Online counselling provides people with an opportunity to receive help and assistance over the internet.
Counsellors work with clients on their particular concerns and issues, as they would when providing counselling face to face.
Counselling can be provided in a number of ways.
Some counsellors use email, others use programs that enable real-time chat.
This can be through text, voice or video.
Sometimes counselling can be provided through a discussion board.
Whatever the format, a professional counsellor will take steps to try to ensure your security and privacy is upheld, as they would with traditional counselling.
The great thing about online counselling is that you can see a counsellor when it suits you, and can do so from the comfort of your own home.
You do not need to travel to an office or worry about child care costs.
Furthermore, it makes counselling more accessible, provided you have access to the internet.
Some people prefer the greater anonymity it brings and where they would normally be reluctant to go to a counsellor's office may be willing to receive help remotely.
Communication has changed dramatically in recent years and many people now use the internet as the central role in their contact with friends, family, work colleagues and services.
It is now common for a person to make new friends and engage in discussions with people they have never physically met and likely never will.
This social side to the web (commonly referred to as Web 2.
0) has been very successful and is almost the expected way to do business.
As such web based counselling provided this way can be highly beneficial as it is performed in an environment and using tools that a person is used to.