If you’ve done teletherapy before, you likely have a story to tell about outside distractions (ranging from funny to odd). From family members wandering into the background to unexpected home décor and disruptive noises, these interruptions can quickly derail a session. While managing distractions in one-on-one therapy is challenging enough, working with a group of children adds another layer of complexity. Ensuring a suitable environment becomes essential for all participants to stay engaged and focused.

If you want to get ahead of the curve, before starting therapy, send an email or speak with the family to state the following (as kindly as possible to maintain a positive relationship):

• Therapy sessions should be private, with no other individuals in the room. If that is not possible, ensure the client has headphones and is working on the opposite side of the room. 
• Please turn off the television and music and take phone calls in another room during the session.
• Ensure family members, including the client, are fully clothed if they plan to walk past the camera. 
• Remove distracting toys/objects that may interfere with the client’s ability to engage in the therapy session. 
• If a child is prone to spinning in chairs with wheels, please have them sit in a wheel-less, non-spinning chair. 

I created this list based on common disruptions that I’ve experienced over the last few years. You can probably add to this list some of the unexpected distractions that you’ve also encountered in your teletherapy sessions.  

Keep in mind that some of these distractions are never going to go away, no matter how many times you try to respectfully address them. If there’s a way for you to incorporate it into therapy (e.g. a family pet that likes to jump in front of the camera, a sibling that enjoys sitting in on the session and answering questions for the client, a parent who takes over the session by talking too much) try to get creative and make the best of it!