remotEMDR Blog

Any online meeting relies heavily on good call quality. This is especially true for online EMDR therapy sessions, where bad synchronization, choppy video, or poor audio quality can be very distracting for both client and therapist. 

These issues are often related to your and your client’s internet connection, which can cause a host of problems when it comes to video chat platforms when it’s not working properly. 

That is why we put together the following list – it is aimed to enable you, remotEMDR users, to maximize the quality of your sessions by troubleshooting any connection issues you may experience throughout them. 

Before we go over the list of actions you can take to improve your connection, let’s perform a couple of quick tests that may help us diagnose the source of the problem. One is a speed test and the other one checks your connection’s stability. Please note that both you and your client need to perform these tests when connection issues arise during a remotEMDR session. 

1. Go to https://networktest.twilio.com and click “Allow” to let the website test your camera and microphone.
2. Please ensure you run this test, not during a therapy session or when any software uses your camera or microphone. 
3. Once the test is done, you’ll see general diagnostics – a green Pass message or a red Fail message on the left column of the page. Moreover, the right column of the network test contains the Log Output. You can take a screenshot and send it to us if something is unclear to you. 

For quick access to this test at any time in the future, both you and your client can click the “video chat settings” button and click “Technical troubleshooter.” 

Now, let’s check your internet speed. Go to www.speedtest.net and click “go.” The test will take a few seconds.

If you receive high scores, then the quality issue is likely on your patient’s side of the call. Ask them to run the same test. 

Now that we’ve performed the tests, let’s move on to the list of actions you and your client can take to improve the video quality during your remotEMDR calls:

1. Try using a different browser – remotEMDR works on Chrome, Firefox, or Safari browsers only, so make sure both you and your client are using one of these browsers. If you’re using an iPhone or an iPad, use Safari only. 
2. Make sure your browser and operating system are up to date – Both your browser and your OS (i.e., Windows, macOS, iOS, or Android) need to be updated periodically. Some of these updates feature important upgrades that help your device perform better. You can click here to find out if your browser is up to date.
3. Charge your device’s battery and disable low-power mode – Plug your computer into a power source, and make sure you’re not in power-saving mode. Many devices reduce functionality to save battery power in this mode, which may affect their ability to handle video calls. 
4. Close any unused apps – Before starting your remotEMDR session, close any apps that may be running in the background as well as any other open browser tabs. These may be consuming valuable battery power, CPU resources, and bandwidth that your computer needs to run the video calls smoothly. 
5. Check your CPU usage – Open your Windows Task Manager or macOS Activity monitor to ensure that your CPU usage is below 85%. Anything higher than that may indicate that your computer is performing more tasks than it can handle simultaneously. If this is the case even after you closed all other apps and browser tabs, there may be an issue with the computer itself that requires attention.
6. Restart your computer – This is an easy fix that is definitely worth trying. Restarting your computer may help shut down other software that remains open in the background, consuming power or conflicting with your device’s camera or microphone. 
7. Move closer to your WiFi router, and switch to the 5GHz frequency – These two factors can influence the speed and stability of your internet connection. Try to move as close to the router as you can, and make sure nothing obstructs it from your device (walls, furniture, etc.). If you’re using a WiFi extender, try disconnecting it temporarily and move closer to the router instead to see if that makes any difference. Last, Click here to learn how to switch to the 5GHz frequency, which offers significantly more bandwidth than the 2.4 GHz frequency.
8. Disconnect other devices from your network – make sure yours is the only device connected to the network, and disconnect any smartphones, smart TVs, computers, etc., that may be using up bandwidth. 
9. Connect your computer to the router by cable – If you’ve been connected to the internet through WiFi, try switching to an ethernet cable for more stability. 
10. Use a newer device – If you are using an older device, it may not be up to the challenge of handling video calls. Try switching to a newer device to see if it manages better. 
11. Call your ISP – Ask them what plan you’re currently paying for and find out if it’s time for a speed boost. 

We hope you found the solution to your problem in this article. If you need any further assistance, please write to us at info@remotEMDR.com. We’ll be happy to help you with any issues you’re experiencing with the platform.