OnLine Counselling
Online counseling is the term used for a number of counseling methods where you as the client does not meet face to face with the counselor or therapist for your therapy sessions. There are a number of reasons why people may choose one of these methods rather than face to face work. These include for example living in a remote area where it is not possible to meet face to face or living in a country where it is difficult to find a counsellor offering counselling in your first language. It may also be issues about access for people with disabilities and or where traveling to your therapist is difficult. For some clients the presenting issues such as issues in relation to identity or talking about a difficult topic such as sex can cause anxiety and stop the client accessing counseling. Online counseling can help overcome these and many more issues that stop people coming for counseling. There are a number of different types of online work which are explained here:
Instant Messaging (IM)
Instant Messaging is a form of counselling that takes the form of an agreed appointment time where you are at your computer and the counsellor is at his/hers. You use IM (instant messaging) such as MSN to talk using test based communication to explore the issues with your counsellor. This form of work is in real time. It will be important to establish certain netiquette for communicating using IM so for example that you know when the therapist has stopped talking and it is your turn to speak and visa verse. This will avoid the possibility of any misunderstandings your therapist will go through the netiquette of using IM in the first session so that you get the best form this form of working.
This form of counselling takes the form of you sending an email of about 1 – 1.5 pages outlining your issues and or problem to the counsellor at an agreed time each week. Your counsellor will then reply to your email by an agreed time also. It is usual that your counsellor will require about 3 days to respond to your email and you will then have 4 days to compose your next mail. This method is useful for clients who are on the move and unable to commit to a regular session allowing you as the client to compose your email at a time convenient to you and this could be in the morning or after work etc.
Skype
This method is similar to the IM method but you speak to your counsellor via the Skype program that you download to your computer. This allows you to use webcam to see your therapist and speak and hear normally. This method is useful for clients who move around a lot or find it difficult to locate a therapist in their local area.
Bangkok Counselling Service’s counsellor is trained in online counselling and you will receive the same high standard of support that you will get in face to face to face work. If you would like to book an online assessment session please email info@bangkokcounsellingservice.com with ‘counselling enquiry’ in the subject box. You are welcome to email any questions you have that you would like answered before booking an initial appointment.