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When people think about counselling, many of us will have a similar picture come to mind: a white painted clinical office, a middle-aged counsellor sitting in a chair holding a notebook and pen, asking about your past. While that may still be a popular portrayal for some people, thankfully, face-to-face counselling is no longer the only option. I personally know it's not always possible, or preferable to attend face-to-face counselling. I have received online CBT myself and it suited me perfectly, which is why Clear Mind Counselling offers a remote counselling service as a fantastic alternative, which is preferred by many.

I completely understand taking that first step onto the path of mental health discovery can be difficult. Which is why I offer a secure, comfortable, and non-judgemental environment for you to feel at ease as you explore your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. I am dedicated to helping you to work through your concerns, to gain clarity and confidence, to achieve your goals, in order for you to lead a more fulfilling and balanced life. Remote counselling is perfect for people who would like to access professional help but would prefer to do so from the comfort of their own home.

Remote counselling, also known as online or distant counselling, is a form of mental health therapy that is delivered remotely. It's been around for a while, growing rapidly in popularity in recent years due to the coronavirus pandemic, when counsellors and clients were forced to conduct their sessions remotely due to the restrictions. Even though they weren’t in the same room, it made no difference to how counsellors could still help their clients to explore how they were feeling, understand what they were going through and support them to make changes in their lives if they needed to. Remote counselling has changed and improved the way we communicate with counsellors, and many people were pleasantly surprised at how much they preferred it, and most have continued to work in this way.

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The Benefits of Remote Counselling

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•     lower costs for both counsellors and clients, reflecting in lower client fees

•     time and money saved not travelling to a location, parking fees etc

•     shorter waiting times for counselling

•     easy to access from your mobile phone, tablet or computer

•     able to access support from the comfort of your own home or wherever you may be

•     some people feel more comfortable opening up and discussing sensitive issues through the buffer provided by a screen

•     removes some challenging barriers for people experiencing social phobias, anxiety disorders, agoraphobia, mobility          issues etc

•     flexible and convenient times to suit busy lifestyles and work schedules

•     extended hours including evenings and weekends

•     allows you to send your thoughts at a time that works best for you

•     not restricted to finding a local counsellor, which is especially difficult in rural areas

•     it offers increased confidence in your privacy if you are worried about others finding out about your counselling sessions

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For some people there can be some drawbacks with online therapy. Some people prefer the personal ‘face-to-face’ office-based counselling. Plus, we can all experience technological difficulties at times, a bad internet connection for example. As all mediums of counselling isn’t regulated by law in the UK, selecting a trained counsellor who is registered with a professional body may seem a little daunting. You should expect this information to be endorsed on every counsellor’s website, this will help to assure you that they are fully trained, capable of working to high standards, have professional oversight, and bound by law to the ethical framework and Code of Conduct of the professional body to whom they belong. 

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Please remember, remote counselling provides exactly the same professional service as face-to-face counselling,

it just works slightly different, making it more accessible in the digital world we live in. 

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Remote counselling may not be appropriate for someone with complex mental health issues.

If you are in crisis or in need of immediate help,

please dial 999 (or your country's emergency number),

or click here for further information and assistance.