Counsellors are experiencing a significant downturn in their work. Counselling is necessarily intimate and it is hard to make it work within social distancing guidelines. The problem is two-way. A counsellor’s ability to earn money dries up. A client no longer has access to the support they may rely on.
Counsellors we work with are offering consultations to clients via Zoom or Skype. Some clients are choosing to continue but others are preferring to wait until the social distancing rules are relaxed. The difficulty with that is that no one knows how long the current measures will need to be in place.
Again, counsellors we work with are being extremely conscientious to check-in with their clients and ask how they are. The check-in is with all clients, whether they decided to continue with their counselling or not. A text, email, WhatsApp message to a client asking how someone is shows that you care. Depending on the response, you may need to make a further interventions.
Counsellors need to look after themselves too
Don’t forget at this time of looking after the welfare of everyone else, to maintain space to check in with yourself. You and your supervisor can talk with one another or as part of a wider support group. At this unprecedented time a reminder. You can only be helpful to others if you are in a healthy frame of mind yourself.
The world after Coronavirus
It’s early April, and too soon to address this directly. But the after effects of Coronavirus will be considerable. It is likely that many people will need help to manage a variety of issues connected to Coronavirus. These will include bereavement, redundancy, divorce and financial worries. We will share advice on how a counselling practice can position itself to help these people. If that’s something you’d like help with sooner, email Nick Shrimpton or call 01252 213131
Further reading: Marketing Counselling Services
