About Online Counselling

More and more people are turning to online counselling, also known as cybercounselling or e-counselling, as an efficient and effective way to access counselling.

At My eCounselor you will communicate with me through a series of email exchanges via secure email. PrivacEmail (pronounced "privacy mail") is the name of the technology that we use to protect the privacy of our online conversations. PrivacEmail uses an encrypted email system which scrambles our exchanges preventing others from reading what we write.

Making the decision to seek counselling is not a simple one. You have different counselling options available to you including face-to-face, telephone, and online. It s also important to know that there are advantages and disadvantages to all three kinds of counselling. I want to ensure that if you choose to work with me, you are totally comfortable using online counselling.

WHAT CLIENTS LIKE ABOUT ONLINE COUNSELLING

ACCESS
You can communicate with me whenever you feel like it and there s no travel time to worry about. People who have busy schedules with little time to get to appointments, who are perhaps housebound, or live in communities where counselling resources are limited or not available, find online counselling to be a very accessible form of counselling assistance.

PRIVACY
You can access confidential counselling in the privacy of your own home, or from any location that you prefer.

ANONYMITY
You don t need to worry about meeting me face-to-face. Some people find the anonymity of online counselling to be easier and more comfortable than face-to-face or telephone counselling. You are guaranteed not to *meet* other clients and you won t be worried about bumping into people you might know. Like many others, you ll probably find it much easier to talk to someone online

PERSONAL WRITTEN RECORDS
You and I have a permanent record of your email exchanges. You may find re-reading these exchanges to be invaluable, as you can track the many changes you have made over time. As well, you will be able to review the positive and encouraging comments I have made, which can serve as support if you find you need it.

Unlike live chat, where communication is instant, the emails we will exchange will be written over a series of days or perhaps even weeks. Online counselling will enable you to compose your thoughts, edit what you write, and stop your writing if you need to, allowing you to return to your exchange when you are ready. In a way, it's like keeping your own personal journal, except that you are communicating with a professional counsellor.

However, online counselling as effective as it can be, is not for everyone. If you are feeling suicidal or are in a situation involving domestic violence or are in a crisis situation, then online counselling is not for you. You would benefit from more immediate face-to face counselling available in the community where you live or work.

If you are in an emergency situation, it s important to understand that My eCounselor is not appropriate for you. My responses are not immediate and I am not able to respond to you immediately if you are in a crisis. The following information, guidelines and resources will assist you if you are in need of more immediate help.