Counseling

Virtual Therapy Information

Virtual Therapy Instructions

In the interest of the health and safety of the Wofford community during the pandemic, counseling appointments may be conducted via virtual therapy. You may speak with your counseling provider to determine whether you will see them virtually or in person. Please use this information to help you get familiar with participating in virtual therapy.

How to schedule

  1. Watch an instructional video
  2. Log on to the Wellness Center Patient Portal.
  3. Click the “Appts” tab.
  4. Under “Clinic” select “Counseling Services”
  5. Under “Reason” select the appointment type you want
    • Follow Up Teletherapy Session – 45 minutes
    • Consultation with Counseling Staff – 30 minutes
    • Drug and/or Alcohol Sanction Meeting - 30 minutes
    • First Time Counseling Session - 45 minutes
  6. Under “Provider”, select the provider you are interested in seeing.

How to check-in for an appointment

  1. Watch an instructional video
  2. 5-10 minutes prior to your appointment we ask that you go to the Wellness Center Patient Portal and complete the “Check-In” form for your appointment.
  3. Failure to complete the form prior to your appointment may result in your therapist asking you to complete it before you begin your session. Completing it beforehand will ensure that you do not have to use your session time to do so.

How to log in for your video session

Reserving the Private Room for Therapy

  • A private room on campus is available for students who want to have a private space in which to have their virtual therapy session.
  • First, schedule an appointment with your provider as you usually would.
  • After that appointment is scheduled you may go back and schedule an appointment for that same date and time but with the provider "Private Room". The appointment reason will be “Use of the private room”. If the room is available, you will schedule that time.
  • Please keep in mind, that the availability of this space is limited, and you may need to find another space on campus that is private if the room is not available at the time of your appointment.

Use of the Private Room

  • You must reserve the room by scheduling an appointment through the Wellness Center Patient Portal. This room is for use by Counseling Services appointments only. It is not for general use.
  • If you arrive early and the door is closed and the sign indicates that the room is occupied, please do not enter the room until it is vacated. If it is 5 minutes after your appointment time and the person has not vacated, you may knock to let them know that you are waiting for the room.
  • If the door is closed when you arrive for your appointment, but the sign does not indicate that it is occupied, please knock before entering.
  • Upon entering the room, use the disinfecting products to clean your chair and anything that you may touch.
  • Change the door sign to indicate that the room is occupied and then close the door.
  • Begin your session.
  • When your session is over, please change the door sign and leave the door open for the next person.
  • Please email counselingservices@wofford.edu or inform your therapist if cleaning supplies are running low in the room.

Considerations for Virtual Therapy

  • Set-Up - Many devices may be used for your virtual therapy session (phone, tablet, laptop), but we suggest using a device that can be placed on a stable surface which will allow you to be at eye level with your camera. Lighting is important too. Make sure that you are lit so that your therapist can see your face. Daylight is best, but if not available, you may need to bring a lamp to help light you. Your therapist will also try to make sure that her face is visible to you. Don't be afraid to let her know if she needs to adjust her screen to make her more visible to you during your session. Also, be aware of any ambient noise that may make it difficult to hear you.
  • Privacy - One of the important elements of therapy is your privacy. Your therapist will do her part to ensure that you have a private and confidential experience. Please do your best to create that for yourself as well. Select a room where you can expect to be by yourself. Consider using earbuds or headphones which will help prevent others from overhearing your therapist. You may also choose to use a sound machine or white noise (a fan) to help protect the privacy of what you are discussing if you are in a place that is not soundproof. Consider locking doors or putting a sign out to discourage people from entering your room when you are meeting. If it seems that someone has entered the room, your therapist will pause and ask you if it is okay to continue.
  • Supplies - While in your therapist's office, she is likely to provide you with various materials that might help your therapy. In virtual therapy, you will need to be prepared with some items. Consider having some paper and writing instruments available to complete any written exercises or take notes. You may also choose to have coloring sheets, crayons, or colored pencils. Any other items that help you to feel comfortable are encouraged (fidgets, weighted blankets, a cup of tea, etc.).
  • Connection & Technical Issues - Before your session, you may want to restart your computer or close any unnecessary browsers, programs, or windows. When you are in the virtual waiting area, you may choose to do the "Pre-call Test" located in the bottom left corner of your screen. This will help you to identify any issues that may cause difficulties. Some people have experienced more success with the Safari browser, others have done fine with Chrome. If you are repeatedly having difficulties, consider switching your browser.
  • Emergencies & Code Words - There may be times when an emergency arises. If you feel unsafe and need to end the session it is a good idea to have a code word that will alert your therapist to your need to end the session. Talk with your therapist about situations in which you would need to use the code word.

Informed Consent for Virtual Therapy