Anyone tried online counselling?

[ChairmumMiaow]

There are lots of reasons why I need counselling and I've realised I can't really put it off much longer. Unfortunately though I look after a toddler all but 9 hours a week (and am supposed to work some of those) and don't drive, which makes evenings hard.

I wanted to wait till after I've had this baby (currently 20wks) but I don't think I can, so I've been thinking about other options.

I have found some people who offer online counselling but I'm not sure how effective it would be, although I think I would be more comfortable with it - certainly at first.

Has anyone done this before? Can you recommend someone.

TIA

[FlamingoBingo]

I can't imagine it would be as effective, but certainly better than nothing.

I need some really intense psychotherapy - I started some earlier in the year and it was hugely helpful, but just not practical and my therapist started getting very irritated by me harping on about how I needed to find a way to have counselling without it impacting so much now on my family life so I stopped it.

Online counselling would be a good happy medium I think, as now I'm having nothing. Have you got any links? I'd be interested in reading more about it.

[ChairmumMiaow]

I've just been googling it - found one that charges £25 an email or £40/hr for online chat (less if you buy 'packages') but I have no idea if it is worth it!

IIRC a local counsellor we found (and saw once) was £35 for 45 mins

[GetDownYouWillFall]

There are some free ones:
Mood Gym
and
Living Life to the Full

I've started the Mood Gym one and it is good, but you have to be prepared to work at it - you get out what you put in.

If you have really specific issues that need talking through I think a face to face counsellor would suit better,
but the online ones are worth a go to start off with, particularly as they're free

[ChairmumMiaow]

Thanks for the links. I'm taking a look at mood gym while DS is at nursery and we'll see if it helps

I've just sent a one-off email to someone I found online, just to see what sort of response I get - it wasn't too expensive but I don't know how well email stuff will work.

[LowLevelWhingeing]

As someone who very much values the support provided by onscreen discussion (hence, I'm here), I do wonder how this could work for counselling. Isn't some of the communication that happens in a counselling session done by actually being with the person? The non-verbal cues of acceptance and warmth provided in a counselling environment? I suppose there must be ways of conveying these with the written word...interesting...

[ChairmumMiaow]

LowLevel - I'm not sure about it either but I also can't see how I can logistically see a 'real' one (plus DH is already seeing the most local one to us as of this week, and she won't see both of us, understandably).

I'm feeling a little better for having let some of it out, but the initial email had a 500 word limit and if that is always the case I don't think it will work because I needed to express myself more fully really...

[LowLevelWhingeing]

Yes I can see how it could be useful and maybe there is value in it being another kind of counselling, rather than me thinking that the same rules must always apply. I'll be interested to see if others have found this method useful and I'm glad that the initial email has been a positive experience for you already.

Good luck.