Counselling Online and In Person
- Is it Different From Psychotherapy?
- Ensuring Confidentiality and Security of Online Sessions
What is Solution-Focused Psychological Counselling?
Counselling aims to enable people to make their own decisions in the face of life difficulties. Counsellor aids the clients in exploring their problems and developing a better understanding of themselves to improve their life.
What is the Difference Between Counselling and Psychotherapy?
Much of the above can also be applied to psychotherapy. Nevertheless, counselling and psychotherapy have distinct components, including different origins. Psychotherapy emerged from the seminal yields of Sigmund Freud, and in the past, psychotherapists tended to deliver long-term psychoanalytic therapy. However, modern psychotherapy also includes cognitive-behavioural, existential and interpersonal approaches. On the other hand, Carl Rogers, the originator of non-directive counselling, aimed to move away from directive problem-solving towards a collaborative process.
The distinction between counselling and psychotherapy tends to be associated more with the individual counsellor’s or psychotherapist’s interests and training and the setting in which they operate rather than with any inherent difference in the two processes.
Online Counselling and Therapy
Online counselling or therapy sessions are simply a way of working with your counsellor, therapist or coach over the telephone or via an internet-based platform that allows audio-video calls. If you seek psychological consultation, marriage counselling or individual psychotherapy, such as EMDR therapy or cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), you may prefer to meet with your counsellor or therapist over the phone or via Zoom instead of in-person sessions in a therapist’s facility.
Online sessions eliminate the commute to and from the therapist’s office, and you can attend your session comfortably from a convenient place. Therefore, online counselling sessions might be particularly beneficial for those who
- Can not find a competent therapist, counsellor or coach nearby
- Do not feel comfortable meeting with a psychologist, therapist, counsellor or coach in person
- Prefer to attend their session from home
Online counselling sessions are a broad category that includes sessions via phone calls, email correspondence, live text chat and video sessions via internet-based platforms. You direct your session by selecting the form of communication you feel most comfortable with. Moreover, you choose the pace, place and time of your counselling that works best for you.
Counselling via Live Text Chat
Should you prefer the online text chat, you will enter an encrypted area where we meet at a time agreed on in advance.
Counselling via the Internet-Based Audio-Video Platforms
Zoom is a way to meet with your counsellor face-to-face from your computer or phone. Audio or audio-video sessions via Zoom have the benefits of encrypted services. Should you prefer this method of consultations or counselling, you will need to set up your own encrypted free Zoom account. We will meet on Zoom at a time that was prearranged and agreed on beforehand. One session is 60 minutes long. Being able to see your therapist offers you more of the benefits you get from face-to-face sessions but with the comfort of an online setting. Nonetheless, you can have a Zoom session only with audio without a video camera.
Email Correspondence
Email correspondence sometimes is effectively used between more structured telephone, online chat or Zoom sessions. However, a possible time delay between your email and the return email might render email counselling unproductive when an issue is urgent.
Benefits and Challenges of Online Counselling
Online counselling provides certain benefits. Yet, some restrictions are worth bearing in mind when choosing a type of therapy that suits your needs best.
Benefits of Online Counselling:
- Attending a session from your chosen place at a suitable time.
- Secure encryption software provides peace of mind and confidentiality.
- No odds that you may be noticed entering the therapist’s office if you prefer to keep it confidential.
- When using online chat or email, you can check what you are expressing before sending it.
- Sessions at a pace, place and time that works best for you.
- Some people find it easier to articulate their emotions in writing.
- Access to a counsellor may be more instantaneous.
- Flexibility to select the mode that fits you best: email, online text chat, audio or video calls.
The major advantage of online counselling is that people who feel more comfortable managing their conditions or concerns in their preferred location have the chance to do so. And for somebody who follows a busy schedule or is mobility-restricted, online psychological consultations or counselling offer the opportunity to prioritise their mental health without sacrificing their work commitments, family and private life.
Couples in a long-distance relationship or employees seeking affordable and suitable help with mental health or relationship issues may greatly benefit from online counselling services. Life requires us to endure its conditions, and online counselling may support us in staying on track.
Things to consider:
- Are you comfortable using Internet technology?
- Do you have a secure and stable internet connection?
- Text communication can sometimes be open to misunderstanding.
- In text or phone communication, neither you nor the counsellor can read body language–this can cause misinterpretation.
What Issues Can be Addressed in Solution-Focused Counselling?
Relationship Issues and Marital Conflict
Many couples seek help in couples counselling or marriage therapy. A marriage counsellor or couples therapist can help these couples work through frequent relationship difficulties, such as lack of trust, poor communication and intimacy issues.
Mental Health
A counsellor can also help people with mild symptoms of mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, disordered eating (including compulsive overeating), dependencies, post-traumatic stress disorder and consequences of psychological trauma.
Counsellors may incorporate in their treatment anger management and stress management therapy, drawing on fundamental principles from EMDR and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
Loss and Grief
Another painful challenge that people encounter in their lifetime is losing a family member or close person. An unfortunate loss like this can have serious consequences. Fortunately, grief and bereavement counsellors can support grieving individuals through counselling. After losing a family member or friend, you might feel guilty, angry or depressed. A grief counsellor will aid you in working through or processing your loss-related pain and emotions.
Difficult Emotions and Stress
Stress is one of the common reasons people pursue online or in-person counselling. A counsellor can help people who are overwhelmed by stress identify and address their triggers and stressors. Moreover, many people seek online counselling to manage complex emotions, such as anger. Counsellors can aid people who struggle emotionally in better understanding and managing these difficult emotions and addressing different mental health issues.
Everyday Complaints
Counselling helps people deal with common daily challenges that hinder their daily functioning, such as procrastination, fear of failure, setbacks, and life transitions.
Online (Remote) or In-Person Counselling: Confidentiality and Security
The information shared with a counsellor is strictly confidential. All logs must be stored on a password-protected drive. No identifying information must be contained in these records, as a client ID number substitutes any identifying information.
A counsellor’s affiliation with a professional organisation ensures their adherence to the ethical code established by that organisation. This means that a counsellor is expected to adhere to ethical guidelines and norms set forth by their professional association.
Crisis Hotlines
However, psychological consultations, counselling or therapy are insufficient to help you if you are in crisis. A mental health crisis refers to a situation in which you need urgent help. It may include
- having an acute episode of a panic or anxiety attack;
- having an acute episode of mania or hypomania;
- having an acute episode of psychosis (e.g. feeling extremely paranoid);
- intention to harm yourself/feeling suicidal;
- intention to harm others/having intrusive thoughts of doing violence to others.
In this instance, please contact your local emergency department to have the help of the crisis team.
A List of Crisis Lines by Country
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