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Using Telehealth / Online Options for Therapy with Ron Huxley

What is Telehealth?

Through audio and video over the internet, you can meet with your clinician on-the-go from your desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device (iOS or Android) – it’s your choice!

Telehealth allows us to connect anywhere with secure and convenient appointments that save you time and hassle. There’s no need to deal with traffic when you can schedule and attend your appointments directly from a laptop or mobile device.  

Click here to schedule an online session with Ron Huxley now!

What equipment do I need?

To participate in Telehealth appointments from your home, you will need one of the following devices:

  • Desktop computer with a webcam, speakers, a 2.5 GHz processor, and 4 GB of RAM OR
  • Laptop computer with built-in webcam and speakers, a 2.5 GHz processor, and 4 GB of RAM OR
  • Tablet device with built-in webcam and speakers, OR
  • Smartphone with at least iOS 10 or Android 7.0
    (Note: To use a smartphone, you must first download Telehealth by SimplePractice – available for iOS or Android in the app store.)
  • You will also need an internet connection that is at least 10mbps. For optimal results, a reliable, high-speed internet connection with a bandwidth of at least 10 mbps will minimize connection issues and provide the best quality.

Note: We recommend using the Pre-call Tool to check your internet connection.

The day of the call

Using a desktop or laptop computer

If you plan to use a desktop or laptop, there is nothing to download prior to your appointment. Here are the steps to join:

  • Approximately 10 minutes before your appointment, you’ll receive an email appointment reminder.
    • Note: If you have already consented to receiving text and/or email reminders, you will continue to receive them for Telehealth appointments as well. For new clients, make sure you have provided your email and or mobile phone number so that I can enable email or text reminders.
  • Click the unique link embedded in the reminder. You may have to copy and paste the link into your web browser if clicking the link does not work. Your video call screen will now open in a new tab.
  • If I have already joined the call, you will see my face on the screen. If I have not, you will see yourself, as shown below.
  • You will also see the Welcome prompt. Click Play test sound to test the your camera and microphone settings.
  • When you are ready, click Join Video Call. This will take you straight into the video call.

Using a smartphone or tablet

If you plan to use a mobile device, here are the steps to join:

  • Download Telehealth by SimplePractice (for iOS or Android) in the app store. Approximately 10 minutes before your appointment, you should receive an email appointment reminder. 
  • Open the reminder email on your device and click the unique link. This will open the Telehealth by SimplePractice app.
  • If I have already joined the call, you will see my face on the screen. If I have not, you will see yourself.
  • When you are ready, click Join Video Call. This will take you straight into the video call.

Note: There may be a slight delay for me to join the appointment if I am finishing with a previous appointment. Please be patient and I will join momentarily.

Tips for success

  • I recommend joining the video appointment a few minutes early to test your settings.
  • If you can connect to the Internet, but are having trouble joining the video, you can use our recommended Pre-call Tool.
  • To use a smartphone to join a video chat, you must first download the Telehealth by SimplePractice app available in the app store for iOS or Android.
  • If you need to cancel or have questions about the appointment, please contact me.

Click here to schedule an online session with Ron Huxley now!

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Secure Online Therapy Services

Online Options

Ron has been using online options for many years and was one of the first California-based therapists to explore telehealth issues for mental health. He has been and will continue to offer individuals phone, Skype, or FaceTime sessions. This has been helpful to clients that are people sick, isolated by distance, without transportation, dealing with young children (and can’t find a sitter), or managing challenging schedules with work and family life.

In addition, Ron is now offering secure, HIPAA-compliant online therapy through his client portal SimplePractice. All data is secured with bank-level encryption, your calls are anonymous, and none of your information is stored to meet the most up-to-date Telehealth guidelines.

When you schedule, choose the TeleHealth Office option.

What exactly is Telehealth?  Telehealth involves using electronic communications to enable clinicians to connect with individuals using live interactive video and audio transmissions. Telehealth includes psychological health care delivery, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, referral to resources, education, and the transfer of medical and clinical data, all from the comfort of your home or office.

Technology is never perfect. Here are some simple tips to help “connect”:

  • Ron recommends joining the video appointment 5-10 minutes before the scheduled time so you can make sure that everything is set up correctly. 
  • Restart your computer every day for it to run as efficiently as possible.
  • Close any unnecessary programs and applications on your computer before joining a Telehealth call. These take away from the resources needed for your computer to run efficiently.
  • Keep your software and operating system up to date. Install recommended updates only from sources you trust. 
  • You may need to adjust the volume or mute/unmute your speakers to prepare for the call. We also recommend keeping a pair of headphones nearby in case you need to use them for improved audio/voice. 
  • If you have questions about the appointment before the start time, be sure to email or call/text Ron Huxley.
  • If you can connect to the Internet but are having trouble joining the video, you can use our recommended Pre-call Tool.

Stay Informed: Sample of our New Telehealth Privacy Policies

CONSENT FOR TELEHEALTH CONSULTATION

(New clients will receive this consent form in addition to our standard forms).

  1. I understand that my health care provider wishes me to engage in a telehealth consultation.
  2. My health care provider explained that the video conferencing technology used to affect such a consultation will not be the same as a direct client/health care provider visit because I will not be in the same room as my provider.
  3. I understand that a telehealth consultation has potential benefits, including more accessible access to care and the convenience of meeting from a location of my choosing.
  4. I understand this technology’s potential risks, including interruptions, unauthorized access, and technical difficulties. I know that my health care provider or I can discontinue the telehealth consult/visit if it is felt that the videoconferencing connections are not adequate for the situation.
  5. I have had a direct conversation with my provider, during which I had the opportunity to ask questions regarding this procedure. My questions have been answered, and the risks, benefits, and practical alternatives have been discussed in a language I understand.

CONSENT TO USE THE TELEHEALTH BY SIMPLEPRACTICE SERVICE 

Telehealth by SimplePractice is the technology service we will use to conduct telehealth videoconferencing appointments. It is simple to use and no passwords are required to log in. By signing this document, I acknowledge:

  1. Telehealth by SimplePractice is NOT an Emergency Service, and in the event of an emergency, I will use a phone to call 911.
  2. Though my provider and I may be in direct, virtual contact through the Telehealth Service, neither SimplePractice nor the Telehealth Service provides any medical or healthcare services or advice, including emergency or urgent medical services.
  3. The Telehealth by SimplePractice Service facilitates videoconferencing and is not responsible for delivering any healthcare, medical advice, or care.
  4. I do not assume that my provider has access to any or all of the technical information in the Telehealth by SimplePractice Service – or that such information is current, accurate, or up-to-date. I will not rely on my health care provider to have this information in the Telehealth by SimplePractice Service.
  5. To maintain confidentiality, I will not share my telehealth appointment link with anyone unauthorized to attend the appointment.
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Knowing our stories…

“Once upon a time, a small bird flew into a tree and saw a crown hanging from a branch. At the bottom of that tree was a boy with a drum who asked the bird…” How would you finish this story?

This is a game that I often play with families in my therapy sessions with them. Each person gets to pick out a small item from a red velvet bag and come up with a piece of the story. The imagination continues round and round, chapter after chapter, until we come to a final end of the story.

The activity is fun and insightful. It provides a metaphor for the stories families have around their own traumatic losses. Even when bad things happened, that were outside of our control, we can narrate our present reality and write new chapters and have happier endings.

Recently, I taught a workshop on Adoption and Permanency skills to social workers and therapists. In this workshop we discussed how to tell the adoption story even when it is sometimes very shocking or socially taboo. One of the hallmarks of telling this story is that parents “hold” the story but they don’t “own” it. This is the child’s story. A parents goal is to tell all there is to be told (and sometimes there isn’t a lot known) by the time the child leaves the home and the child has to understand what is being told.

The story has to be told over and over again; essentially recycled over time, to account for the changing development. A child who is 5 has very different level of understanding than the child who is 12 or 16 or 20, etc. Each new telling unfolds greater revelation and insight. Each developmental period allows for more social awareness and shifting of identity. This may result in more grieving too. A child who is 5 may not show a lot of sadness over their story. Developmentally, this would be appropriate. A child is who 16 may have a lot of sadness or anger. This would be developmentally appropriate for him or her.

Every one has a story. It may have fun parts and yucky parts. It may be full of loss or full of adventure. The important thing to keep in mind is that our story is out story. We get to own it and when we do, we get to participate in its on-going authorship.

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Trauma and the Senses

Trauma and the Senses

Trauma impacts the brain and body. Our sensory system can become dys-regulated and dys-integrated due to toxic stress and trauma. The result may be sensory processing problems that look like other mental health disorders but are really just trauma. This video will look at the four A’s of treatment and how trauma affects our senses. Get more info at FamilyHealer.tv or schedule a session today.

Ron Huxley can provide your organization or event with trauma-informed trainings on a variety of topics, tailored to your specific group. Click here for more…

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Trauma-Informed Conference at Cuesta College

I am proud to be a presenter at the Trauma-Infored Care: An Integrative Approach, this coming March 20, 2020 at Cuesta College. This is a systems-wide collaboration between Cuesta College, SLO County Behavioral Health, Transitions-Mental Health Association, Center for Family Strengthening, and SLO Trauma Informed Champions of Change.

Seating is limited so register today at http://bit.ly/HWO-Trauma-Informed. There are 5 free BBS/BRN Continuing Education Units too.

The keynote will be delivered by Dr. Gregory Williams, author of “Shattered by the Darkness”. You can check out his website shatteredbythedarkness.com. He is a medical doctor and doctor of counseling who shares his intensely traumatic childhood of ongoing sexual abuse.

My topic will be on creating trauma-informed families…If you live in the San Luis Obispo or Santa Barbara Counties, I encourage you to attend. See you there!

Download the flyer by clicking here!

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The NonTraditional Family Toolbox (Free Report)

You can find your balance of Love and Limits in your family…not matter what type of family you are.

Balancing love and limits in discipline is one of the most challenging aspects of parenting. Love and limits refer to different styles of parenting with love representative of a “permissive” or child-centered style of parenting and limits representative of “authoritative” or parent-centered style. Each style is based on a set of beliefs, in the parent, about what it means to be a good parent. No one wants to be a bad parent. They adopt a style that they feel best meets the goal of parenting to raise children that are able to manage themselves and function productively in the world.

Finding this balance can be challenging for nontraditional family. This is particularly true when parenting partners’ do not agree on how to discipline. One parent may advocate a stricter approach in contrast to the other partners more permissive approach. Children will use this split to divide and conquer the family. Given that many nontraditional families are already dealing with losses, confusing parenting roles will only add to the grief. Learning to co-parent will help heal the heart and the home.

Download the NonTraditional Family Toolbox report by clicking here!

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Fearful of Forgiveness?

In this healing video, Ron Huxley, explains what forgiveness is and isn’t. Learn the benefits of forgiveness to release angry toxins from your life even if you can’t reconcile or ever be with another person ever again.

Fearful of Forgiveness?

Get more power-full people tools by taking a course at FamilyHealer.tv!

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Finding comfort and joy, moment by moment.

During this season we hear a lot about comfort and joy but many people feel only pain and loss. Comfort and joy are the perfect antidotes to this suffering. It is what a broken world needs most. It may be that we can’t find comfort and joy because we believe that when we do we will stop feeling hurt. This is not always true. Our heart is to create more space not to eliminate hurt. That would be a nice result but isn’t reality. We strive to allow comfort and joy to coexist with our pain and loss. This inner act expands our heart of compassion. We now have a greater capacity for feeling both comfort and pain, joy and loss. It is a spiritual paradox but it is a direction for our own healing. 

Science confirms this idea. Our hearts literally do expand when we entertain compassion and allow more space for comfort and joy. Choosing compassion releases neurotransmitters in the brain and hormones in the body and calm down the hyperaroused nervous system, reducing fear, anger, anxiety, and depression. 

Studies on the practice of compassion reveal improved autoimmune functioning, decreased inflammation, improved digestion, increase mental focus, motivation, and even sleep. Dr. Caroline Leaf, a noted cognitive neuroscientist, and researcher on the mind-body connection report that compassion increases the grey matter in the brain, allowing improved thinking and sensory processing. 

So how does compassion start? How do we allow comfort and joy into our lives when we feel stuck emotionally? The answer is where we put our focus. 

Right now, at this moment, you have a choice. Whoops, there it went but don’t worry, here comes another. Missed that one. Just wait…

We have thousands of opportunities to choose comfort and joy. Every moment is a chance to change the directions of our lives. It will not remove pain and suffering but it will allow us to build a mindset that allows comfort and joy too. Take a deep breath and make one statement of comfort and joy. Maybe it is gratitude for that cup of coffee or tea in front of you. Is it warm and comforting however brief? Maybe you heard someone laugh and it made you smile? Perhaps, someone opened the door for you when your hands were full? Life is constantly presenting micro-moments of comfort and joy. You just have to notice them. 

The problem is that we allow suffering to be our filter for living. We get angry expecting things to be different than they are. We resent people for not treating us the way we deserve. Just allow those challenges to exist alongside the next moment of gratitude and pleasure. Build those moments up, one after the other, and live a day full of tiny, joyful experiences. Tip the emotional scale in your direction. 

The brain likes to automate our life. It will take any repeated experience, good or bad, and make it a habit. This is how we can do so many tasks and face so many diverse problems. It makes us efficient and skilled. It can also make us miserable if we stop being aware of what is going on around us. A lack of moment to moment awareness makes us a machine, driven to self-protect and insulate from anything that smells dangerous or out of the norm. We don’t want the norm. The norm is hurt. We want the new which is comfort and joy. This will cost you some mental energy until the new norm becomes a happy habit. 

Test these ideas out today. Stop three times today to recognize a moment of comfort or joy. Write them down on a post-it note. Remember, in as much detail as you can muster, throughout the day, what it felt like. Do this for a week and see if your pain, your suffering, starts to lessen and a life of greater compassion takes over. 

Let Ron Huxley, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, assist you in finding more comfort and joy. Schedule a session today – Click here!