Asking family member(s) or other member(s) of your household to leave the home
If your family member(s) are aware that you are seeking psychological care and are supportive of your therapy, you can ask them to leave the home for the duration of your session. If you are not comfortable letting a member of your household know you are in therapy, you can let them know in advance that you would need privacy for an hour at the specific day and time. This will allow you to have privacy without divulging too much information.
You may ask your family member(s) or member(s) of your household to do the following while you have your therapy session:
- Go for a walk
- Go for a drive
- Do groceries
- Run an important errand
If family member(s) or member(s) of your household cannot leave the home
If the people you are living with are unable to leave the home, you can request them to:
- Watch a movie or a TV show with headphones on in another room
- Listen to music with headphones on while doing household chores
- Take an extended bath or shower
In this option, make sure you inform them when your session is over or when you no longer require that level of privacy!
Therapy outside the home
Alternatively, if the first two options are not suggestions that can work for your situation, you can choose to leave the home to have your therapy session. The virtual platforms used at Eastwood Psychologists allow clients to have video sessions on their phones, tablets and laptops. Some possible places outside the home where you can have your session include:
Have the session in your parked car
Prior to the start of your session, drive your car in an isolated parking lot where you can use your device to connect with your therapist for the duration of the session. You can leave the windows down for some air!
Have the session at a nearby park
You can walk to a nearby park and find a corner that is isolated where you can speak to your therapist through the video platform.
Have the session in your backyard
If you feel comfortable and have access to privacy in your backyard, you can find a shaded area to have your therapy session.
Have the session in your garage
If you feel comfortable and have access to privacy, you can grab a comfortable chair and have your therapy session in your garage.
Have the session at the Eastwood Psychologists’ Office
You can let our office manager know that you are unable to do any of the listed suggestions and require privacy for your therapy sessions. Our office manager can arrange for you to come to the office and have your video session in a private space while your therapist connects with you from their remote office.
If any of the above do not work for you, you can request the therapist that your session be at a time when your children are sleeping or when your parents are at work. Your therapist will try to do their best to accommodate you as much as possible, but we cannot guarantee that they will be working very early or very late during the day.
Lack of privacy does not need to be a barrier to receiving psychological care. In this blog post, we have listed just some ways you can address privacy issues while starting or continuing therapy. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact our office or your therapist to brainstorm other ideas that can work for your unique situation.