However, online therapy may not be suited for you if you are experiencing a crisis or do not feel comfortable talking online in your own home. Anger management or emotional regulation.Online counselling services can help people with a range of mental health issues, including:
Although in-person consultations can feel more familiar, they may not be possible for many people, including those with underlying health issues, busy lives and families, limited mobility, geographic isolation or those living far away from high quality services. Online counselling, which you may hear described as ‘telehealth’, is counselling that’s provided online via video-call services like Skype, Zoom, FaceTime and Whatsapp. Same day appointments are available seven days a week throughout the COVID-19 health crisis, including evenings and weekends What is online counselling? In addition to our face-to-face counselling services, we also offer online counselling sessions via a range of secure end-to-end encrypted telehealth platforms (such as Skype, Zoom, FaceTime and WhatsApp) for clients throughout Australia. We provide professional, evidence-based counselling that is effective, practical and client-centred. Almost everyone can relate to a messy scenario where people talk over one another, unable to interject at the right time.Life Supports is a national network of qualified and experienced counsellors and psychologists. Whereas before, microexpressions could signal when the speaker was finished, now we are forced to guess. Most common of these is the inability to interject in conversation at the right time. This can lead to fatigue or misunderstandings. When that stream is broken, we are forced to consciously engage and process facial expressions, a task that previously was automatic. Since our brains pick up and process microexpressions faster than we can consciously understand them, we are provided with a seemingly consistent stream of information that can help us direct the flow of conversation. While digitally communicating, microexpressions can be lost when our internet connection lags or our phone or laptop cameras aren’t the highest quality. While they often occur in response to what is being said they are unconscious rather than deliberate reactions, designed to match the tone of the conversation. Microexpressions are facial expressions that often occur without our knowing. While digital communication platforms can get our message across, the message lacks the various complex hues of what communication can be. It is impossible to reach out touch someone over FaceTime or to lean in or out of a conversation. One of the reasons why non-verbal cues are seemingly missing in digital communication is that they have to exist in material space whereas digital communication is flat. It can be used to highlight and strengthen points, compliment what you are already saying or convey additional information.
FACETIME ONLINE PROFESSIONAL
This form of non-verbal communication is a valuable contribution to both professional and personal communication. (Shutterstock) Digital body languageīody language and gestures such as crossing arms, shuffling feet or fidgeting provide cues as to whether we are engaged in conversation, ready to leave or being sympathetic, among others. Eye contact is a hard-wired social cue that provides confirmation that listeners are paying attention to us as we speak.īeing able to engage in eye contact and clearly view microexpressions contribute to accurately interpreting and communicating messages in conversation. On the other hand, as a speaker, noticing a lack of eye contact signals that we have lost the interest of our listeners.
As a listener, maintaining direct eye contact with a speaker signifies interest and attention.
Psychology research shows that in group settings, eye contact divulges a wealth of information. However, even with privacy concerns addressed, digital communication continues to fall short.Īs researchers interested in digital health and newly emerging technologies, we are concerned with how these new technologies can improve and alter relationships with ourselves and those around us. There have been reports of hacked meetings and thousands of Zoom accounts were sold on the Dark Web. While platforms like Zoom have become a staple of remote working and learning, many of us are replacing in-person socializing with FaceTime, Netflix Party, Google Hangouts and Discord.Ĭoncerns over privacy and information protection have already been raised by Zoom users. As we continue to engage in rigid social distancing, more people than ever before are relying on digital technologies for both work and personal communication.