Choosing the right counsellor Some tips…
I understand the difficulty when trying to find a counsellor, not only finding the right person to match your issues but also the choice between working with a counsellor face-to-face or online.
Post COVID it has become far easier to access counselling services online, however there will always be a certain amount of people who prefer a face-to-face connection rather than a connection through a screen, believing it to be more personal.
Apart from the obvious differences in terms of being in the therapy room physically or remotely, the counselling work is much the same, with some additional safeguards when working online to ensure safety for both the client and counsellor.
Online counselling reaches more people in need and offers the client more flexibility by not having to make the journey to a counselling room on a regular basis, saving them time and money.
I only found out when undergoing my counselling training that the counselling profession in the UK is completely unregulated, meaning anyone can set up a counselling practice with no qualifications and accountability when working with vulnerable clients. It upset me to think of the damage that could be done to those seeking help at an often very difficult time by people proclaiming to be a counsellor.
This led me to affiliate myself to two reputable, industry organisations - the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychology) and ACTO (Association for Counselling and Therapy Online). Both these professional bodies insist on high standards of training and adherence to a code of ethics that is nationally recognised. In order to be registered with these organisations you have to pass stringent tests and requirements.
Included in my training was a requirement to undertake my own personal therapy and I also completed over one hundred hours of client hours as a trainee counsellor. All of this including regular supervision has enabled me to become a safe practitioner with monthly supervision a mandatory requirement ongoing.
Supervision is essential in maintaining safe, effective therapy and takes place monthly adhering to the BACP code of ethics. This involves taking parts of clients’ stories (completely anonymously) that may be proving difficult to understand and for my supervisor to offer help in terms of challenging and guiding me to bring about a different perspective on the scenario. In this way, I can provide the best service and outcomes possible for my clients.
Image by Drazen Zigic on Freepik
Whilst some people remain sceptical of online counselling, believing it essential to meet the counsellor face-to-face to establish rapport, experience has shown me that by offering a warm, confidential, non-judgemental space regardless of locality, that this still makes them feel safe, listened to and understood.
Being able to offer more choice and flexibility for sessions as and when preferred, even when on holiday is well received.
I also offer clients who may be undecided, to try a one-off single paid session to allow them to gain confidence in the process and our ability to work together.
Clients have expressed the ease of connecting and having sessions at home, or privately at work. The aim is to work for and around you.