And pulling back from my own (fairly low-key) concerns for a moment. Betterhelp Senior Director Product Linkedin…could e-counselling be the answer to the mental health issues intensifying amongst under-30s? With cuts to mental health services truly starting to bite, digitised treatment could be just the ticket for young adults who already filter almost every aspect of their lives– good friends, work, sex, entertainment– through a screen.
Not everybody is totally convinced that shifting mental healthcare online is the way forward. “For me, what works in therapy is when you satisfy someone face-to-face, in the very same space,” states London-based psychotherapist Sandra Tapie. “You learn more about not only what it’s like to speak to the person, however how it feels to be in a space with them. Using Skype is the next best thing: it’s ‘sufficient’, however it doesn’t create the closeness, the intimacy, that really gets individuals to open 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 standard counselling; it’s just not quite the exact same thing. It’s really essential that people who take part in it understand that it’s a different experience from remaining in the room with somebody, speaking in person.”
Bbc
” In terms of accessibility, it’s a good start and definitely much better than nothing. It’ll ideally lead them to ultimately revealing up in the space.
In cases of mild depression, the NHS is now directing some clients towards online programmes rather than in person counselling, a phenomenon that worries Dr Balick.