As part of Cerebral’s mission to make mental health care as accessible as possible, we offer remote video visits so you can meet with your care team at your convenience. This means you’ll meet with your care team all online from either your computer, laptop, or smartphone. 

Whether you’re a technology pro or new to the game, we’re here to help make sure things run smoothly. Take a look at the tips below to ensure a smooth call.

How to start your video session

Once you’ve scheduled an appointment with a member of your care team we’ll send you an email confirmation with a link to join the virtual waiting room. You’ll receive appointment reminders with the link as well.

It may be helpful, prior to your visit, to click on the link so you can familiarize yourself with the platform. Once in the virtual waiting room, you’ll see an option near the bottom of the screen for a pre-call test. This is a useful tool that can be used to test your camera and sound prior to your appointment. There’s also an option to test your network stability and estimate the call quality based on your computer and internet connection. 

When the day of your appointment comes and your visit is about to start just click the link to enter your private, virtual waiting room. Once there, your Cerebral clinician will join you and you’ll be able to conduct your visit.

Tips for a successful video appointment

We’re partnered with a video provider named Doxy to conduct secure video visits. Here are 5 tips from Doxy that will help your appointment go as smoothly as possible.

1. Restart your computer before your visit. 
1. If there are any programs running in the background on your device this can take up a lot of power. So, it’s a good idea to close everything out and restart your system. 
2. Make sure you have a reliable internet connection. 
1. The better your internet connection is, the better your video quality will be. You can use wi-fi, but consider using an ethernet cable and plugging directly into your router if your video quality is lacking. 
3. Try to use a newer device with plenty of processing speed.
1. Conducting a video session takes a lot of power from your device. Older devices can have a harder time processing the video, which can cause choppiness.
4. Use low resolution.
1. If your video quality is low, try lowering the resolution. Using LD (low definition) or SD (standard definition) requires less bandwidth and power than using HD (high definition), which can cut down on any potential choppiness during your visit. You can lower the resolution in Doxy by clicking on Call Settings and then in the menu you’ll be able to select the video quality you want. 
5. Use headphones.
1. Most devices will automatically eliminate echo or any audio feedback so you won’t hear yourself talking through your speaker. But if you do hear yourself or have any feedback, try using headphones and that should solve the problem.

My video appointment isn’t connecting, what do I do?

Here are some more troubleshooting tips that may help

• Try using a different browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc.)
• Clear your browser cache and cookies 
• Try using a different device
• Use incognito mode

In the event that you’re unable to connect with your clinician via video for whatever reason, don’t worry! Your clinician will try calling you at the number listed in your profile to conduct the appointment if the video isn’t working. 

Still having difficulties? We’re here to help! You can reach out to our support team by submitting a request below with any questions you may have.