4 Common Questions about Virtual Teen Counseling in Georgetown, Texas

Introduction

You’re down the rabbit hole of researching teen counselors and are ready to reach out and connect.

You know you want to speak with any potential teen counselor in Georgetown before you book a session, but you’re not quite sure what to ask. So, you’ve turned to your good friend, the internet, looking for answers.

A simple query of “what are some questions to ask when calling for virtual teen counseling for the first time?” in ChatGPT gave me twenty-five questions you could ask! That’s a lot!

The thing about using AI to help, is that it doesn’t know you or your teen, and it can’t curate the questions to what is most pertinent. Many answers to the more basic questions (i.e. what’s your approach to teen counseling, what are your fees, and how long are sessions) are likely found on the teen counselor’s website, and I don’t want you to spend the brief amount of time you have on the phone with a teen counselor in Georgetown on things you can research on your own.

That’s why I’ve decided to discuss some of the most common questions about virtual teen counseling in Georgetown, TX, so you use that free initial consult call effectively and get the answers you need to make the best choice for you and your teen. 

4 Common Questions About Virtual Teen Counseling in Georgetown, Texas

What if my teen gets bored or distracted during the virtual counseling  session?

That’s a great question! It’s likely your teen will get bored or distracted at some point on a virtual counseling session.

Guess what though? That happens in person too! And it’s all part of the process.

A lot of the work in therapy is practicing mindfulness, which means paying attention on purpose to the present moment. The reason mindfulness is so important is because it helps us have connected, healthy relationships.

Being in a hybrid world, I want your teen to be able to connect both in person and online. Virtual teen counseling provides a great opportunity to practice those skills together, with a trusted adult.

But really, what does happen when a teen gets bored or distracted during a virtual teen counseling session? The answer, like so many things in therapy, is, it depends.

Let’s say they were distracted by someone in their home interrupting their session. This might give your teen the opportunity to practice assertive communication with me, and say “I need to take a break for a minute to go do something.”

Conversely, this may give your teen the opportunity to practice assertive communication with you, and say something to the effect of, “I am in therapy right now; I can talk to you in another 20 minutes.”

In the event that your teen starts to pay more attention to what’s going on in their space, than what’s going on in the therapeutic relationship, it may be a signal that they are experiencing some discomfort or distress in the topic we’re discussing or that they’re ready to wrap up the session. In that case, it gives them an opportunity to either come back to what we’re focusing on, sit with the discomfort, or practice negotiating their needs.

If your teen happens to have a second device, and they seem to be distracted by the device, then it’s a chance for me as the therapist to model setting healthy boundaries and saying something like, “it’s totally okay if you want to use your device when the session is through; it’s not okay to use the device while we’re in session.” Or to reflect back to them what it feels like for me, if they’re engaged in another conversation via text while I’m with them. Reflecting my feelings of hurt, feeling ignored, or dismissed, helps to build the skill of empathy and get your teen to think about what it’s like for others around them to be in a relationship with them.

Ultimately, boredom and distraction are simply part of therapy with teens. It doesn’t mean anything’s wrong, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ready to end therapy. Moments of boredom and distraction create space to reflect on the relationship, have a teen practice negotiating their needs, and engage in healthy communication in a safe, structured way.

What if there are safety risks, like my teen is suicidal during the virtual counseling session?

If your teen is feeling depressed, they may experience suicidal thoughts. It’s important for your teen to voice these thoughts, so we can start to work with them and through them in therapy.

As a virtual teen counselor, I am trained on how to assess the content and behaviors of a teen around safety issues such as suicide and self-harm. If something about your teen’s thoughts, conversation, or behavior give me concern about their safety, then I’ll start by assessing the risk of danger. Specifically, in regards to suicidal thoughts, I would assess for things like does your teen have a plan? does your teen have the means to follow through on the plan? and what kind of support do they have?

Most virtual teen counseling sessions are completed with someone else at home, such as a parent or sibling. If I had concerns about your teen’s ability to keep themself safe, then I would have them find another individual in the home and bring them back into the virtual session to discuss what was going and create a plan, so that your teen has the support they need to stay safe. If no one is at home at the time of the session, then I would make contact with a caregiver while your teen is still online, to ensure that they have the support that they need and stay safe. Ultimately your teen’s safety is the most important thing. If for some reason, I’m unable to reach a caregiver or responsible family member, then it may be necessary to call for a welfare check by emergency services and stay on the line with your teen until support arrives.

So much of the pain of individuals is being alone in their time of need. Many times, voicing suicidal thoughts helps to remove their power. If your teen is experiencing the pain of depression, suicidal thoughts, or a different kind of self-harm, it is my goal to be present with them and support them through that experience.

How is privacy and confidentiality maintained in a virtual counseling session?

Similar to how things go in an in-person therapy session, I conduct virtual teen counseling sessions in a secure, private environment where I won’t be interrupted.

I’m in a room by myself; I have a sound machine outside of the door, and I use headphones to ensure that your teen cannot be overheard.

Technologically speaking, I invest in a secure platform to meet with your teen in the virtual therapy space. This platform encrypts are connection and ensures that your teen’s information will not be at risk of a security breach.

How can I best support my teen when they’re doing a virtual counseling session?

Following up on the previous question, one of the first things that you can do if your teen is scheduled for a virtual counseling session, is to ensure that they have a private location to conduct the session. If possible, find some sort of a space in your home with a closed door, so that if other people are in the home, they are not interrupted.

As much as possible, in your space, allow a buffer between your teen and others in the home (i.e. shooing away any siblings who may be outside the door listening to the conversation).

Ideally, your teen will find one place and one device where they can consistently complete the virtual counseling session. This will create more ease, as a routine gets established, and it helps the brain prepare for the session, as there won’t be any unexpected technical issues or last minute stress around where to set up.

If headphones are accessible for your teen, I recommend them for an additional layer of privacy.

Finally, some additional considerations: For an in-person therapy session, your teen typically has a “commute” time, where they might be reflecting individually or with you, on the fact that they are about to be in a teen counseling session. While for virtual sessions, it may not make sense to start preparing thirty minutes in advance, maybe it does for your teen. Your teen may find it helpful for you to mark the time leading down to their session (i.e. your virtual teen counseling session starts in 30 minutes…15 minutes…5 minutes). Providing such cues will help your teen transition to whatever activity they’re doing before virtual counseling and support them in being fully engaged during virtual counseling.

Having your teen ready to begin session 3 to 5 minutes beforehand, can be helpful so they are ready to go right at start time.

All of these skills are great practice of things like time management, prioritizing, planning, and transitions. 

A Free Consultation with a Virtual Teen Counselor in Georgetown, TX 

I hope this information above helps you find answers to some of the more common questions about virtual teen counseling in Georgetown.

If you’re ready to connect with me to see if I’m a right fit for working with your teen, in the virtual space, call me for a FREE 15-minute consultation at 737-808-4888.  We’ll discuss my style, what you and your teen are looking for, and if I’m the right fit to help your teen move from unhappy and withdrawn to finding joy and confidence from within.

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