Online counselling sessions work really well for a lot of people.  About a quarter of my clients see me for online sessions.  Some of them live in cities and quite a few of them live rural or remote.  We spend an hour together, using a video calling system similar to Skype.  It is easy, convenient and confidential.

Reasons People Choose Online Counselling

Rural & Remote

As someone who has lived in the remote East Kimberley of Western Australia, I understand first-hand the unique challenges in finding a counsellor in a small or remote community.

Some of the reasons you may seek online counselling in a rural or remote area are:
• Your community may not have a counsellor.
• You may not be eligible for the counselling services that are provided.
• You may feel you don’t want to share personal information with a counsellor who may also be a neighbour or work colleague.
• There is less chance of bumping into your counsellor in a social situation.
• You would like to be free to discuss whatever you need to, without concern that your counsellor may know the people you mention.
• You may be feeling burnt out from the unique pressures of working remote and need to talk with someone who is removed, yet understands (me!).

Online, you have access to a much broader range of counsellors to choose from. This means there is more chance of finding the type of therapy you would like to work with, and a particular therapist who appeals to you.

City Dwellers

Even for those of us living in urban areas, there are many benefits to online counselling.
Some of the reasons you may seek online counselling in an urban area are:
• Your anxiety may be preventing you from accessing a counsellor in-person – this may be a way for you to get the support you need.
• You may have a disability which makes it difficult for you to get to a counselling service.
• You may have an illness which means it is difficult to leave the house.
• You may be stuck at home with a baby or small child and no babysitter.
• With online counselling, you will not have to face the world immediately after your session. Instead, you have the opportunity to quietly reflect. Maybe with a cup of tea. On your own couch.
• You may work odd hours, which makes it difficult to get to a counsellor during opening times.
• You may travel a lot for work, but would still like to see a counsellor regularly.

Benefits of Online Counselling

Confidentiality
Online counselling is completely confidential.
• No one will see you entering or leaving a therapy room, if that is a concern for you.
• You can find a counsellor in a community other than your own.
• The online video conferencing platform I use is approved for counselling use. It is secure and safe.

At Home
You don’t even have to leave the house!
You can set yourself up on a comfortable couch, with a cup of tea and your pets. For a lot of people, this is a very enticing benefit to online counselling.

Flexibility
With online counselling, it is often much easier to find a time that suits your needs, as the session may be scheduled out of usual office hours.

Away from Home
If you travel a lot for work, or will be away from home for any other reason, it is still possible to have regular counselling sessions online. This provides consistency and support, wherever you are.

Areas I Cover

I am based in Perth, Western Australia – I have therapy rooms in Fremantle and Mundaring – and I currently have online clients around Australia, including the Northern Territory, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Gascoyne regions of Western Australia. I am also able to provide online sessions anywhere in the world, other than the USA and Canada.

How It Works

Secure online platform
I use a secure, online video and messaging platform that is easy to install and free to use.  Once you have requested a session with me, I will email you a link to access the platform (it is super easy to set up – even if you’re not very tech-savvy).

Just like a normal counselling session
I will be sitting in my therapy room and you will be sitting in your kitchen, lounge, office, or wherever is convenient for you. We will be able to see each other. We will talk and work through the things that are important to you – just as we would in any counselling session.

Fees and payment methods
As I work in Private Practice, I am a fee-paying service.
Please refer to my Policies page for up-to-date fees.

Session Times
Due to the flexible nature of working online, I am able to offer a variety of day and evening appointment times, depending on my availability and any time zone differences. Currently, I am seeing most online clients on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Session Length
Sessions are 50 minutes in length.

Frequency
Weekly or fortnightly sessions work best, depending on your availability and finances.

Some of the reasons people see me for counselling:
• They feel stressed, anxious or bad about themselves.
• They are struggling with their relationship with their body.
• They are struggling with their relationship with food.
• Their past abuse, neglect or trauma is effecting their life now.
• They feel depressed.
•They feel unable to move forward in life.
• They are struggling with one or more relationships.

Booking an appointment with Toni Jackson
To book an appointment with me, or simply to ask some further questions, please email me at:
toni@tonijacksoncounselling.com
Or if you are within Australia, you are also welcome to phone me on: 0439 995 302

For more information on how I work, check out: My Therapeutic Approach

Image:  Kelly’s Knob, Kununurra, Western Australia