- Virtual Onboarding
- 4 mins
As a professional therapist who wants to give their clients the best experience possible, you know that you need to pay special attention to the onboarding process. After all, it’s going to be one of their first interactions with your brand—and first impressions matter.
The issue? You don’t know what information to include. You don’t know how to deliver it. Nor do you have any idea what the timelines should look like. We’re happy to shed some light on questions you may have about virtual counseling session onboarding. Read on to learn more about best practices you should be implementing at your own practice.
1. Create a solid foundation with virtual onboarding.
Still on the fence about whether you should do things the traditional way or go virtual? We can assure you that both your clients and your business will benefit from choosing the latter. By taking things virtual and giving clients time to acquaint themselves with important material, you can:
- Impress new clients with your professionalism and attentiveness to detail
- Take advantage of that crucial first session
- Set the foundation for a positive client-therapist relationship
And now that that’s out of the way, we’ll get into the particulars of crafting a fantastic virtual onboarding process!
2. Include intake forms with your virtual onboarding package.
The less clutter, the better. Keep things streamlined for your clients by linking all documents and resources in one neat email. This will ensure that clients can quickly find and access everything they need once they do decide to make their way through the onboarding process.
We do, however, have one word of caution: don’t request sensitive client information over unsecured platforms. Take the time to do your research and go with a provider who is HIPAA compliant. We suggest starting your search with Simple Practice, Theranest, or Therapy Notes. Each of these platforms is HIPAA-compliant and secure, and intake documents are organized in one place and sent securely.
3. Send out your virtual onboarding forms well in advance of the first appointment.
It may seem like overkill to send out forms and educational resources weeks ahead of their scheduled appointment, but life tends to get hectic. Clients will enjoy the freedom to work through the content at their leisure, and you’ll take pride in knowing that you have made every reasonable attempt to keep things convenient for them.
With that in mind, we recommend sending them the content and forms as soon as they schedule their first appointment. Follow-up emails can be provided as needed.
4. Go beyond the basics.
Put effort into finding out more about your clients before they take their first seat in the chair across from you. Ask what brought them in. Inquire about their family history. Find out if they are using any complementary therapies / traditional forms of medicine. And most importantly, do your due diligence by taking the time to look through their answers. Their responses should ‘shape’ that first appointment and inform your approach.
While you can stick to the basics and go into that first session blind, modern technology has given you the ability to do better – and you should take advantage of that. This information can (and should!) become a standard part of your intake form package.
5. Start at the beginning.
Yes, your new client signed up for therapy, but that doesn’t mean that they know exactly what they’re getting into. Send them resources that outline what they can expect, the premise behind therapy, and logistics they should keep in mind such as choosing session frequency and confidentiality laws. This will ensure that they walk into that first appointment feeling confident, calm, and ready for personal breakthroughs.
6. Don’t be afraid to talk about the end.
Most clients don’t start therapy with the intention of never leaving. In simple terms, they usually want to be restored back to a place of well-being. Help them in that endeavor by guiding them through the goal-setting process, letting them know what success markers to watch for, and helping them understand when the ‘right’ time to stop therapy is. While this might seem counter-intuitive (you’re running a business and want stable income, after all) it will help you build a trusting client-therapist relationship. Actions like these demonstrate that you have the best interests of your clients at heart.
At ShrinkThink, we’re proud to offer thorough client onboarding courses that allow you to streamline operations and educate newcomers. Our modules cover a wealth of information that will benefit your clients and prepare them for therapeutic success. Simply sign up as a member and provide each new client with a link to our platform. Get in touch with us today to learn more, or sign up for our free course preview now!
