PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY AND COUNSELLING IN THE AGE OF THE - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY AND COUNSELLING IN THE AGE OF THE COUNSELLING IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET INTERNET Onlinevents – A Reflective Introduction to Working Onlinevents - A Reflective Introduction to Working Online Online Mondays 11 th & 18 th May 2020 Mondays 11th & 18th May 2020

WHAT IS YOUR STARTING POINT FOR WHAT IS YOUR STARTING POINT FOR TODAY'S WORKSHOP? TODAY’S WORKSHOP? Some questions to consider before we start: Some questions to consider before we start: How do you feel about the impact of digital technology on your 1. How do you feel about the impact of digital technology on your own life in general? own life in general? What is your 'gut response' when you hear the words 'online 2. What is your ‘gut response’ when you hear the words ‘online therapy'? therapy’? You may have begun to this in your break-out group. At some stage You may have begun to this in your break-out group. At some stage in the day you can take a few moments to discuss this with others in the day you can take a few moments to discuss this with others and find out whether their starting point is similar to, or different from and find out whether their starting point is similar to, or different from your own. your own.

• What exactly do we mean by ‘digital technology’? What exactly do we mean by `digital technology'? Attitudes/responses to DT • Attitudes/responses to DT • Online identity and ‘presence’ Online identity and `presence' • Assessment and contracting for online therapy Assessment and contracting for online therapy • Ethical issues, boundaries and containers, security Ethical issues, boundaries and containers, security THEMES • Disclosure and disinhibition (benign and toxic) Disclosure and disinhibition (benign and toxic) • Therapeutic relationships online Therapeutic relationships online - Equipping, training and supporting the digital therapist • Equipping, training and supporting the digital therapist • What lies ahead? What lies ahead?

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING HISTORICALLY SPEAKING "A.. problem with the net is that it's still 'technology', and “A.. problem with the net is that it’s still ‘technology’, and `technology'...is 'stuff that doesn't work yet.' We no longer think ‘technology’…is ‘stuff that doesn’t work yet.’ We no longer think of chairs as technology, we just think of them as chairs.” of chairs as technology, we just think of them as chairs." (Adams, 1999) (Adams, 1999)

"Technology is nothing. “Technology is nothing. What's important is that you What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that have a faith in people, that they're basically good and they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them smart, and if you give them tools, they'll do wonderful tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them." things with them.” Steve Jobs (1994) Steve Jobs (1994)

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING I HISTORICALLY SPEAKING "The medium is the message" “The medium is the message” Marshall McLuhan, 1964 A Canadian philosopher born 1911 • Marshall McLuhan, 1964 A Canadian philosopher born 1911 He suggested that the form of a medium embeds itself in He suggested that the form of a medium embeds itself in any message it would transmit or convey, creating a symbiotic any message it would transmit or convey, creating a symbiotic relationship by which the medium influences how the message relationship by which the medium influences how the message is perceived. is perceived.

WHICH ARE YOU? WHICH ARE YOU? A digital native A digital immigrant • A digital native • A digital immigrant (born around 1980 or later) (the rest of us!) (born around 1980 or later) (the rest of us!) Prensky, M. 2001a. Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon 9 Prensky, M. 2001a. Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon 9 (5): 1-6. http://www.scribd.com/doc/9799/Prensky-Digital-Natives- (5): 1-6. http://www.scribd.com/doc/9799/Prensky-Digital-Natives- Digital-Immigrants-Partl Digital-Immigrants-Part1

THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ON THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ON HUMAN INTERACTION HUMAN INTERACTION Some questions to consider: Some questions to consider: How much of your time each day do you spend engaging with How much of your time each day do you spend engaging with others via a device and/or screen? others via a device and/or screen? How much of your time do you spend engaging with others in How much of your time do you spend engaging with others in person? person? How much has this changed over the last 6-8 weeks? How much has this changed over the last 6-8 weeks? Take a few minutes to consider this? Are you comfortable with Take a few minutes to consider this? Are you comfortable with both the extent and quality of your digital interactions? both the extent and quality of your digital interactions?

In the social jungle of human existence, there is no In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity. Erik feeling of being alive without a sense of identity. Erik Erikson(1968) Erikson(1968) What kind of identity are we creating? (Suler J.R What kind of identity are we creating? (Suler J.R "Psychology of the Digital Age" 2016) “Psychology of the Digital Age” 2016) ONLINE ONLINE Reality vs fantasy? • Reality vs fantasy? IDENTITY IDENTITY Authenticity vs illusion? • Authenticity vs illusion? Impoverished or enriched? • Impoverished or enriched? Restrictive or freeing? • Restrictive or freeing? True self/false self/many selves? • True self/false self/many selves? Considered or spontaneous? • Considered or spontaneous?

John Suler (2016) proposes that the following John Suler (2016) proposes that the following conditions are necessary for a sense of presence: conditions are necessary for a sense of presence: Environmental presence Environmental presence I see, hear, feel it • I see, hear, feel it It moves and changes around me • It moves and changes around me • It interacts with me • It interacts with me ONLINE ONLINE It looks familiar to me • It looks familiar to me PRESENCE PRESENCE Interpersonal presence Interpersonal presence • I see, hear, feel you I see, hear, feel you • You move and change right in front of me • You move and change right in front of me • You interact with me • You interact with me • You look familiar You look familiar

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY ONLINE WHAT DO WE MEAN BY ONLINE THERAPY? THERAPY? Text-based therapy where client and named therapist meet 1. Text-based therapy where client and named therapist meet according to a contracted arrangement according to a contracted arrangement The original 'computerised therapy'. This can be delivered either: The original ‘computerised therapy’. This can be delivered either: Synchronously - this means that it is in 'real time' and 'immediate' involves the use of • Synchronously – this means that it is in ‘real time’ and ‘immediate’ involves the use of some form of Instant Messaging (IM). Originally delivered only via the computer, it some form of Instant Messaging (IM). Originally delivered only via the computer, it could now also involve smartphone messaging via an App or messaging service could now also involve smartphone messaging via an App or messaging service or or Asynchronously - this involves the exchange of complete messages, not in real time. • Asynchronously – this involves the exchange of complete messages, not in real time. It is also sometimes known as 'email counselling' as the messages are composed and It is also sometimes known as ‘email counselling’ as the messages are composed and sent via a secure email service. The counsellor and client agree when the messages sent via a secure email service. The counsellor and client agree when the messages will be exchanged but do not have to be present at the same time. Other kinds of will be exchanged but do not have to be present at the same time. Other kinds of files may also be attached to the email, such as pictures, audio-files, web-links etc. files may also be attached to the email, such as pictures, audio-files, web-links etc.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY ONLINE WHAT DO WE MEAN BY ONLINE THERAPY? THERAPY? Video-therapy where client and named therapist 2. Video-therapy where client and named therapist meet together for contracted therapy sessions in meet together for contracted therapy sessions in real time via a computerised video link. real time via a computerised video link. Involving the use of a web-cam and video-conferencing Involving the use of a web-cam and video-conferencing software (similar to Skype). The session is scheduled and software (similar to Skype). The session is scheduled and constructed similarly to a face-to-face session but the constructed similarly to a face-to-face session but the counsellor and client are in separate locations (and counsellor and client are in separate locations (and perhaps even different time-zones). perhaps even different time-zones).