Published by Programme B
If you have been following the news in the counseling world, you might have already heard about e-counseling. E-counseling is a new form of counseling that has provided a number of opportunities to boost therapists and their clients.
Because of the advancement of technology, every major industry has seen a significant change in recent years. Until very recently, however, the therapy realm was relatively unchanged from its humble, brick and mortar origins.
Nowadays, however, this is changing – and very quickly. With the arrival of e-counseling, there are a lot of changes being made to the counseling industry. For a lot of therapists, this could mean big business. In this article, we’ll explain why.
1. What Is E-Counseling?
E-counseling is a new form of therapy that allows people to access therapy and counseling on the internet or from their smartphones. There are a lot of reasons that this could be beneficial.
- It makes therapy more accessible, especially for people who are unable to leave their house or who lack the proper transportation to get to therapy.
- It can be more affordable
- It’s more comfortable for people who have anxiety or who are worried about their friends and family judging them for going to therapy
E-counseling allows you to access therapists, have counseling sessions, and schedule appointments all from the comfort of your internet browser or your smartphone. This is a huge revolution and has changed the way that people are looking at counseling.
2. Why Is E-Counseling Changing Business? What Does This Mean for Therapists?
There are lots of reasons that e-counseling could change business for a lot of therapists.
One of the biggest things that are happening is that e-counseling is helping to reduce the stigma surrounding counseling. Because it’s now available online and as an app, therapy is actually starting to seem ‘cool’ in some areas – or at least socially acceptable.
Whatever the case, the improved acceptance of mental health care has led to an increase in the number of people who are seeking therapy – both online and offline. However, the advent of e-therapy may have a number of positive or negative influences on therapists who are already working in the field.
- If they are not willing to adapt to the new technology and offer services online, some therapists may actually lose clients.
- Some therapists may see a pay raise if they choose to adopt online counseling. They will be able to see more patients in a shorter amount of time, and while wages might be lower, being able to handle more patients in a shorter time would mean more money overall.
- More therapists may easily be able to find employment because now they’re able to register in an online platform.
- Some in-office therapists may actually see more clients due to the reduced stigma surrounding therapy
As you can see, there’s no concrete way to determine how e-counseling will help every counselor or therapist. Some people may find great improvement, whereas others may lose business. It’s also important to note that, even if therapists largely find this intriguing, they will need to develop a new set of skills before offering their services online.
3. In Conclusion
There’s no doubt that the world of e-counseling is changing the way that people look at therapy. It is also, however, changing the way that therapists are able to view the industry.
Because of the extreme convenience of e-counseling, it has led to a number of changes in the industry. These changes can be both positive and negative for therapists.
As long as they are willing to accept and adapt to the new technology, e-therapy shouldn’t be an issue. In fact, it could even lead to some therapists seeing an increase in business and money!