Needs Must When the Devil Drives
Not all of us adopted Telehealth with enthusiasm, but when the choice was abandoning our clients or learn a new art there really was no choice. Necessity compels.
A study by the American Psychological Association reports that 75% of psychologists are doing only on-line consultations and a further 16% a combination with face-to-face. Peer reviewed research initiated by the American Department of Veteran Affairs has shown that this form of therapy ‘can be just as effective as in-person therapy for treating post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety’. The capacity to offer services to clients living in rural and remote communities and for whom a trip to a centre is prohibitive is clearly an advantage.
There are also some clients who actively seek this form of engagement as it is less intimate and confronting and may allow more disclosure and challenging therapeutic work than be achieved in person.
Paradoxically this is also the downside where a person may only feel safe to confront painful and distressing material with the comfort of a living breathing other who can hand a tissue and touch an arm. For some clients it is difficult to find a private space where they can speak freely about family living in the same house and able to overhear the exchange. This can also be of concern to the practitioner who may ask a parent or child to leave the session but be unable to tell if this has happened.
Like most things it is neither better nor worse in every case but what it does do is offer possibilities for practitioners that we never imagined.
Specialist Face-to Face & Online Counselling
Support and therapeutic services for people experiencing the impact of their own and others’ distress
Bower Place has a 33-year history of providing expert professional help to children, adolescents, adults, couples, families and organizations struggling with the most difficult personal, relational and social difficulties. In response to the pandemic we have organised our staff into expert teams to respond to each client’s need in their unique context. The need may be for direct services to clients or to those who are providing other forms of care. All staff have access to the most recent and secure technology so we can continue to offer the highest level of therapeutic services on-line and with safety and confidentiality. Our system allows us to work with individuals, couples, families and work groups to address individual and relational difficulties.
For bookings or further information please contact Bower Place (08) 8221 6066 or info@bowerplace.com.au
