Online Therapy Best Practices

Telehealth has become a central modality in contemporary clinical practice, yet the skills required to deliver effective online therapy extend beyond simply translating in-person techniques to a digital format. This 1.75-hour continuing education course prepares clinicians to adapt their clinical approach to the unique demands of online therapy with adult individuals and couples. Participants will explore how telehealth alters the therapeutic frame, including changes in sensory access, pacing, environmental control, and relational dynamics. The course emphasizes the development of clinical skills for maintaining therapeutic presence and emotional attunement in video-based care, including the use of verbal and somatic tracking techniques. Clinicians will learn how to adapt interventions to clients’ real-world environments and leverage the opportunities inherent in working within clients’ lived contexts. Special attention is given to couples therapy in telehealth settings, including managing power dynamics, ensuring equitable participation, and addressing escalation and rupture. Ethical considerations are integrated throughout, including informed consent, privacy variability, confidentiality limitations, and safety protocols such as location verification and emergency planning. Through applied examples and clinical insights, participants will gain practical tools to deliver intentional, effective, and ethically grounded telehealth services.