Farewell 2012!

Posted by: Dawn Schell on December 19, 2012 3:36 pm

Looking back over the year [wondering where the time went!] I have been reflecting on what stood out for me this year with respect to Online Counselling.

In 2012 I was encouraged to see the following:

In June 2012 the Canadian Association of Colleges and University Student Services [CACUSS] conference’s focus was on the use of technology in student services [wish I had been there].  One of the questions up for discussion was “are colleges and universities in Canada ready to take student services online”.  The programme covered topics such as –transitioning career services online, evaluation research conducted on an online alcohol intervention program, self-help programs for anxiety and depression, facilitating community, and how to provide academic supports to at-risk students – to name a few!  One snippet of information that stood out for me was from Dalhousie University – “half of current students would prefer help via the internet”.  [1]  Sounds like interesting times ahead for our post-secondary institutions.

An exponential increase in journal articles and research on Online Counselling (check out this Research Bibliography https://www.ismho.org/research_bibliography.asp).  One piece of research that caught my attention was a large scale assessment of Telemental Health outcomes on 98,609 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Patients enrolled in Telemental Health Services [2]

Interesting and informative LinkedIn group discussions.  Not the least of which led me to consider what my Social Media policy will be [an evolving document at the moment].

Continued development of excellent online mental health supports.  Check out the list I wrote on this blog in December 2011 of my favourite sites.  

And, at the CCPA conference this past May it seemed to me there were more people talking about online counselling than ever before.  Some of the attendees expressed interest in joining a CCPA chapter on Online Counselling.  That is still in the preliminary stages but if you have any interest please let me know!

It feels as if 2012 was a year of moving forward on so many levels in the world of Online Counselling.   I am looking forward to 2013 and continuing to share ideas and resources with all of you.  Let’s keep the dialogue going.
Dawn M. Schell, MA, CCC, CCDP is an affiliate of Worldwide Therapy Online Inc.  http://www.therapyonline.ca



[1] I have not been able to access the CACUSS 2012 conference programme online this month.  https://www.cacuss.ca/home.htm

[2] http://www.docguide.com/telemental-health-services-can-reduce-psychiatric-hospitalisation-rates?tsid=5

 




*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA

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