Therapists often ask if they can use video-platforms to provide remote counselling and which platforms are best for private practice. While there are functionality factors to consider when making your decision, most importantly, platforms should appropriately protect and secure patient information. If you are in Ontario, this means complying with the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA).
There are many benefits to using a secure platform when conducting sessions via video, including:
Greenspace recommends the three platforms below[i], as you consider whether offering video counselling is right for you. Each of the platforms either has a free option available or is reasonably priced.
Note that Facetime and Skype are not considered secure platforms and are generally not recommended for video-counselling as they do not meet the required privacy/security standards.
We hope this information is helpful and please do not hesitate to contact us at info@greenspacehealth.com if you have any further questions.
[i] Note that Greenspace does not guarantee the privacy, security or reliability of each of the third-party platforms. Therapists should consider the privacy and security implications of using any online platform before using it with clients.