Update 8 Jan 2022 – Version 2 is now live!
This update includes some significant enhancements to ensure we continue to deliver the best EMDR tools for therapists and an outstanding experience for clients.
For our existing users, we also want to reassure you that continuity with what you are used to has always been kept in mind. We’ve tested these updates with a group of EMDR therapists and they found them to be intuitive and positive (and we’re confident you will too!)
We do understand though that any change can take a few moments to get used to. See below for guidance and explainer videos of the key updates.
When Will This Happen?
Version 2 will go live Saturday 8th Jan 2022
- The exact time will vary depending on where in the world you are located and which of our servers you are connected to
- There shouldn’t be any downtime of the service for this update and if you are in the middle of a session there won’t be any disruption, you’ll just see the changes when you start your next session
Practice Manager
The current Dashboard is now called Practice Manager. This is (for now) just getting a minor design refresh with a more comprehensive update and new features soon. One change we have made is that you can now choose whether to show the times of upcoming sessions or a list of your clients. Around half of our therapist community choose to record the date/time of sessions into the platform while the other half prefer to keep track of their schedule elsewhere. Either approach is totally fine, it’s just personal preference. This update enables you to choose to see a list of clients on screen as soon as you log in to reduce the number of clicks required to get a session started.
Streamlined Pre-call Test
We’ve reduced the number of steps for the Pre-call Test so you and your clients can get your sessions started faster. The tests for browser compatibility and network setup are still happening for you and your clients. But since we first launched the platform the number of instances of users trying to use the platform on out-of-date browsers, poorly configured networks and old slow computers has fallen dramatically as people have adapted to remote working. You will now only be notified of the results of these setup tests if an issue is found.
Simplified Waiting Room
Our new waiting room design simplifies the experience for clients by aligning more closely with the experience they will be used to on other popular video conferencing platforms.
As a therapist, you are now able to go into the session interface to set up your BLS tools and other settings in advance of the client arriving, while still being able to hold your client in the Waiting Room until you are ready.
New Session Interface Design
We’re done a big clean up of the session interface so that only the core controls remain onscreen throughout a session, while options that you may only use occasionally are tidied away, but still easily accessible. This delivers a much cleaner view on your screen, giving more priority to the video call and high quality communication with your client.
New Fluid-Motion BLS Tools
We’ve always believed that the Bilateral Base Online EMDR Platform should have a positive impact on how you and your clients feel during a session. We’ve updated our design and colour language to be calm and reassuring and we’ve added fluid movements to changes you make to the BLS your client is experiencing so that transitions feel more natural and organic.
Show/Hide BLS
The Show/Hide BLS feature was available in version 1 of the platform, but we discovered that many users did not know about it, (but loved it once they did). So we’ve redesigned this to be easier to find and more integral to the therapist workflow. The Show/Hide BLS button allows you, with a single click, to clear everything to do with BLS from your and your client’s screen so that whenever BLS is it not required you can return the focus of a session entirely back to your conversation and remove distractions. As soon you need your BLS tools again, another click will reveal the BLS tools in the same state as you left them.
'Client's View' Panel
A piece of feedback we’ve had frequently from our therapist community is the desire to always be sure about what your client is seeing on their screen in terms of the video call and BLS tools and how it looks when BLS is active versus when it is stopped. It is conventional on pretty much all video conferencing platforms to show a small image from your webcam on your screen. We’ve enhanced this feature so that as well as enabling you to see the view from your camera, it will also clearly show you what the session looks like for your client on their screen so you’re always clear on what they’re seeing and hearing during a session.
Repositioning 'Client's View' Panel
The new ‘Client’s View’ panel described above can also be dragged around the screen so that it can positioned where it’s most comfortable for you. This can also be done by going to Session Options -> Video Preview Options.
New BLS Options
We have had lots of requests for different BLS tools and variations to enable therapists to work online with the broadest range of client needs. In our version 1 design we ran out of space to accommodate all of these requests. The redesigned interface not only provides an easier to use experience to set up your BLS tools, but it also gives us much greater scope to add the advanced (and ocassionally quirky) options that you’ve been requesting. Some additional options have already been added and there are more coming.
BLS Preview
Another popular request has been the ability to see clearly what a BLS setup will look like before showing it to your client. This gives therapists an extra level of control and a more polished experience for clients. Within the BLS settings menu you can now preview what the BLS will look/sound like to your client before exposing them to it even when the session has already started.
Information For Your Clients
The changes for your clients are minimal and are mainly focused on making things even simpler than they already are, so we don’t expect most clients to need additional assistance. It is more just a case of them having a heads-up that the interface will look a little different so they are not confused. Clients can continue to use the same session link that you have previously shared with them.
We have updated our user guide for clients and we suggest you share this with them.
https://www.bilateralbase.com/support/client-user-guide/
