Technology Assisted Counseling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 - Do you love technology and want to discover a new application?

 - Do you need to talk but don’t have the time to go to a counselor’s office?

 - Do you live in a small town and don’t want to see the only counselor in your community?

 - Do you like talking on the telephone, reading books, emailing and chatting online?

 

Then online counseling may be the right choice for you!

 

Benefits of Online Counseling

 

 - Flexible Scheduling Options- Choose telephone, video-chat, email or a combination.

 - Convenience- Schedule and conduct a session from your home.

 - No Commute- Online counseling is green! Reduce your carbon footprint!

 - Anonymity – While I know who you are and I verify your identity, online counseling provides a sense of anonymity that may allow for easier disclosure.

 - Considering insurance companies do not reimburse for many online services, we do not accept insurance.

 

These are but a few of the obvious benefits of online counseling.  With ease in scheduling and the ability to conduct sessions from home, people that might not ordinarily seek out counseling can now benefit.  For people that are differently abled including mobility issues, online counseling is a perfect solution.  For people with busy schedules and long days, online counseling offers an alternative. People who live in rural communities will find online counseling a beneficial resource.  Now technology can provide people with access and choice.

 

When you select online counseling services, you will be asked to set up a free Hushmail account. This is a secure messaging system that provides unparalleled privacy protection. Using the Secure Sockets Layer protocol and server encryption, Hushmail offers the highest possible protection for email and file attachments.

 

Firewall Protection

 

I use both hardware and software firewalls to prevent unauthorized external access to my computer. If you are concerned about privacy, I encourage you to add a firewall to your own system.

 

Password Protection

 

If others have access to your computer, you can use a password to stop them from viewing your documents and other information that may be stored on your hard-drive. I also recommend any session information or personal journaling stored on your hard drive be encrypted.

 

Workplace Computers/Email Privacy

 

Since employers usually have a legal right to view data on company computers, I advise you to protect your privacy by avoiding the use of workplace computers for online counseling.

 

Email Privacy

 

If you are in a relationship that is abusive or someone you live with does not respect your basic right to privacy, please be aware that the same programs employers use to view data on employee computers is available to individuals as well.  These programs record every keystroke made on the computer even if a program such as Hushmail is being utilized.  If you have reason to suspect someone of going to such extreme measures, then online counseling may not be a suitable option at this time.