And drawing back from my own (relatively subtle) issues for a moment. @Talkspace…could e-counselling be the answer to the mental health issues escalating amongst under-30s? With cuts to psychological health services really starting to bite, digitised treatment could be just the ticket for young adults who already filter almost every element of their lives– buddies, work, sex, home entertainment– through a screen.
Not everybody is totally persuaded that shifting psychological health care online is the way forward. “For me, what works in therapy is when you meet somebody in person, in the exact same room,” states London-based psychotherapist Sandra Tapie. “You get to know not only what it’s like to speak with the person, but how it feels to be in a space with them. Using Skype is the next best thing: it’s ‘good enough’, but it doesn’t develop the closeness, the intimacy, that truly gets individuals to open and explore things.”
” I’ve carried out some research study into Skype counselling,” says 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 actually crucial that people who take part in it are aware that it’s a different experience from remaining in the space with someone, speaking face-to-face.”
Bbc
” In terms of ease of access, it’s a great start and absolutely much better than absolutely nothing. It’ll hopefully lead them to ultimately revealing up in the room.
In cases of mild depression, the NHS is now directing some patients towards online programs rather than in person counselling, a phenomenon that concerns Dr Balick.