Online Counseling Services
Online video counseling is appropriate for a wide range of issues related to:
- Emotional and/or behavioral health
- Relationships
- Work/career
- Parenting
- Loss/bereavement
Not all issues are appropriate for online services. In-person appointments are recommended for couples counseling and for acute crisis (e.g., thoughts of suicide). Call PAS at 919-416-1727 to schedule an in-person appointment.
All PAS clinicians are licensed and experienced psychologists, counselors, and clinical social workers who can assist with the kinds of problems that faculty, employees, and their families might face at work or home.
How Do I Get Started?
- Call PAS to schedule your appointment. An email invitation will be sent to you by your counselor.
- Open and accept the calendar invitation.
- Prior to your appointment:
- Visit webex.duke.edu to request an account
- Install WebEx meeting software on your device
NOTE: Your device will need video capability, a microphone, and speakers.
Be sure you are in a private room with internet connection.
- Approximately 15 minutes prior to your appointment, open the calendar invite and click "Join meeting in my WebEx Personal Room."
- You will be placed into the "online waiting room" of your counselor's personal room. When your counselor arrives, you will be admitted to the personal room and start your session.
If you have questions, need more information, or have difficulty joining a meeting, visit webex.duke.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions About PAS Online Counseling
You will need a web browser (e.g., Web-Ex “personal room”), camera, microphone, and speakers.
Yes, as long as you have a web browser. Please note that smartphones offer a less secure, less private environment. Since smartphones are not stationary, the picture/image can sometimes become a distraction.
You should make arrangements to be in a private room or office by yourself to ensure no interruptions. For best results, have your camera stable and positioned at eye level. You may also want to reduce the light from windows or any light emanating from behind you.
Your PAS counselor will attempt to reach you at the phone number you provided to schedule a future online or in-person counseling session.
When you register for your online counseling session, you will be asked to provide the location where you will be receiving services, an emergency number, and your local address. In the event that it is determined that you may be a threat/danger to yourself or someone else, the emergency services in your local community will be called to respond to your address.
In an emergency, you should call 911 or receive safe transport to the nearest hospital emergency room. For non-emergencies, you can call the PAS office at (919) 416-1727.
The privacy and confidentiality of computer-mediated communication cannot be 100% guaranteed. Specific encryption measures are part of your Web-ex “personal room” and protect the information that will be communicated between you and your PAS counselor. When in doubt, schedule an in-person counseling session at the PAS office.
Yes. PAS believes that in-person interactions are the optimal choice, however, we recognize that technological advancement has impacted service delivery. PAS suggests that the first appointment occur in person, unless otherwise approved in advance by the staff. Exceptions are generally granted for employees who do not reside/work in the Triangle, but are within the state of North Carolina.
No. We do not save sessions in video or transcript due to the potential for confidentiality breaches. As part of standard, professional practice, your PAS counselor will record session notes in a separate, secure electronic record. PAS records are not medical records and will never be part of Duke My Chart.