Will it work for you?
I believe that to even begin any online counselling a minimum of one or two sessions should be conducted face to face.
That initial assessment is to allow us time to begin to understand your problems as well as building rapport and trust which I feel is vital and ethical.
Once these initial sessions have been completed I realise that everyone has commitments, you may work away from home, have a very busy work or domestic schedule, you may want to retain your own counsellor if you have moved to another location or you need help at a vital time when you are unable to get to my practice rooms.
This is when online therapy can prove effective.
So how does it work?
Online therapy is counselling that takes place remotely over the internet. I have a number of options available to you, most of you will be familiar with, all of which are freely available.
These range from Zoom*, Microsoft Teams, Skype and Facetime (Apple users only) for a face to face online video counselling, which are available on all devices PCs, tablets and mobile smartphones. I can also counsel using the humble telephone for voice to voice only communication.
*for Video counselling I recommend Zoom due to its enhanced security features.
If you are unsure how to do this I will help you with this during the first consultation.
Is it effective?
The effectiveness of online therapy depends on your willingness to seek help and work with a therapist.
You must feel comfortable using different types of technology and talking to your therapist in an online environment.
If you are time-poor and perhaps struggle with workloads or maybe working around your children or prefer working with your therapist remotely, this might be a good choice for you.
However, just like face-to-face counselling in a practice you need to commit to sessions with your therapist. A date and time will be set and you will be expected to attend the session.
