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How counsellors and clients can look forward to 2021

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It’s time to look forward to 2021. Entering a new year is always exciting — full of goals, possibilities, and new adventures. But this year feels a little different for everyone. Some may almost hesitate to look forward to a new year after wrapping up one like 2020. We want to help you and your clients overcome that reluctance in practical ways. 

Lessons learnt in 2020 

In our last article, we covered what counsellors learnt in 2020, and what they can expect to take into 2021. Here’s what we found: 

  • Be flexible: Meet clients where they are. Whether that be in-person sessions, video calls or jumping on a phone call. 
  • Virtual counselling is here to stay: The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light just how critical technology continues to be in keeping us connected. Now that counsellors and their clients have discovered that virtual therapy is possible and effective, there’s no going back. The convenience and accessibility is important to clients. 
  • Digital tools are a necessity: As the industry and it’s clients embrace virtual counselling, digital tools like Therachat are essential to ensure clients are staying on-track between sessions and meeting their goals. 

For the full breakdown and more details, read the article on our blog. 

How to look forward to 2021

For many, this year felt unpredictable, stagnant, and stressful — but it also came with many lessons. As we enter the new year, many clients, and even counsellors, may be concerned about similar themes. Here is what we expect will come up, and how to maintain a positive outlook. 

Focus on what you DID do. 

Not on what you didn’t. Many clients are struggling with the fact that they didn’t accomplish as much as they would have liked to. Maybe there were goals that were glossed over, or impossible to reach given the circumstances. Let us be loud and clear when we say: that’s completely okay. The world was not in its ‘normal’ state this year, so it’s unfair to expect ‘normal’ levels of productivity from everyone. Know that while wanting to meet all desired goals is great, it’s perfectly fine to not have met every single one — in a global crisis, no less. Just surviving and getting through the year is more than enough, and clients should be proud of themselves for that. 

Thank yourself for how far you’ve come 

This year hasn’t been easy. Maybe your clients didn’t get to do absolutely everything they wanted to. Maybe they had to cancel plans, or grieve losses. But the sheer fact that we all made it to the end of the year is an accomplishment in itself. Perhaps paused growth in specific areas left more room for clients to grow in others. For example, if they didn’t get their dream job, but they developed healthy coping mechanisms they could reach for in times of stress — that’s something to be celebrated. 

Don’t put pressure on this upcoming year

While the world is moving towards normalcy, it’s not all the way there yet. And it won’t happen overnight. Instead, expect a slow and gradual shift to what we’re used to. That being said, encourage clients not to put too much pressure on this upcoming year, and themselves, to pile on goals for 2021. Remember that not every year has to start with a bang — taking slow and steady strides is an amazing first step. That way, clients can get really clear on what they really want to accomplish rather than rushing into half-baked aspirations. 

Use technology to your advantage

As we enter a new year, counsellors can embrace digital tools to keep their clients on track throughout 2021. Therachat is a digital homework app that counsellors can use to support their clients from a distance. With innovative features like daily homework reminders, skill-building activities, emotion tracking, and mindfulness exercises, counsellors and their clients are always connected. Support your clients as they meet their goals, with Therachat. 

Moving into the new year

For some, entering a new year feels exciting, with the promise of new experiences and opportunities. For others, it can feel stressful like a lot of pressure. As you and your clients look forward to 2021, we hope these practical tips can help remove negative thoughts and bring a sense of calm.

Successful Online Counselling Practice Tips

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The COVID-19 global pandemic forced many of our physical, in-person services to go digital — one of which has been counseling. Many counsellors are scrambling to gather the tools and technology they need to successfully shift their practice online. Particularly for counsellors who have never done this before, it can be tough to know what you actually need for an online counselling practice to go smoothly. We’ve put together a checklist to make sure you don’t miss a thing. 

Earbuds or headphones

Many of us who are isolating aren’t doing it alone. Whether you’re sharing your space with family, a roommate, or a partner, it can be tough to set and maintain your privacy. Headphones are a really simple way to create a non-physical boundary. Not only is it less disruptive to the person you’re sharing your space with, but it’s a great way to get in the zone and focus on your work. 

A fast laptop or computer to support a video platform

Video platforms are essential for an online counselling practice. They give us the face-to-face contact that’s so necessary for picking up client cues and expressions. But of course, you’ll need something to access the platform. It doesn’t have to be fancy — any computer or laptop that gets you online and supports your video platform of choice is perfect. 

High-quality WIFI

So, you’ve got your earbuds and your computer. You’ve chosen a video platform. Now you need the connection to support it. A WIFI network of 250bps is optimal for maintaining clear audio and video during your session. It sounds like tech jargon, but your service provider will know exactly what you’re talking about. 

Is your audio still lagging during the session? Ask your client to mute themselves on the video platform, and call them on their cell phone or landline. That way you’re able to maintain the face-to-face contact through video, but you won’t have to deal with audio cutting out. The last thing you want during an especially sensitive moment is to be unable hear your client. 

Built-in or external microphone

Clear audio is essential for the back-and-forth conversation, and to pick up cues in their tone of voice. Most of today’s computers and laptops come with a good quality built-in microphone. But if not, or if you want to upgrade, you can buy an external microphone online or at the store. These are usually really simple to get working — just plug them into your computer, and you’re good to go. 

Make your cell phone work for you

There’s a good chance you have one of these. But how you use it is what’s important. Your phone can be like a personal assistant, if utilized correctly — keeping you on-track, on-time, and on your toes. Use it to plug in all your scheduled calls, meetings, and appointments. And, you can set up push notifications so you never miss a beat. 

Stay connected between sessions

With the physical world shifting online for all of us, including our clients, it can be tough to ensure they’re doing the work between meetings. A digital homework app like Therachat is an amazing tool to keep you connected to your clients. With skill-building activities, daily reminders to stay on-track, mindfulness exercises, and emotion tracking, it’s an innovative way to help your clients feel supported between appointments — especially when they’re missing the in-person experience. 

Looking for tips for using Therachat as a clinician? Check out our blog posts with advice specifically for clinicians here

Keep certain aspects traditional

While being technology-forward can be a game changer for you and your clients, some things are best kept traditional. We recently chatted with one of Wellin5’s counsellors, Amelia Larson, MSW, RSW about her best-practices when it comes to tech-forward counselling. 

“Im sort of old school. I take notes in a notebook. When we introduce technology into a therapy setting, it can divide the attention differently. In my sessions, I always use a notebook because I want to avoid clicking away on the keyboard while a client is sharing some of their toughest moments with me.” 

Amelia’s strategy allows counsellors to fulfill the ethical requirements of note-keeping in a respectful way. 

Shifting to online counselling doesn’t have to be stressful 

The sudden shift from an in-person practice to an online counselling practice is unprecedented, and it hasn’t give counsellors much time to plan. It can be a big change for both you and your clients. But with the right equipment and setup, it can feel almost like you’re face-to-face. 

For more ways to elevate your client experience during isolation and beyond, check out Therachat’s innovative features. 

Sarina Arefzadeh is a Vancouver-based content marketer, mental health advocate, and pop culture enthusiast. She brings her education in psychology and sociology to unpack topics like tech, gender, mental health, and online life. She’s a speaker with Jack.org, regularly visiting schools to talk to students about their mental health, what it means, and how they can be there for themselves and their peers. Connect with Sarina on LinkedIn, Twitter, or by email.

How To Incorporate & Benefit Technology In Your Private Practice

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When we talk with our Therachat users, we notice that each therapist has a story to tell that just about anyone can benefit. That’s why we decided to kick off a series of interviews around specific topics. Today we talked with Vivien, a motivated private practice clinician that fully embraced the power of technology and happily wanted to share tips and tricks. [Read more…] about How To Incorporate & Benefit Technology In Your Private Practice

How Therachat Designs Supportive Co-Design Sessions

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At Therachat, we aim to avoid designing in a vacuum as much as possible. We involve our target users in the design process through what’s called a co-design session. Our target users — people with anxiety — are the experts in their own experiences, so it only makes sense to involve them so we can better understand and carry forward their mental models, goals, and needs.

A colleague and I ran our first-ever co-design session with our target users in March 2017. The kicker — I also have anxiety. I know what it’s like to walk alongside them on our respective journeys. I also know that due to an unfortunate stigma, it can be difficult to open up about your own mental health, especially in a room full of strangers. Until that stigma is vanquished, we need to take care in how we talk about mental health.

Here are some tips I collected from planning and running our first supportive, welcoming co-design session in case they are helpful for fellow UX practitioners designing their own:

Establish expectations before the session

We send every participant an email beforehand that outlines key details of their session — both the logistical (scheduled time, how many other participants will be in the room) and the objective. We also let them know it would absolutely be ok if they don’t feel comfortable answering certain prompts during our time together.

If you have phone numbers on hand, give them a ring before the session to check in. If I put myself in my participants’ shoes, I would appreciate hearing a friendly voice who can answer any questions as I’m getting ready for the session, especially if I have never participated in something like this before. (This tip can apply to any research method, not just co-design.)

Create a “Yes, and…” environment

One of the pillars of improv is “Yes, and…” It helps establish an environment of collaboration by building off of each other’s ideas. At Therachat, we embrace that philosophy. We introduced it to our participants by playing an improv game to break the ice at the start of the session. (See “0. Yes, BUT… vs. Yes, AND…’ within the article.)

The mindset of this game played out during the rest of the session. I saw heads nod as participants shared stories, heard ideas expand in the room, and felt apart of something special. These two hours offered a glimpse of camaraderie among strangers based on their shared experiences.

Have time for feedback

My colleague and I used a simple and valuable framework for gathering participant feedback at the end of the session: the d.school’s “I like, I wish, What if.” Being open to feedback can only help us iterate and improve on future co-design sessions.

Participate in addition to facilitate

As facilitators, we fully embraced the “co-design” philosophy. We chose to share our own experiences with anxiety and immersed ourselves in the activities we created, in part because we were walking the journey, too, and in part to make participants feel more comfortable opening up about their own experiences.

During our “I Like, I Wish, What If” activity, someone shared that they appreciated the facilitators participating in the activities. Doing so can help break down the dynamic in the room. This tip may not be applicable for every co-design session, though, depending on the focus.

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Have any other tips for creating a supportive, welcoming co-design session? Please share them in the comments!

How Trauma Can Affect Our Body

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Before San Francisco-based psychotherapist Krishan Abeyatunge chose his current profession, he was helping people heal through his Bay Area practice of holistic medicine. It was during those years that he noticed an ever-increasing number of patients that would come in repeatedly for the same physical ailments or pain because of trauma.

His investigation to identify the culprit behind these chronic maladies led him to discover the connection between our psychological well-being and our physical health. This realization compelled him to make a career change so he could focus on exploring the core source of all our joys and sorrows – our psyche.

Trauma Can Result in Physical Pain

When we fail to work through our trauma, it manifests itself in other ways. Specifically, Krishan points out that psychological trauma and anxiety can frequently manifest as physical pain and illness. He shares an eye-opening experience he had with a former patient – a 275lbs former football player, who survived a car accident that ended his father’s life. During massage therapy, Krishan stumbled upon an old back injury the client suffered in the accident. Unaware of the injury or its history, Krishan applied pressure to the spot, evoking in his client an intense urge to cry. “Just let it out,” offered the doctor and the client did. He began to cry. When they spoke after, it became clear that the trauma the accident survivor has been carrying in that spot extended far beyond physical injuries.

Abeyatunge swears that this sort of physical manifestation of early, sustained or even acute trauma is more common than most people realize. What’s even worse, it can be self-perpetuating.

“If your mind is set to that channel, then there’s plenty to look at that’s not great in the world. We live in the paradox of lots of beautiful stuff and lots of suffering. So, depending on where your channel is set to, you can notice a ton of either,” says Abeyatunge.

He notes that major research institutions like Stanford and Harvard have documented the connection between emotional/mental wellbeing and physical health. Check out this book titled Waking the Tiger by Peter Levine if you’re interested in learning more about the phenomenon.

Millennials & Mental Health: How To Cope

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It’s a hectic, increasingly insane world out there. For the younger generations hanging on can be a challenge. To help us understand how Millennials experience and cope with stress and anxiety, we sat down with therapist Tara Griffith, who is also the founder of Wellspace SF, the San Francisco community of licensed therapists, nutritionists and certified coaches. In addition to psychotherapy, Tara’s organization specializes in working with young adults, providing life coaching, career coaching, nutrition and health/wellness coaching.

Describing the Millennial patients she frequently works with, Tara explains that many of their mental health stressors are tied to technology and entrepreneurship. “What’s really unique about millennials, especially in San Francisco, is there’s a lot of integration of socializing and work. There are bars in certain start-ups and you’re encouraged to do all these outside activities together, so the work/life balance becomes a little messy sometimes,” says Tara. “The quick growth of companies creates some stressors in how to work with your colleagues or be a good manager or employee. Many people that are in management positions are sometimes really young. They are learning to navigate a quickly growing industry.”

 

Tara feels that integrating or learning easy, yet effective stress management tools is important. And so is scheduling time for self-care, and being able to set boundaries. “For urban Millennials, the pace of life can be so fast today that we often just go, go, go. They don’t really schedule the time for self-care. They’re just reacting in the moment instead of sitting down and reflecting on the next step or who they want to be.”

Communication and feeling a connection with other people is also a unique challenge for Millennials according to Tara. “Technology has made it so much easier to disconnect from people. In the past, you may have to meet someone face-to-face or pick up the phone and have a difficult conversation. Now you just disappear without ever having to be accountable. The face of dating and communication is definitely changing.” That’s where Tara sees technology – and Millennials’ affinity for it – having the greatest impact, “And not necessarily in a positive way,” says Tara.

Coping Mechanisms

Tara lists a few essential coping skills that she frequently works on with her clients:

  • Try to schedule time for self-care in your calendar. “If it’s not scheduled its often the first thing to go,” says Tara.
  • Learn more about mindfulness and meditation and incorporate that into daily life.
  • Identify one’s inner critic and understand how that contributes to your stress level.
  • Learn how to speak with yourself in a nicer, kinder and gentler way; refocus perspective on the positive.
  • Utilize tools like gratitude journals and affirmations.

Gratitude Journals

While useful for everyone, Tara explained that gratitude journals are particularly helpful for Millennials. This forces them to take time out of the day to focus on what’s going well in their lives. “The way that we think about the world is going to contribute to your anxiety. It’s very rare that we spend time thinking about all the great things in our life,” explains Tara. “Spend time each day really reflecting on the positives in your life and what they mean to you. By doing that you reshape the way your brain works, and you start to notice more positive things in your life, instead of skewing toward the negative.”

Mindfulness and Living in the Present

Mindfulness and intentionality are traits commonly attributed to Millennials. “Doing my own work on myself and seeing the benefits – of particularly the mindfulness — and how that has significantly impacted my own life…I can be very passionate about it because it’s something that works. It’s not just something I’ve read about in a book.”

Explaining her own work, Tara notes that “I am not the type of therapist who’s just going to sit back and nod their head and say, ‘tell me how you feel about that.’ I don’t spend too much time in the past, which other therapists might. I’m really focused on the here and now. The present moment,” says Tara. “We can spend years and years sitting on the couch talking about how your mother ruined your life. My personal opinion is that we can talk about that but I don’t want to stay there.”

Tara’s personal connection to her work and her patients reflects the kind of purpose Millennials are hungry for. As Tara explains about her approach: “Sometimes people look at a therapist as an expert or a know-it-all, but we’re people with our own struggles and heartaches and challenges and most therapists get into this because they can really empathize with other people’s struggle. And I think that’s what I try and let my clients know about me. That I’m just like you.”

Learn more about Tara’s work at wellspacesf.com, Facebook and Instagram!