- Online counselling was a form of delivery well before the pandemic; but the pandemic expanded the idea of meeting online and online therapy exploded in popularity.
- Online counselling is just as effective as face-to-face counselling1. There may be a preference for one over the other but online therapy works! One of my client testimonials refers to solely online work.
- Creative tools can be used. I cannot hand you a paper and pen, but I can share my screen, tilt my camera to show drawings and use excellent online creative tools I have trained in
- Pros:
- Saving time and money on travel. Saving time allows for more opportunities to have counselling – it can be fitted in during a lunch hour or after the kids have gone to bed.
- Accessibility for those who would struggle to leave their home such as those with a disability or caring responsibilities.
- Increasing the number of counsellors you can access for more choice of specialist therapists, regardless of location.
- The client can enjoy a familiar environment where there is no chance of interacting with others (unlike accessing an office block for example.)
- Cons and how I work with these:
- Disinhibition because you are talking to a screen. This can feel a little odd but actually leads to going deeper into client material more quickly.
- Potential for technical difficulties – I recommend a strong internet connection and will telephone you if we have issues. Physical meeting rooms can have issues that compromise sessions too, as seen during a recent Red weather warning, where online sessions were the only option.
- Privacy – it can be hard to speak at home where you may feel there is a risk of being overheard, especially if you are talking about those in your home. Sometimes clients join me from their car or a private meeting place at work.
- I cannot see your whole body so I may miss a visual cue. I am mindful of this and check with clients how they are feeling in their body, what might I see if I was in the room etc.
I offer online therapy over Zoom currently. I send the link so you can join via your browser so no need to download. All you need is a phone/computer with internet and a private space. Click on the contact form to say hello and get started online.
