Counseling and therapy have always been a popular choice of career, as good counselors are always going to be needed by the general public. When you work as a counselor, you’re generally helping individuals, couples, families or groups to better understand what they want from life, work through tough times, get over the trauma and any other bad experiences that they might have had earlier in their life, or helping them get over mental health complaints like depression or anxiety.
As a counselor, you can set out to help anybody who needs it, or you can specialize in a certain type of counseling or therapy. Some counselors work with people who are going through grief, for example, while others help their clients to get over childhood trauma. Some counselors work with couples, to help them improve and strengthen their relationship or marriage. The truth is that there are always going to be people who need help working through a multitude of problems, and the choice of what you want to do is yours.
The Rise of Remote Counseling
Counseling has long been an in-person job. Most people will go to see their counselor on a regular basis, generally once per week, and this is usually at their office or even a room in their home dedicated to the job. Some counselors visit their clients in their own houses or in prisons, hospitals, and other settings. When you think of a counseling session, the first thing that comes to mind is probably sitting in a comfortable chair and talking your feelings out with somebody who’s sat in front of or next to you. However, things are beginning to change and remote counseling sessions are gaining traction. Having access to a counselor over the telephone, via video call, or even a webchat session is becoming easier, and it has many benefits.
Who Does Remote Counseling Benefit?
Remote counseling sessions have many advantages for both the counselor and the client. As a counselor, providing remote sessions allows you to:
● Expand your client network and help more people as you no longer need to restrict your clients to people who are in your local area, or willing to travel.
● Get more done; you can counsel more clients in a day when all you need to do is call the next one, rather than waiting for them to arrive at your home or office or traveling to them.
● Delve deeper into your chosen counseling specialty; you can help people from all over the country or even other parts of the world, allowing you to reach out to more people who have a specific problem that you want to help them with.
Remote counseling has also proven very beneficial for clients, too.
● Some clients, such as those suffering from social anxiety or agoraphobia, may be more inclined to reach out to a counselor for help if they can access that support from the comfort of their own home.
● Remote counseling can help clients who are new to the concept or on the fence about getting counseling to ease themselves into the experience and get a feeling of what to expect from a safe, familiar space.
● Telephone or video call counseling means that clients with less mobility, or those who don’t drive and would otherwise find it difficult to get to you, can access your services easily.
● Remote counseling can also be more affordable, as sessions are often cheaper and clients don’t have to worry about the cost of travel.
Remote Faith-Based Counseling
Faith-based counseling, such as Christian counseling, is becoming a popular option remotely. This is because faith-based counselors are often harder to find than general counselors, and while there’s usually not much of a difference between the two, many people who practice a certain faith like Christianity will feel more comfortable speaking to a counselor or therapist who shares their religious beliefs and can incorporate them in some way into their treatment. Any trained therapist can offer faith-based counseling; you may want to consider an additional course to help you apply your faith to counseling, or if you’re just getting started, this online Christian psychology degree is an ideal option.
Are There Any Risks Involved?
As a counselor, you’ll know the importance of safeguarding your clients and weighing up the risks of treatment to them. Generally, remote counseling is a safe way to provide your clients with your service from the comfort of their home or somewhere else where they feel comfortable. However, it’s worth considering the extra risks that it might have and putting a system in place to protect clients who are:
● Vulnerable
● Getting counseling for serious trauma
● Children
Overall, being able to provide and access counseling sessions remotely has been very beneficial for both counselors and their clients.
