Some people do not have access to adequate counselling and psychotherapy. They may live in a rural community, such as many in northern BC, where local counselling is not available. They may suffer from an illness and their mobility may be limited. Or they may live in major urban centers, such as Vancouver or Halifax, where they’re unable to find a counsellor who feels like a good “fit.” In cases like this, and for my regular clients who travel, I offer online and phone counselling (sometimes called “e-counselling”) over FaceTime or Skype.
E-counselling is usually conducted over telephone or Skype. These counselling sessions are the same as any other, I meet with people at scheduled days and times, usually once per week. Once one gets used to the format, e-counselling, and especially online counselling over Skype, is almost always every bit as vital and effective as in-person counselling.
The main difference between in-person counselling and e-counselling is that people need to ensure they are in an appropriate space for counselling, one in which they feel safe to talk about anything without being overheard. All counselling requires privacy and trust, but in e-counselling this becomes a prime responsibility for both parties. The other difference is that invoicing is handled over email and payments are conducted through Paypal or Interac e-transfers.
If you are considering e-counselling, feel free to contact me over the phone or email and set an appointment for a free phone consultation. During our consultation we will discuss the difficulties you are facing or the growth you would like to achieve, and we would also discuss the logistics of e-counselling to see if it would be a good fit for you.