site specifically designed for psychotherapy. I have one link for my online waiting room through Doxy.Me – you will use the same link for every session. You don’t need to download any software or create an account. Doxy.Me is accessible through computers, laptops or phone through any browser.

Once we are connected, it works just like in-person therapy. We talk about what you would like to change, what gets in your way and then find a path forward. I am trained as a Self-Psychology and Relational Psychotherapist; I use traditional psychodynamic skills as well as current brain studies, mindfulness and strengths based approaches with my clients.

I am currently taking new online clients and no, we do not need to meet in person to begin our work. The best way to begin is to reach out to me to schedule an online consultation. You can contact me here. This free 20-minute consult will give you a chance to experience online therapy; to ask questions about the work, about me or about insurance; and will give us both a sense if I am the right therapist for you.

This is a tricky question as the laws are changing rapidly right now. If you would like to explore working with me, I am happy to contact the state board of social work in your state to see if they will allow our work across state line. Many states are currently waving any restrictions in order to get everyone the help that they need. Please contact me here to inquire.

Many insurance companies and employee assistance programs (EAPs) are allowing reimbursements for online therapy. The best thing to do is to check with your insurance company or EAP to confirm that they will cover our work.

Online therapy is as confidential and private as we can make it. I have chosen software that is HIPAA compliant. I use my home office with a sound dampening machine outside the office door as well as earphones so that your information will not be broadcast. I also suggest that you choose a quiet and private room as well as use headphones to increase confidentiality. I use Doxy.Me for my video sessions. The site is HIPAA compliant and confidential. However, if you video the session, there is no longer a guarantee that that video will remain secure.

Looking at my 20 years of experience working with clients both in person and online – my personal bias is that in-person therapy is slightly more effective than online therapy. That said, I have been working online with clients for the past 4 years and have witnessed tremendous healing using this modality. I am experienced using online therapy with couples counseling premarital counseling, couples counseling after a move, depression counseling, anxiety counseling as well as helping women break free from manipulative or toxic relationships.  I believe that this modality will only become more effective as our technology catches up to our needs.

It is very important that you don’t let the limits we are encountering in our lives right now stop you from seeking support and healing in your life. Online therapy is an effective way to seek help to heal yourself and your relationship. Please contact me here to set up a free online consultation to see what online therapy can provide.