Being an Online Counselling student

Well - it's nearly over! This time last year I was looking at an advert for online training for counsellors and this year I've successfully finished the general certificate and and will (hopefully) have completed all the diploma work by Christmas.

What a year! I've made new friends from peers online, I have a support network and supervision group. I have experience of transferring my counselling skills from a face to face to an online environment - firstly safely in role play then with volunteers who know we are qualified and experienced counsellors but are increasing our skill base by learning to work effectively and ethically online.

I can hardly even start to explain how much I have learned in the last 11 months. From being a technophobe who ran to my husband every time something went wrong with my computer I now know how to encrypt Word documents to make sure all work is confidential. I have researched other sites to find out what works and what does not from a professional and marketing standpoint. I know how to attach links, use Twitter and Facebook for business, blog !!!

I did a talk for others a couple of weeks ago and my husband could not believe I knew so much - he wants me to set up social media marketing for him now because he does not know where to start.

I have learned how to use the core conditions - and show those in an environment where my client cannot see me, and to gently question for clarity where I cannot see my client, and many other ways of communicating where there is no visual contact beyond the written word. I have learned how effective transference can be online - and also its pitfalls! I have extended my use of creative working for therapy in narrative and creative ways and look forward to the end of year party as an avatar in second life.

I have met some of the people I have worked with over the last year online - and what fun it was putting faces and personalities to people I 'knew'. It was so strange, but shows how effectively you can get to know someone you have never seen, that in a room I could guess who people were before we were introduced. More strange, in London 4 of us met up - each coming from different places - and relying on the fact that we would be in the general area. We all found each other - we just knew the person we were looking at was the person we had talked to and shared so much with online.

And what next? I've been offered a job on the team to start training other counsellors to work online from January - and it is SO exciting! This, I believe, really is the future.

Counselling online really does work. It is convenient and accessible for clients, wherever they are in the world - every moment really is an opportunity for change! It allows the counsellor to have a family life. Clients SAY it works - that they have been heard and met with genuine warmth and understanding. When it is used as an extension to existing counselling training and experience it is a truly valuable resource to have, offers CPD and ensures practice remains safe, secure, ethical and effective.

Liane

www.onlinetrainingforcounsellors.co.uk

Assume Goodwill.