In the next few blog posts I will be talking with you about \u201cpresence\u201d in online counselling.\u00a0 When I am counselling online my aim is to give the client the sense [as much as is possible in this virtual setting] that we are in the same room together. I provide information about what my office looks like and how it is set up, comment on the weather or what I can see or hear outside my window. I do this to provide my clients with some way for them to enter more fully into the online counselling experience.<\/p>\n
An important part of each session is the session \u2018opener\u2019.\u00a0 It sets the tone for the session and provides a transition from everyday life to counselling.\u00a0 It is just like those first moments in any in-person counselling session.\u00a0 Sometimes there\u2019s chit-chat as I greet my client, give them time to get settled in the room, and then, once they are ready, we can begin to work.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a couple of session starter examples:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cHello <client name> [smiling and gesturing a \u2018please come-on-in\u2019]. It\u2019s a lovely sunny spring day. I trust that you too, have been able to enjoy spring today.\u00a0 My two office chairs are set up and waiting for us, positioned so that we have a view of the garden.\u00a0\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you were here with me at this very moment you would notice that it\u2019s a grey day outside\u2026.the kind where you want to stay inside and curl up in a comfortable chair\u2026..I\u00a0 have a comfy chair set aside especially for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I am quite deliberate about what I talk about in the session opener. I intentionally aim to match my words [mood, pacing, tone, etc.] with the client, their issues and the work we are doing together.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s not just about setting the scene visually for the client. If, for example, I am working with someone who is stressed I might say something like \u201chave a seat and take a few deep breaths before we begin\u2026.that\u2019s right\u2026breathe deeply…take your time\u2026.just breathe \u2026.let go\u2026breathe\u201d.<\/p>\n
I may also further set the scene by talking more about the process of online counselling and how the client may be feeling about it.\u00a0 Here\u2019s an example.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes when people share so much of themselves, especially when they don\u2019t really know the other person, it can feel a bit \u2026.I think scary is the word I am looking for\u2026\u2026…You may be wondering if it\u2019s okay to say how you feel (both positive and negative feelings), and you might be worried about how I\u2019ll respond.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I want you to know that it\u2019s alright to express all of your feelings (happiness, sadness, anger, grief, joy, pain, worry\u2026).\u00a0\u00a0 I want this to be a safe place for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I always try to end with an invitation like this\u00a0 \u201cAnd now, I invite you to get comfortable, and begin when you are ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
Next time I\u2019ll talk about how to continue to convey \u201cpresence\u201d throughout the session.<\/p>\n
The views expressed in this blog post are personal.<\/p>\n
Dawn Schell, MA, CCC is an affiliate counsellor with therapyonline.ca.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In the next few blog posts I will be talking with you about \u201cpresence\u201d in online counselling.\u00a0 When I am counselling online my aim is to give the client the sense [as much as is possible in this virtual setting] that we are in the same room together. I provide information about what my office […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1001008,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[167],"class_list":["post-456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-online-counselling","tag-online-counselling-2"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n