And drawing back from my own (relatively low-key) concerns for a moment. Betterhelp Journal Article…could e-counselling be the answer to the mental health concerns escalating amongst under-30s? With cuts to mental health services actually beginning to bite, digitised therapy could be just the ticket for young adults who already filter nearly every aspect of their lives– good friends, work, sex, entertainment– through a screen.
Not everyone is entirely encouraged that shifting psychological healthcare online is the way forward. “For me, what works in treatment is when you fulfill somebody in person, in the exact same space,” states London-based psychotherapist Sandra Tapie. “You are familiar with not just what it’s like to talk to the person, but how it feels to be in a space with them. Utilizing Skype is the next best thing: it’s ‘sufficient’, but it does not produce the closeness, the intimacy, that actually gets people to open up and explore things.”
” I have actually carried out some research study into Skype counselling,” says London-based psychotherapist Dr Aaron Balick, “and it’s not the ‘functional equivalent’ of conventional counselling; it’s simply not quite the same thing. It’s really crucial that people who engage in it know that it’s a different experience from being in the room with somebody, speaking face-to-face.”
Bbc
” In terms of ease of access, it’s an excellent start and certainly better than nothing. It’ll hopefully lead them to ultimately showing up in the space.
In cases of mild depression, the NHS is now directing some clients towards online programs rather than in person counselling, a phenomenon that worries Dr Balick.