Why did I move from traditional to be an online counsellor?

You are the key to change. Shift happens when you have the correct tools and strategy.

For many of my online clients the ability to access counselling  and coaching while remaining in the relaxed surroundings of their own home is an ideal alternative to more traditional ways and is easier to organize in their often busy lifestyles.

When running my part-time home based practice in Oakville, ON my neighbours knew what my profession was but I didn’t have a sign in front of the house.  I wanted to keep some level of anonymity to reduce worries of my clients. When coming or leaving my house they looked around as if thinking, “What if someone I know sees me here? What if someone from my work knows? Do people know I go for counselling? It’s embarrassing.”

No sign helped but the stigma around counselling remains a huge problem. The biggest advantage of online counselling is that it is not challenged by the stigma. It has no real barrier to entry and there are no real difficulties to stay in. Trained counselors as myself offer a lot of help through online services: whether it is helping people to cope with stress and relax; helping someone to get over personal challenges, distressful events or past experiences; helping to improve self-esteem, recover from losses or wrong relationships. The studies support online counselling is as effective as traditional counselling, equally efficient to  overcome mental health issues or disorders. In many ways online counselling removes the barriers that stop people from it and comparing to the traditional services it has benefits:

• It makes people less anxious about the start
• It is less stressful to maintain the schedule
• It’s convenient
• It’s accessible
• It’s more private and discrete
• It’s more flexible
• It gives many choices and once finding a right person they have easy access
• It’s economic as it keeps the overhead costs lower

Online counselling is an approach that many people are willing to try, especially people who would find traditional counselling disturbing. There are very good options to find counselling and coaching over the internet. People searching online have to be careful, look for credible professionals and wisely choose those who would be the best match for them.