Blog

If you live in Calgary and the surrounding areas, such as Airdrie, Cochrane and even within Alberta, Canada, you are certainly aware of the changing provincial and federal decisions regarding the corona virus; including the closing of schools and many businesses. In this time of uncertainty, New Life Counselling made a decision, in counselling Calgary, to continue to do emergency trauma counselling in-office with individuals and couples until the provincial government asks us to stop. For clients meeting in-office, I ask they wash hands with either soap and water or hand sanitizer before entering the office.  On my part, I continue to wash my hands, wipe down the office high traffic surface areas (door knobs, etc…) in order to do my part in maintaining ongoing healthy and hygienic practices.

That being said, there will be many who are not comfortable with the traditional approach to therapy due to fears of contracting COVID-19. The alternative good news is that counselling practices, such as NEW LIFE COUNSELLING also provide quality online counselling services by computer, smartphone and telephone.

For many clients, this change in services may be very uncomfortable. For this reason, professional counselling practices, such as New Life Counselling, are offering free 15-minute consults using the medium of your choice. This is really just New Life Counselling’s friendly way of saying “I will personally work virtually alongside you to figure out which medium of technology works best for your needs in order to ensure your positive journey to New Life.”

Many individuals find the idea of virtual counselling intimidating and question “does online counselling even work? Great questions which is the reason if your asking these questions to know there is research from various sources, such as two 2013 studies published in the Journal of Affective Disorders and Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Networking — “where online counselling works just as well as physical face-to-face therapy.

There are counselling examples that also indicate virtual counselling sometimes works better than face to face therapy. The Journal of Affective Disorders, states examples of therapists sometimes being more “personal” than when meeting face to face with a counsellor. Other areas included suggestions that clients appeared to be more reflective in completing there assigned homework due to reading over and contemplating what the therapist had written. Finally, it appears from the article that “Our study is evidence that psychotherapeutic services on the internet are an effective supplement to therapeutic care,” said Professor Andreas Maercker, a study researcher. “In the medium term, online psychotherapy even yields better results.”

I have found that in dealing with both telephone counselling and online counselling I have personally seen positive results when doing telephone or online counselling.  

By all means, until the COVID-19 CRISIS is lifted, if you have any questions or concerns please call, email, text your therapist to discuss any concerns, fears of utilizing a different method of counselling or even how to set up a video counselling session (New Life Counselling will work with you for free in supporting you setting this up).

Have patience and courage in this time of uncomfortable change and know there is always HOPE.