How to Do Counseling at Home

Counseling can be effective in treating mental illness, supporting people through a difficult time, or helping individuals improve mood, reduce stress, or increase self-esteem. Receiving counseling at home online or over the phone s an option for some people, allowing them to discuss problems and issues with a trained counselor from the comfort of their own home. The Internet counseling field is still new but rapidly growing. There are some guidelines to follow to ensure that your Internet or phone counselor is still licensed and properly trained.

Instructions

• 1

  Decide why you want to do counseling at home. Although there are plenty of options for at home counseling, in-person counseling is still preferred by most experts.

• 2

  Choose an online therapist. There are websites, such as Ask the Internet Therapist, that provide a data bank of online licensed therapists. You can also find individual therapists that offer online or phone services by doing an Internet search.

• 3

  Decide which platform you want to use. There are several choices for counseling at home. You can use a chat program, a phone call, email messages or a video chat such as Skype.

• 4

  Research fees. Most insurance plans do not pay for online or phone counseling. You will most likely have to pay out of pocket. Counselors charge a wide variety of fees, so find one you can afford.

• 5

  Make sure you counselor is licensed. In every state, a counselor must be licensed to provide individual counseling privately. While your counselor may not be licensed in your particular state, make sure she is licensed in the state she practices in. There is also a group, International Society for Mental Health Online, that provides training for online therapists. Check to see if your counselor is a member of this group.

• 6

  Schedule an appointment. Know what issues you want to discuss and what goals you hope to accomplish by receiving therapy.

• 7

  Receive counseling. Remember that counseling at home is not for everyone. If you don't feel it is helpful, try another platform, a different counselor, or see a counselor in person.