[Sheryl Thompson]

Great question! For the past couple of years, I have seen clients online when getting to the office is challenging (i.e., new baby) or they are not local to Vancouver. As a body-based practitioner, online is not my favourite way to work, as it limits my ability to introduce touch into sessions, which is a huge part of my practice. I begrudgingly shifted to online once it was advised we no longer see clients in person and wow, I have surprised myself (and my clients at times). Without the ‘activity’ in the office of ‘doing something’ (be it table work or any of the other somatic tools and toys I use in-person), I have returned to my basic Somatic Experiencing skills, active listening, creativity, and play! Figuring out how to introduce something typically reserved for in-person sessions (especially a touch approach) in an online format has been fun and really bolstered my confidence as a practitioner (“oh cool – that worked!”).

I have found the level of presence required for online work at times fatiguing and have had to limit how many sessions I can do in a row, but with a couple of clients we have moved things over the past few online sessions in ways we had not in-person. So grateful to have this option to keep assisting clients while we’re limited to supporting from a distance.

[Eve Stocker]

Thanks for your sharing of positive outcomes in online therapy. I just took the BCACC webinar on remote counselling and the facilitator noted that in recent research on online counselling outcomes clients report high levels of satisfaction equivalent to in-person! am just preparing to begin offering online counselling sessions to clients, after 22 years of being an “in-person” therapist. I am wondering what platform any of you have found most accessible thus far? I have attended quite a few zoom webinars and a weekly visual journaling class, so I am wondering about zoom as an option. I am an art therapist so it would be great to find a way to do online art therapy. I am

Also exploring doing online EMDR. Any thoughts, recommendations or ideas would be most welcome! 😊

[Dana]

I am new to on-line counselling, so I am preparing myself by looking at the pros and cons through various discussion forums and learning about on-line platforms like the webinar I just watched by Lawrence Murphy. I work with adults with depression and anxiety so I really pay attention to the non-verbal communication. Can anyone else share regarding their on-line experience with clients who are depressed and anxious?