Just as my client was telling me something important I lost the Skype connection.\u00a0 Bam. The screen went black. It took a few precious minutes to get back online and back in touch with the client.\u00a0 The client seemed to be okay with it and picked up the story where she had left off.\u00a0 Me?\u00a0 Well, it took me a moment longer to take off my \u2018technical problem-solving hat\u2019 and put my \u2018counsellor\u2019 hat back on.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When you are using videoconferencing these moments happen.\u00a0 The technology fails.\u00a0 It\u2019s one thing to have this happen in a conversation with a friend.\u00a0 It\u2019s another thing altogether when it happens with a client in a moment of vulnerable sharing.<\/p>\n
How about this scenario \u2013 a client Skypes with you and as part of that Skype session you have sent each other written messages.\u00a0 The client shares a computer and Skype address with her spouse and she hasn\u2019t told her spouse she is having counselling.\u00a0 While Skype calls are themselves encrypted the history of calls, contacts and messaging history stays on the computer.<\/p>\n
So what can we as ethically responsible counsellors do? \u00a0<\/p>\n
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First, I think we need to be competent users of the technology.\u00a0 We need to understand how it works in order to maximize therapeutic effectiveness, how to resolve issues and know when to switch to an alternate method of delivery.\u00a0 We need to know the potential risks of using this technology and we need to know how to appropriately minimize those risks.<\/p>\n
Then, we orient our clients to using this modality and discuss with them ahead of time the possibility of technology failure, methods of alternative communication in case that happens and the potential emotional impact of having a technical failure at a critical juncture.<\/p>\n
We also talk to our clients about privacy \u2013 both on our end and theirs. How secure is the system we are using?\u00a0 Encrypted in transmission?\u00a0 What about wearing a headset so others can\u2019t hear the session?\u00a0 Closing the door so others don\u2019t interrupt? What reasonable safeguards can we put in place to preserve confidentiality?\u00a0 What steps can the client take?\u00a0 Do they understand the consequences of not taking these steps?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once you have addressed the technical and ethical considerations you may find it to be a valuable addition to your counselling practice.\u00a0 In my next blog post I will be talking about some of the research on the efficacy of videocounselling.<\/p>\n
Dawn Schell, MA, CCC is an affiliate with Worldwide Therapy Online Inc.<\/p>\n