And pulling back from my own (relatively low-key) issues for a moment. Betterhelp Spac Ticker…could e-counselling be the answer to the mental health problems escalating amongst under-30s? With cuts to psychological health services actually starting to bite, digitised therapy could be simply the ticket for young people who already filter almost every aspect of their lives– pals, work, sex, home entertainment– through a screen.
Not everybody is entirely convinced that shifting psychological healthcare online is the way forward. “For me, what works in treatment is when you meet someone face-to-face, in the same space,” states London-based psychotherapist Sandra Tapie. “You are familiar with not just what it’s like to speak to the person, but how it feels to be in a room with them. Utilizing Skype is the next best thing: it’s ‘sufficient’, but it doesn’t develop the nearness, the intimacy, that truly gets individuals to open up and check out things.”
” I have actually performed some research into Skype counselling,” states London-based psychotherapist Dr Aaron Balick, “and it’s not the ‘practical equivalent’ of standard counselling; it’s just not quite the exact same thing. It’s really crucial that individuals who engage in it understand that it’s a different experience from remaining in the room with someone, speaking in person.”
Bbc
” In terms of accessibility, it’s an excellent start and certainly much better than absolutely nothing. It’ll ideally lead them to eventually showing up in the room.
In cases of mild depression, the NHS is now directing some clients towards online programmes instead of face-to-face counselling, a phenomenon that concerns Dr Balick.