group therapy
Answered
Is this an option ? Can I do DBT groups on this platform?
Bev
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Hi Beverly,
We don't currently support Group Sessions through SimplePractice, or Telehealth for group appointments with more than two clients, we do have an alternative workflow that may help you hold Telehealth sessions for your group. For notes and billing, you can create co-occurring normal sessions (not at your Telehealth location) for each individual client to add notes and bill for this Group Session. You can also learn more about hosting a 3-way Telehealth appointment using Enhanced Client Management for Couples in our guide Multi-client support on Telehealth.
While we are thoughtfully exploring formal support for larger group sessions, if you do need to hold a group Telehealth appointment for more than 2 clients in the meantime, we have an alternative workflow you can try:
1. Create a new client in the system. Name the client something that will help you identify which particular group this is, such as “Group X” (the “X” can be an identifying word). We do not recommend identifying this group using a single person’s PHI.
2. Create a Telehealth appointment with “Group X” selected as the client.
3. Share the unique link from this group Telehealth appointment to each client in the group manually.
4. Explain to the clients in the group that they must be careful not to share the link with others.
5. If you also see a member of the group individually as a client, be sure to explain to that client that they’ll need to use the link attached to their individual appointments for their one-on-one sessions.
6. For every future appointment you have with this particular group, you’ll have to manually share the unique link to each individual before the appointment.
7. You’ll need to repeat these steps each time you create a new group.
Please also note that SimplePractice does not officially endorse this alternative workflow, and our team is unable to help troubleshoot issues for any group Telehealth appointments at this time. Additionally, we assume no liability or responsibility for managing these group links should you choose to create them.
While I don’t yet have an ETA for you on when we’ll be releasing official support for group Telehealth appointments, we are actively working on it and we know it’s important. We’ll definitely keep you and the rest of our SimplePractice community updated on the status of this new feature as we continue to make progress.
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I am posting yet another request for capabilities to schedule and host a therapy group on Simple Practice. Looks like you may still be working on this but with regards to the above work around you suggested, will this enable each client to join a session with multiple windows, like a Zoom call with a group?
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Hi Elizabeth, you can certainly schedule 5 clients at once, but you'll need to make sure only one of them is set to the Office Location Telehealth: Video Office. Then you'll want to manually share the Telehealth link for the one Telehealth appointment with the other clients manually by clicking on the appointment > Share Link > Copy Link and sending it as a secure message to the other clients, or sending it outside of SimplePractice. Each Telehealth appointment you create will contain a unique Telehealth link, which is why I suggest only making one of the appointments a Telehealth appointment, then sharing the link with the other clients.
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Thank you, Ruth. So if I follow the the steps using same link everyone will be viewable for each other including me, we can all see each other? Does the person you put in for telehealth's identity get shared with others if it is that link? I am concerned about confidentiality. This is very confusing. I hope that you can make a group format soon so it can be easier. Thank you!
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The link is unique to the appointment, so once the appointment is over, the link won't be valid anymore! You won't be sharing any PHI, or confidential information by sharing the link. To answer your other question, yes, everyone who enters the call using the same link will be able to see everyone else in the call!
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I completely agree, as an avid group therapist who plans to transition to full-time private practice using Simple Practice, having the option to offer telehealth groups is absolutely essential. I'm going to test the proposed alternative workflow soon, but something as user friendly as other features on SP would be great.
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I have been using this alternative workflow for my group of 4 (including myself) and it has worked just fine. I just make sure I send all the members the same link by cutting and pasting it from one of the appointments and then sending it to the whole group. I can still keep individual notes and I can still title it as group therapy.
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I'm paying a premium price for service.
If I use zoom, I can easily conduct a group.
Why is it so difficult and confusing for sp to create a group therapy.
I see people have been asking for a simple solution for at least 2 years.
I have to use zoom for groups as it is tedious and confusing to use sp.
I'm starting 3 groups in Nov. 2021. I may need to change my platform. -
I'd like to join the chorus on this thread. I'm looking to start two therapy groups within two months, and I need the workflow to be as seamless and integrated as many of the other SP features. A major selling point of my practice--and SP--is the user-friendliness. The proposed workflow for groups is helpful, but not a long-term solution that I am willing to consider, especially since each client will not have a unique link and I will need to manually bill for each client.
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I just joined SP and thought the telehealth would be like Zoom with large group capability and filters ("improve my appearance" for lighting issues). Are these features coming soon? I'm still on my trial until Feb 22nd so I want to make an informed decision. Most of my work is seminars, groups, classes, and workshops. I want to be able to set a limit of 30 people on my seminars/workshops so the people can register online through the portal until the class is full and I want them to be able to pay in full before being able to schedule themselves into the workshop.
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I continue to ask and they continue to email me that they have no improvements to these much-requested features. They send me an email with a "workaround" that is all work. Hand enter each of my 30 clients for my couples clinic into the schedule myself one by one. The whole reason I got this software was so that a client could sign up online through my website with no effort on my part and be auto billed the day of service. I've had to pay for Zoom Pro to get the group video capabilities I need :(. That does not solve the calendar sign-up problem though. There is still no easy workaround for group sign-ups on the calendar so I can't use that without having to manually enter every client one by one which is not worth the effort. I turned off telehealth in order to use "Zoom office" but can't designate that as telehealth in their system so it shows up as in person. Additionally, I can't downgrade to the lower subscription level/price (since I am not using telehealth) without losing other features I want (Appointment reminders, Secure client messaging, Customizable notes and assessments, etc).
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I have used Theranest in the past and was able to have group features. I read past threads from 4 years ago asking about group access. I am beginning to think that this is not a possibility. I like SP but may have to drop the platform as this is an issue that has been ongoing and not resolved. Is there any update on this issue?
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I recommend everyone go vote for and leave comments on the features they want in SP here https://feedback.simplepractice.com/forums/918553-simplepractice-feedback
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For the love of all that's holy. I'm paying $200 a month to have myself and my two interns here at Simple Practice and have all these wonderful clients on this system and something so basic as GROUP THERAPY isn't an option? And it's been complained about for over 3 years? Come on, SP. Listen to your customers, please!
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My practice is currently transitioning from Theranest to Simple Practice and I am so disappointed about not having a group therapy feature. I run quarterly groups with up to 5 members and it is frustrating that this platform does not allow me to create a group feature for the calendar or for notes.....not to mention we aren't able to use the video feature for more than 2 people. I will have to keep using Doxyme for virtual group sessions. Theranest has easily allowed me to enter group calendar sessions as well as group notes. I really hope to see this feature added to Simple Practice.....but considering that it has been requested for 4 years and it hasn't been implemented yet makes me less hopeful.
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