We Utilize Online Therapy

We Utilize Online Therapy Palo Alto Smart Therapy is now a Telemental Health Practice Offering Online Therapy In California

How Does Online Therapy Work?

Meeting in the office is not always convenient or comfortable. Online appointments allow you to receive the same quality care as you do in person. While online therapy is not for everyone, it has some advantages over in-person meetings.

Online therapy allows you and your therapist to meet from separate locations through video over the internet. You will need access to a private space, a good internet connection, and a computer or tablet to engage in online therapy at Palo Alto Smart Therapy.

Our online therapy platform is 100% HIPAA compliant and secure.

Location of Services

Online therapy allows Palo Alto Smart Therapy to provide therapy to a broader geographic range of clients than our in-person services at our Palo Alto offices. We now see clients throughout the State of California.

All clinicians at Palo Alto Smart Therapy are licensed in California through the California Board of Psychology and the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

To Utilize Our Online Therapy Services, You Must Be:

  • Physically located in the State of California
  • Clinically appropriate for online services
  • Have access to a private space, good internet connection and a computer or tablet
  • Comfortable with digital technology

Who benefits most from online therapy?

  • Work/Life Balance
  • Travel Demands or Academic Breaks
  • Accessibility (including prohibitive work schedules, personal or widespread illness, physical limitations)
  • Increased Need for Privacy
  • Caregiver responsibilities (including eldercare, childcare, and partner care)

When you seek online therapy with Palo Alto Smart Therapy, you will:

  • Receive therapy that research consistently shows is as effective as in-person therapy
  • Feel confident and secure that you can have therapy anywhere within the State of California
  • Receive therapy in whatever environment is most comfortable to you
  • Be able to fit therapy seamlessly into your life

The Online Therapy Process

Step 1. Reach out to us

  • When you call our office, you will speak to one of our office assistants who will give you logistical information about our rates, therapist schedules and specialties, and how we work with insurance.
  • If you would like, our office assistants will schedule a free, 20 minute phone consultation with you and the therapist(s) of your choice. You will be sent an invitation from our scheduling system.

Step 2. Phone consultation

  • During this 20 minute phone call, you will speak with the therapist with whom you were scheduled.
  • Like all of our meetings with potential clients or with those who become clients, this call is individualized to your needs. You will be asked to describe what led you to connect with us. We will ask you about your goals, concerns, and the urgency surrounding your meeting with a therapist. You don’t need to have this information on hand before our call. Sometimes the majority of a phone call is about helping the caller discern these answers for themselves.
  • The point of this 20 minute phone call is to find out what brought you to therapy and how Palo Alto Smart Therapy can help. This is intended to make starting the therapy process as easy and as smooth as possible while offering you the chance to make contact with a therapist before you invest the time and money to begin your work.
  • If you and the therapist believe you are a good match, the therapist will work to schedule a time that works for you for an intake session. They will take your payment information to secure your appointment and will make a charge 24 hours before your scheduled time together. They will confirm your email address in order to send you an invitation to our secure intake procedure. This will allow you to complete most of your intake paperwork before your first session. You will be sent invitations from our scheduling system and from our encrypted video service Secure Video

Step 3. Session One to Three: Online Intake

  • During your initial session, you will meet with the therapist with whom you chose to schedule. They will review the details of your consultation call and gather information about your biological, psychological, and social history and how this is impacting your current situation. The two of you will work towards identifying your goals for therapy.
  • During the second and third sessions, your therapist will review your intake paperwork with you and ask any questions that will help to move your treatment plan toward your goals.
  • During these sessions, we work on low hanging fruit. This means we look at improvements or do thought experiments that can be implemented to provide the most expedient relief.

Step 4. Session Three & Beyond: Online Therapy

  • Together, you and your therapist will meet for sessions online.
  • In each subsequent session, you and your therapist will use evidenced-based approaches to help you meet your goals, feel more like yourself again and feel more connected with others all from the comfort of the location of your choice.

Step 5. Termination: 1-2 Final Sessions

  • In your final sessions, you will review your goals to ensure you are satisfied with your therapy experience and that the work we have done together has met your expectations.
  • You will also outline a plan going forward so that you are able to retain what we have worked on together and implement all you have learned outside of session./li>

What Does Online Therapy Cost?

To learn about our individual therapists’ rates, please call our office assistants at 650-422-2944. Online therapy is fee for service. This means our clients pay for their sessions at the time of their appointment.

Palo Alto Smart Therapy is not contracted with any insurance companies or Medicare. However, most of our services may be covered if you belong to a PPO-type insurance plan with out-of-network benefits. In addition, services may apply towards qualified medical expenses if you have a Health Care Reimbursement Account (HCRA) through your employer or Health Savings Account (HSA). Please check with your insurance company regarding the specific percentages of coverage that apply to your particular insurance plan and with your employer or accountant for details of your HCRA or HSA.

Your Next Steps

When you work with one of our online therapists, you will learn skills, gain insight into what is going on in your life, and rewire your brain so you can get beyond the emotional triggers and resistances that hold you back and feel confident moving into the future.

With the right support system and effective, targeted treatment, you can start making moves to live the life you want. For a richer, more fulfilled life, Palo Alto Smart Therapy can help. We help smart people feel better.

Call 650-422-2944 to schedule your online therapy session today.