Covid has undoubtedly changed the face of counselling forever. Pre-pandemic online counselling was rare. Many counsellors looked down on it as not being proper. I wrote about this back in 2018 here. Thankfully that stigma and snobbery has faded.
Today online counselling has continued to increase in popularity and every day I see the benefits working remotely.
I love working online. If you are not convinced yet here’s 6 reasons why online counselling might be right for you.
1 - More Choice
Choosing to work online offers you the choice to see a counsellor who is well versed in the issues you’re facing as you’re not limited by location.
You can check out their website, blogs, social media and choose the counsellor that suits you, rather than the person whose office is closest to your home.
It’s wonderful to have so much more choice. Don’t limit yourself to choosing from just a handful of counsellors in your local area.
As a client myself I also love the fact that I am incredibly unlikely to bump into my counsellor in my local Tesco since I know she is based over 200 miles away!
2 - See a Specialist
I’ve lost count how many clients I’ve met over the years who’ve told me they’ve not felt able to open up about their gender and sexuality with previous counsellors. This saddens me as counselling is meant to be the place where you can be open.
Without being open about who you are (or think you might be) it’s difficult for the counselling to work.
For this reason, many people are choosing to seek out a specialist who has knowledge and experience working in the LGBTQ+ community.
3 - Save Time
Travelling to counselling sessions can be a pain. Waiting for the bus, getting stuck in traffic, and finding parking are all additional stresses you don’t need, especially right before seeing a counsellor.
When I see my counsellor, I want to start my sessions without all this added stress, so I choose online counselling.
I remember when I had counselling in person pre-pandemic it took up around 3 hours of my time each week as I had to allow time for travel either side. This was frustrating and difficult to fit in around working full time.
Now as so many people work from home, they are choosing to seek counselling online to avoid this added stress and save time.
4 - More Comfortable
Seeing your counsellor from the comfort of your own sofa can help you feel more relaxed and able to be open, making counselling more powerful and effective for you.
You also have the additional benefits of being able regulate the temperature of the room. If you love to have the fresh air coming in you can open your own windows, or you maybe prefer to get cosy and snuggle under your fav blanket. You can also have your pet next to you for comfort.
I remember feeling very nervous when I first had counselling. It was in-person and way before the days of online counselling even being an option! Knocking on the door was scary, I walked in, and I wondered - where do I sit? Is that water for me? Can I take a tissue?
As a counsellor now I notice many people appear a lot less nervous in the early sessions when meeting online as they don’t need that additional time to adjust to being in my counselling room.
Being in your own room from the get-go is often much more comfortable.
You also have the added benefit of not having to face the world to travel back home particularly after an intense session where you might be feeling fragile and just wanting to pop the kettle on and have a cry.
5 - More Accessible
If you’re disabled, then accessibility will be of top priority for you.
Trying to find a counsellor that has disabled access can be tough. Things like disabled parking, hearing loops, wheelchair access, sensory lighting, braille signs and accessible toilets are often not present in many buildings. The last thing you want is to have to be checking all this out with a new counsellor on top of the anxiety of getting there for your first appointment.
By having online counselling from the comfort of your own home you skip all this stress and get the support you want without the need to travel.
6 - More Options to Communicate
Have you ever wanted to say something difficult to a friend and found it so hard that you end up texting it instead?
This resonates for many people I work with and so they like the option to have text-based counselling. Many people to find it easier to say what they really want to say and be more open when they write, do you?
My specialist additional training to work online taught me to offer a range of ways to meet for online counselling. I offer the traditional video call counselling as well as phone counselling. I also offer instant message and email counselling. You choose how we meet.
Are you thinking about having counselling?
Read more about my online counselling service here.