What is the best long-distance counselling option for you?
INTRODUCTION
I have distinguished between face-to-face counselling options and long-distance
options.
I have outlined the four long distance options available, as follows:
1. Telephone counselling;
2. Email counselling;
3. Voice (with or without video) over the internet (VOIP). And:
4. Instant messaging (using typed messages, eg. over Windows Live Messenger).
But
which one might be best for you?
Let me first distinguish between two kinds of problems: long-term, "chronic"
problems of significant emotional distress; and short-term, or recent "acute" problems of emotional disturbance.
If you are chronically emotionally distressed, it is best to find a local counsellor or psychotherapist, and to meet them
face to face. Try to do this by getting a personal recommendation from a friend, or a referral from your general medical practitioner.
If you are not chronically emotionally distressed, but have an emotional, behavioural or relationship problem of recent origin,
which you can discuss reasonably dispassionately, while at the same time feeling undeniable painful emotions, then I would
be pleased to work with you at a distance.
The second best option, after face to face work, is to use voice and
video over the internet. A minority of my clients ask for that service.
The third option involves working together
over the telephone. However, in practice, most of my long distance clients prefer to use the telephone. And this option
works surprisingly well, given the lack of face to face visual contact.
Exchanging emails is the fourth option,
and that is the second favourite of my long distance clients.
And the final option is to "talk"
via Instant Messaging systems, such as Windows Live Messenger, with no video link and no voice. Very few of my clients choose
this option.
For four unsolicited testimonials from long-distance clients, please
go here.