Online counselling is sometimes considered a second-rate service compared to traditional counselling. Despite its limitations, online counselling has a lot of benefits, as
face-to-face counselling can be overwhelming for some people, especially when it concerns anxiety or phobia.
Face-to-face counselling can also be hard to access for those who live remotely or for people who have physical limitations.
As technology gets better and better, online counselling gets more popular. In this blog, I share five reasons why online counselling might be for you.
1. It’s accessible for everyone
You can access online counselling anywhere; as long as there’s WI-FI access, you can jump online and have a session. This is particularly helpful for people who live remotely and may not have easy access to face-to-face sessions.
The flexibility of online counselling also suits people who are:
Afraid to leave the house or anxious
Unable to leave the house due to illness
Travellers
Parents who cannot leave their child
Living remotely
2. You have a larger choice of counsellors
Found the perfect counsellor but they’re on the other side of the world?
Distance is no issue with online counselling!
Especially if you live in a foreign country and want to talk to a therapist who speaks your own language. You also have a wider choice among counsellors who specialise in your issues or offer your preferred approach, no matter where they are.
3. Online counselling can be as effective
Online counselling works particularly well for anxiety and stress issues. Often, clients mistrust online counselling because they think their counsellor will miss certain cues conveyed through body language, affecting its effectiveness.
Fortunately, online counsellors are trained to overcome this obstacle and have alternatives to get clear hints of your body language.
Your counsellor will also get more of an idea of who you are in your environment. Your home helps your counsellor understand you in ways that wouldn’t be possible in a face-to-face session in a practice setting.
4. Online counselling can be immediate
Sometimes, you need to talk to someone immediately; when you’re anxious and scared and don’t want to wait for an available counsellor, reaching out to helplines offering online counselling can be the solution for you.
On some platforms, online counselling can be booked as early as a few hours in advance, allowing you to talk through your problems as they arise.
These services offer a broader service; if you prefer a specific counsellor or approach, you may have to wait for the first available practitioner who meets your requirements.
5. You can switch to phone calls at any time
If you are familiar with and enjoy video calls with family and friends, you will likely feel comfortable chatting with your counsellor online. But if you prefer a voice call, you can choose to remove the video option and still have your counselling session.
How does online counselling with us work?
Build Your Safe Space Counselling runs counselling sessions using Meets. Security and privacy are a priority when talking about your challenges, and Meets' encrypted system makes sessions extra secure.
You have to ensure:
A good internet connection
A Google account
One hour time for the session
Enough privacy to allow confidentiality
Wear earphones if possible, as they allow more privacy and a better acoustic
Avoid possible distractions
Be aware that the first session can feel a little weird; it is normal.
Allow yourself some me-time at the end of the session to process your feelings
Want to give online counselling a try?
Subscribe to the website, and you’ll get a first 15 minutes free session.
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