You may be asking yourself, why should I choose online relationship counselling as opposed to face to face counselling? Hopefully, this blog post will highlight some of the benefits of counselling online for you. It is important that you choose a counsellor with many years of experience, like myself, and who is fully qualified and trained to deliver relationship counselling online. 

What are the Benefits of Online Relationship Counselling?

Accessibility:

Online relationship counselling is easily accessible to all from wherever you are, as long as you have a laptop/computer and a secure internet connection. If you have a disability, a very hectic job, work abroad so are in a long-distance relationship or are unable to find an appropriate counsellor in your area, online counselling could be the answer for you. Counselling online should be carried out in a secure space so that confidentiality is maintained. Internet cafes where conversations can be overheard are not suitable.

Convenience:

Counselling online can be carried out within your own home environment, where you can guarantee a private space and can feel more relaxed and at ease. You can create an environment that you want and that makes you feel comfortable. It is easier to surround yourself with momentoes, or sit in your favourite chair, even surround yourself with cushions developing the most productive environment for you.

Anonymity:

Counselling online offers a greater level of anonymity. You can choose to have counselling via audio rather than a webcam or live chat, which means that you do not have to be seen if the problems you wish to explore are specifically sensitive and you do not feel comfortable discussing these in a face to face setting. Remaining anonymous can continue for the whole of our work together or could be a way to begin the counselling process until you feel confident to use the webcam. Online relationship counselling therefore offers a great deal of flexibility. Assessment is an extremely important aspect of the counselling process and the counsellor would need to ensure that this was the most appropriate counselling medium for you.

When working together online, a phenomena known as disinhibition can occur meaning that our conversations together can be more open and communicative than you may have been in a face to face session, enabling you to express your real feelings. It is a fact that the counselling process moves forward more quickly in an online setting. The assessment process, therefore, is extremely important when working online. The counsellor would need to ensure that this was the best approach for you before engaging in the counselling process.

Cost-Effective:

Counselling online means that you do not have to travel to a premises that offers counselling. If you have children, assuming they are old enough to play quietly in an adjoining room, it can also make a babysitter no longer necessary. Counselling online can therefore be more cost-effective.

Appointment Attendance:

Having relationship counselling online in your own home means that you are more likely to make a session. It is easy to avoid going to your counselling session if you have to travel a long distance or wait around after work on a wet, cold evening. In couples counselling especially, couples are more likely to attend counselling online.  It is a known fact that, in face to face couple therapy, couples are twice as likely to be unable to make a session due to something cropping up.  For instance, if your train is late, counselling online can still go ahead, albeit a litter later than scheduled.

Less likely to be used as a bargaining tool within couples counselling:

Another interesting fact is that when a couple is experiencing conflict within their relationship, counselling can often be used as a bargaining tool. For example, "I won't attend tomorrow's session if you upset me today". When the sessions are in the couple's own home, these games become less powerful as you are both in the same place, at home, so the sessions can still go ahead - another benefit of counselling online.

Online counselling has many benefits and can be a successful alternative to face to face counselling.

If you still have questions about online relationship counselling and would like to chat more, then please contact me online using the contact form below or call 07877 072741.