Video counselling saves time, money

When my son needed counselling years ago, one of the biggest challenges was finding a therapist who was available outside traditional business hours and getting him to and from appointments.

Whether my husband or I left work early  to drive him or we sent him in a taxi, there was a real cost, above and beyond the fee for the appointment.That’s why I was intrigued when I read that employee assistance plan provider Shepell-fgi is Canada’s first EAP provider to provide support through video counselling.

Video counselling makes accessing a network of professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers, more convenient for both employees and their immediate family members. Communication occurs between the individual and the counsellor via a webcam, telephone (or microphone) and internet connection, with both parties able to see and hear each other as if they are in the same room.

While video counselling via Skype is not new, Shepell-fgi Clinical Director Barbara Veder says her company opted to offer their services through a secured site using WebEx technology. “Skype has many limitations. For example, once a client has connected with a counsellor, the counsellor’s name and link will continue to be identified on the client’s Skype home page. This is an issue for clients who share computers with others,” Veder says.

Other potential problems with counselling via Skype are the sound quality and the synchronization of audio with visual images. “Our platform is a professional site with our branding, which also allows us to pull up documents like a statement of objectives, and work on them collaboratively with our clients,” she continues.

 Of course, video counselling is not the right solution for everyone. When clients initially contact Shepell-fgi, it is standard practice to ask callers about their lifestyle to find out if there may be any obstacles to accommodating appointments. If the screening also reveals the individual has used Skype before and is comfortable with the technology, video counselling may be recommended.

Shepell-fgi Senior VP Rita Fridella says the company’s video counselling program was pre-launched over the summer with a carefully selected sampling of clients who gave it 100 per cent satisfaction ratings.

My son has been computer savvy since he was three, so had video counselling been available 20 years ago, he might have been a great candidate. It certainly would have saved us time and money. But I can’t help thinking that on many days, a microphone would have been no substitute for a sympathetic therapist with a comforting touch and a box of tissues.