E-Mail Consultation and Counselling
Consultation via E-Mail offers clients the opportunity to submit a counselling concern via text and to receive a personalised and specific answer. The E-Mail consultation can continue until resolved.
E-mail-based counselling is asynchronous and allows counsellor and client to be in touch not only while in different locations but also at different times. This might undermine spontaneous and immediate reactions but does afford time to reflect and consider responses. Unlike face to face counselling in the counselling room, e-mail counselling is more a consultation addressing a specific issue, question, or concern.
E-Mail consultations do not aspire to simulate the full process of counselling therapy or to duplicate the helping relationship. E-Mail consults are more likely to provide expert and personalised counselling advice concerning a specific mental health, medication or wellbeing question or concern.
Based on the information provided in the pre-counselling information form and in the submitted e-mail concern, the counsellor will respond with a professional and personalised answer to your concern, but without the agreement to fully diagnose or enter treatment with you – for that more in-depth video or f-2-f counselling would be needed.
Telephone Consultation and Counselling
“Consultation via telephone offers clients the opportunity to chat and receive real-time counselling - verbally expressing issues and or asking questions. The phone consultation can be augmented with e-mail interactions.”
Telephone consultations are synchronous (at the same time) and time-zones will need to be considered. It is a cost effective and convenient focused conversation to deal with immediate counselling concerns. The cost of the call will be invoiced to the client.
Unlike face to face counselling in the counselling room, telephone counselling is not as in-depth and there are limits to the confidentiality. It is time limited and more a consultation addressing a specific issue, question, or concern.
Telephone consultations do not aspire to simulate the full process of counselling therapy or to duplicate the helping relationship, but based on the information provided in the pre-counselling information form and the conversation, can provide expert and personalised counselling advice concerning a specific mental health, medication or wellbeing questions or concerns.
Video (Skype/Zoom) Counselling Therapy
Video-Counselling enables online clients to communicate in real time through a virtual video connection on Skype or Zoom. This synchronous (real-time) communication, very much like f-2-f counselling in the counselling room, makes it possible to do more in-depth therapy.
Although there are some limitations, video counselling do provide for the creation of a therapeutic relationship and the process of counselling therapy. There are limitations concerning confidentiality and sometimes technical issues may interrupt a session. Research has shown it to be very successful. Like e-mail and chat consultations, video counselling can provide expert and personalised counselling advice concerning a specific mental health, medication or wellbeing question or concern, but it could also include a therapeutic relationship, differential diagnosis, treatment planning, and continuing psychotherapy.
Based on the information provided in the pre-counselling information form, the counsellor will interact with the client in real time, ask and answer questions, and address the counselling concerns – very much the same as in a live f-2-f counselling session. Once a video session has been initiated, the client and therapist interacts via live video conferencing for 45 minutes.
You need access to high-speed internet, a webcam and preferably an audio headset for video counselling. If not yet installed on your computer you can get a free Skype or Zoom Download to install. In setting up the video appointment you will be prompted to provide your username or add your counsellor to your contacts list.
Online Counselling is right and appropriate for you if you ...
- Have access to high-speed/broadband internet
- Are comfortable in operating your computer (basic computer skills)
- Are reasonably familiar with the computer programs
- Can solve minor problems encountered while using the computer or the Internet
- Comfortably and regularly use regular e-mail programs (or a web-based email program such as Windows Live, Hotmail, G-Mail or Yahoo mail
- Are familiar with attaching files to send with an e-mail, downloading/opening attached files, and are able to cut and paste text easily
- Trust the encrypted and safe online payment system
- Can succinctly and accurately describe your counselling concern and emotions using text (for e-mail and chat)
- Are familiar with Internet Messaging (Chat on Skype)
- Have a webcam (required for video counselling)
- Can keep your online communications confidential (private setting, restricted access to computer, password protected)
Time-Shifting
Please take note that all appointments may take place in a different time-zone.
Clients are responsible to make sure that they ‘turn-up’ for counselling on-time (5 min before scheduled sessions) and that they are on the correct time-zone.
You can use the online World Clock Meeting Planner (or similar program) to schedule you appointments.
