And drawing back from my own (fairly subtle) issues for a moment. Betterhelp Equal To Face To Face…could e-counselling be the answer to the psychological health concerns escalating among under-30s? With cuts to mental health services truly starting to bite, digitised treatment could be simply the ticket for young people who currently filter almost every element of their lives– friends, work, sex, home entertainment– through a screen.
Not everyone is totally encouraged that moving psychological health care online is the method forward. “For me, what works in therapy is when you satisfy someone face-to-face, in the same space,” says London-based psychotherapist Sandra Tapie. “You are familiar with not only what it resembles to talk to the person, however how it feels to be in a space with them. Using Skype is the next best thing: it’s ‘good enough’, however it doesn’t produce the closeness, the intimacy, that truly gets people to open up and check out things.”
” I’ve carried out some research into Skype counselling,” states London-based psychotherapist Dr Aaron Balick, “and it’s not the ‘practical equivalent’ of standard counselling; it’s simply not quite the exact same thing. It’s actually crucial that individuals who participate in it know that it’s a different experience from being in the space with someone, speaking face-to-face.”
Bbc
” In regards to availability, it’s an excellent start and certainly better than nothing. It’ll ideally lead them to ultimately appearing in the space. However, if you’re battling with relationship concerns, accessory issues, or much deeper issues, it’s much better to be in the space with someone. Skype and the internet provides a distance from your counsellor that may not be valuable.”
In cases of mild depression, the NHS is now directing some patients towards online programs instead of face-to-face counselling, a phenomenon that worries Dr Balick.