The Challenges of Online Counseling in a Developing Country

Information and communication technology has expanded the capacity for person-to-person communication and has created opportunities for man to expand knowledge and communicate such. Statistics has shown that the number of individuals having access to Internet is increasing and as such, every field of human knowledge is annexing the opportunity. These opportunities are, however, filled with challenges. The counseling field is not an exception. This chapter has, however, outlined that challenges such as technical know-how, counseling environment in terms of privacy and security, the problem of invisibility and anonymity, and the ethical issues of practice, may hinder online counseling in Nigeria. It is concluded that online counseling is a possibility in Nigeria and other developing countries if certain pertinent issues are addressed.

Self-Disclosure in Online Counselling

Online counselling has been described as an emerging trend and an anytime, anyplace activity that is supported by portable technology. Time constraints and geographical barriers are removed with online counselling. Counselling involves a series of skills and strategies along with a therapeutic approach. Self-disclosure is sometimes used in order to help build and deepen the therapeutic relationship. This chapter focuses on self-disclosure as a useful strategy for sharing information with others in a Web mediated context. In many counselling situations, considerable benefit may stem from online counsellor/counsellee mutual self-disclosure. The anonymity of the interaction seems to facilitate a sense of personal freedom and privacy that frees the client to talk to the counsellor with a sense of personal safety and security. These benefits notwithstanding, a number of challenges and ethical issues are involved in self-disclosure in online counselling and these should be taken into consideration by stakeholders.

Enhancing the Helper-Helpee Therapeutic Relationship and the Client’s Desirable Change in Online Counselling

The ultimate aim of counselling is to assist the individual identify his problems, recognize the solution options that are available, and to apply such solution to the problems in order to become a functional person to himself and the society at large. Going by the accelerated growth of technology worldwide, the counselling process, like other professions, has gone beyond one-on-one method (traditional method) to an online system; with this comes the fear that the same strategies might not be effective in achieving the same counselling goals. Therefore, this chapter examines some of those counselling strategies that can enhance effective therapeutic relationship between the counsellor and the client thereby bringing about clienteles’ desirable change. The basic ingredients that could bring about successful one-on-one counselling process such as structuring, empathy, and other counsellor’s characteristics are also found as appropriate procedures in online counselling option. Further, self-disclosure strategy between counsellor and counsellee especially at early stage whereby the counsellor reveals his/her level of expertise and status before the counselling contract would increase the commitment level of the client and able to surmount his challenges early.

Faceless Counselling

This chapter advances what can be done by therapists in the absence of opportunity to observe the verbal and non-verbal cues of the clients during online counselling sessions without undermining the capability and workability of the online counselling mode as a creative and innovative therapeutic medium. This is an attempt to make sure that counsellors/therapists are still able to perform creditably and help alleviate the problems of their clients, without being stripped of their skills due to introduction of technology into the art of counselling.

Equipping the Online Counsellors-in-Training

In accordance with the rapid industrial and technological growth in this nuclear age, it is not a surprise that counselling has gone nuclear. Online counselling has been predicted to increase in the future, and it is important for counselling psychologists to continue to become involved in shaping and developing guidelines for the training, supervision, and practice of online counselling. This chapter addresses the training aspects of equipping the counsellor in training for online counselling. The chapter will explore understanding of online counselling, discovering personal theory, supervision, available and accessible technology, ethics, and competency issues. Within this, the authors discuss online counselling’s challenges to its advancement and present suggestions for the furtherance of the counselling process.

Counselling in Pharmacy Practice

Online interactivity is not commonly employed by patients and health professionals to solve drug related problems, and many patients have yet to explore the various possibilities available on line to get counsel about the medicine they use. Online counselling is relatively easy for people to gain access to professional counsellors. It also creates an anonymous environment, which makes it easier to talk about personal problems and provides larger access to messages on preventive health care. Online facilities help provide comprehensive access to counselling by segments of the population that have barrier of access to conventional services. It is particularly useful to meet the psychosocial needs of people on long-term medication and it could be a veritable tool to support adherence to antiretroviral therapy in People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA).

The Provision of Online Counselling for Young People

A substantial group of young people experience mental health problems, which impact their educational development and subsequent wellbeing. Of those who do suffer from mental health issues, a minority of these seek appropriate professional assistance. This paucity of help seeking behaviours among young people is a challenge for counsellors. Whereas adults who suffer mental health issues have increasingly turned to the internet for assistance, it is interesting that when young people, whose social lives are increasingly dependent on the communication technologies, are not catered to as much as adults by online counselling. One small online counselling pilot program conducted at a Queensland secondary school for three years (from 2005-2007) (Glasheen & Campbell, 2009) offered anonymous live-time counselling from the school counsellor (via a secure chat room) to students through the school’s website. Findings indicated that boys were more likely to use the service than girls. All participants transitioned to face-to-face counselling, and all reported it was beneficial. This pilot study attested to the potential of online counselling. However, school counselors, as a professional group, have been hesitant to utilise online counselling as part of their service delivery to young people in schools. This chapter concludes by identifying reasons for this reluctance and possible initiatives to increase online support for young people in schools.

Is There Anybody Out There?

This explores the possibilities of using technology to support counselling supervision in Africa, with a focus on Kenya, where the cost, both in time as well as financially, can mean that it is not accessed as regularly as it perhaps should be. The purpose and nature of counselling supervision is examined, and the challenges that therapists face in accessing it are reported. Through an evaluation of the literature relating to the effectiveness of technology in supporting counselling supervision, drawing on the authors own experience of telephone supervision and the views of practising counsellors and play therapists, recommendations are made regarding its use.

Online Counselling for Children and Young People

The central thesis of this chapter has three main components. Initially, the authors propose that online counselling can be of benefit to Kenyan children and young people in providing access to psychological help and support. Furthermore, specific technological support can be developed to provide opportunities for Kenyan children and young people to derive the same benefits as those in countries in which youth online counselling has already become established. Secondly, the authors outline how online counselling has the potential to address four of the eight United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Finally, the chapter reflects on how technology to support online counselling for use with Kenyan children and young people needs to develop so that it can be utilized to meet its full potential. In particular, appropriate technological advances need to occur to enable those in remote areas to benefit, thus providing the infrastructure for online counselling to become a realistic means of supporting Kenyan children and young people.

The Evolution of Guidelines for Online Counselling and Psychotherapy

The history and development of guidelines on the ethics of providing online counselling and guidance are considered. Some issues the authors have found to be of particular importance are highlighted with reference to particular publications as exemplars of the ongoing development of ethical practice in this field. Changes in ethical guidelines produced by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) are examined to elucidate the evolution in ethical thinking and practice that has been necessitated by the continual rapid development of technological applications relevant to mental health care that have typified the field. The chapter ends with a look to the advent of Web 2.0 philosophies and the need for practitioners to remain constantly vigilant with regard to their work.