Episode 7 - Fit for purpose? Online work inappropriate for some? A therapist or client decision on ‘fit’?

Show Guests: Dave

In episode 7, the discussion focus on a general assumption that online work is unsuitable for some clients e.g. it is often quoted that it would be inappropriate for those who are in crisis, or suicidal. These are stated without further in depth examination or evidence. How are inappropriateness determined and based on which evidence, evidence translated from face2face studies, if it is...is it comparable? And when we mentioned ‘online helping intervention’ do we need to qualifying specifically what type of online services may be inappropriate or appropriate and for whom. Are counsellors/therapists the only people to determined if it is appropriate or do clients/users have a part to play?. Given that there are various methods of helping underpinned by the various theoretical explanation for certain presenting problems/needs, client groups, gathered from the wealth of face2face literature, does it.. or should this efficacy be taken for granted and assume that it does translate itself directly onto the online environment? Should we question if there are any unique outcomes that is peculiar to online environment having a distinct advantage over face2face etc.

The above provide the framework for us to explore the various related issues and we started our conversation using the contents of an email forwarded by Sue Whitlock who unfortunately were not able to join the show but was keen to share her thoughts on the topic for discussion. This provided us with a starting point for our discussion.

You can contact me at chewalex@hotmail.com to leave your thoughts, views and opinions. You are welcome to leave your comments here. You can contact ACTO, the Association for Counselling and Therapy Online at http://www.acto-uk.org/

Click on the player to listen to the podcast.... or point to icon below and use the right button on your mouse to click and choose 'Save Target As..' to download the Mp3 file

You can also view the recording of the live broadcast of the above episode here

SCHEDULING CHANGES

Due to a last minute changes in my holiday plans, I had to reschedule some changes in the dates and order of the webcasts. Please click here or on the link above for the lastest updates.

The next webcast will be at Creative Frequency - In Conversation on the 30th August 2008 at 0900 hrs BST. The theme of the discussion will be around "symbols" in creative arts therapy. I look forward to your company and having a conversation with you.

Episode 6 - Online security

Show Guests:
Gill J

In episode 6, we reflected on online/internet security. We considered if our current ‘over emphasis’ for ‘online security’ may reflects in many ways our need for the psychological security not dissimilar to Maslow's safety needs when we, humans yearn for the familiar, predictable and a consistent world order. We may react and engage in behaviours that does not match the level of realistic risks in our attempt to ameliorate our anxiety of a relatively unfamiliar and new environment of cyberspace which challenges us more at an emotional than a practical or pragmatic level. 

This is the first of the five webcast planned for the second series. Please refer to the new schedule of future webcasts and I do hope you can join us in our future discussions as well as looking forward to your suggestions of themes in online counselling and therapy that you would like to listen to in future broadcasts. You can contact me at chewalex@hotmail.com or leave your comments here. You can contact ACTO, the Association for Counselling and Therapy Online at http://www.acto-uk.org/

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You can also view the recording of the live broadcast of the above episode here

In Conversation - Inaugural Webcast for Creative Arts Therapy

You might like to know that this Saturday I am starting a regular live Internet webcast for Creative Arts Therapies and I am hoping that listeners of Therapeutic Airwaves may find it interesting as well and you may decide to join us. The show starts 09.00 hours BST Saturday 19th July 2008 and will hosted at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/creative-frequency The show has no specific topic or subject however, to get listeners ‘warm up’ I will kick off the show with a five to ten minutes (fingers tightly crossed) hopefully,……… ramblings, reflections, provocations, around a very loose theme which the audience may then be enticed to engage in further ‘conversation’ with whatever thoughts, associations, feelings etc may be aroused or arise from the initial sound bite. This Saturday’s theme is about ‘rituals’. For further information please visit http://creativefrequency.blogspot.com

A summer/autumn schedule of both Therapeutic Airwaves and Creative Frequency shows are now available. The next Therapeutic Airwaves webcast will be 2^nd August 2008. Click on the link for the new schedule.

So wherever you are in the global village, counsellors or therapists, if you have some time to spare on Saturday pull up a chair, turn on your computer, have your mug of coffee, or wine depending on which time of the day or night in your neck of the wood and join me ‘In Conversation’  -  Alex Chew

Episode 5 - Creative Arts Therapy Online

Show Guests:
Gill, Rosie, Petrus,

In episode 5, we explore the realm of imagination in healing. If the main processes of Creative Arts Therapy is the working within the imaginative realm to access the healing and growth potential that lies in the unconscious and collective conscious of the psyche, it would seem natural to tap into the imaginative therapeutic space that is offered by cyberspace. To utilise creative arts therapy online is not limited or constrained by the technology but only by ones own imagination to use what is already available and accessible between client and therapist in a creative and novel way. It is not technology that drives creativity, it is creativity that drives technology.

We have come to the end of our first series of five broadcast. A listing of the new schedule will be made available soon and my hope is that maybe you can join us in our future discussions and I look forward to suggestion of themes in online counselling and therapy that you would like to listen to in future broadcasts. You can contact me at chewalex@hotmail.com or leave your comments here. You can contact ACTO, the Association for Counselling and Therapy Online at http://www.acto-uk.org/

Click on the player to listen to the podcast.... or point to icon below and use the right button on your mouse to click and choose 'Save Target As..' to download the Mp3 file

You can also view the recording of the live broadcast of the above episode here

Episode 4 - Telepresence A Core Condition For Therapy?

Show Guests: Chris, John, Petrus,

In episode 4, the critical questions and challenges were being explored and discussed with regards to telepresence. Is the digital creation and duplication of stimuli by technology to engaged our five senses the only or desired extension and development of an online counselling and therapy encounter? Is this an attempt to recreate a 'face-to-face' encounter digitally? Or could we be missing the point of what actually constitute a transformative encounter in terms of current thinking and conceptions of time and space?, Is it an encounter with the 'Other' or is it an encounter with the 'Self' or are both experience the one and same thing thing? Should the virtual space be the medium which allows silence to speak and resonate? Is healing an immersion in the total awareness of the present moment rather than about presence? etc. etc, questions which we hope we may continue to explore and discuss in future broadcast.

Maybe you can join us in our discussion as I would love to hear your views and opinions. All feedback, comments, suggestions of future themes for discussion are very welcome. You can contact me at chewalex@hotmail.com or leave your comments here. You can contact ACTO, the Association for Counselling and Therapy Online at http://www.acto-uk.org/

REMEMBER
Our next live broadcast Express Yourself – Exhibitionist or Artists? - Creative Arts Therapies Online, Therapy Or Aesthetics?
is on Sunday 2^nd March 2008 at 0900 hours GMT.

Click on the player to listen to the podcast.... or point to icon below and use the right button on your mouse to click and choose 'Save Target As..' to download the Mp3 file

You can also view the recording of the live broadcast of the above episode here

Episode 3 - Instant or Planned Availability

Show Guests: Gill J; Gill W, Petrus T

In episode 3, our discussion centered on our reflections on the pace of change in society. We attempt to explore its impact on lifestyles and expectations. We look at how these changes are dominated in many ways by our need for convenience and speed. We see changes in the retail and food sector where there is a burgeoning market for things
‘instant’ e.g. instant coffee, instant noodles, instant custards etc. We note similar expectations in the service sectors as well, 24 hours banking, speed dating and even in technology our desire for ever increasing broadband and processing speed of our internet and computer processors. This took us into the changing nature of the provision of the helping services from the introduction of NHS Direct, walk in clinics, etc. Online counselling and therapy may have to consider the changes in consumer expectations in a radical shift away from its current ‘modi operandi’ in the next stage of its evolution.

The next live broadcast and podcast is Sunday 3^rd February 2008 2100 hours GMT with its theme Telepresence – A Core Condition For Therapy? - Should this be the “Holy Grail” Of Online Practitioners? I hope you can join us and would love to hear your feedback, comments, suggestions of future themes for discussion. You can contact me at chewalex@hotmail.com or leave your comments here. You can contact ACTO, the Association for Counselling and Therapy Online at http://www.acto-uk.org/

Please note that the live broadcast originally scheduled for 17^th February 2008 Express Yourself – Exhibitionist or Artists? - Creative Arts Therapies Online, Therapy Or Aesthetics? has been rescheduled for Sunday 2^nd March 2008 at 0900 hours GMT. The show host is in desperate need of some UV radiation and will be away from the computer.

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You can also view the recording of the live broadcast of the above episode here

Episode 2 - Virtual Confusion or Integration?

In this episode, the discourse between Gill J and I was focussed on our tentative reflections in our attempt to understand the various online medium available ranging from text, audio, video, whiteboard, avatars etc. We admit we did not wander too far as there was so much just on the medium of text alone. We had an interesting musing as to the possible preferences of counsellors and perhaps how is may be reflected by the personalities of the practitioners of counselling in contrast to the practitioners of dramatherapy. We also touch on the possibility that such preferences of online medium may be a reflection of the sequential development of the technology itself. This is only an initial preliminary foray into a potential subject area that will nevertheless be visited again in future for further exploration and discussion.

Don't forget our next live broadcast and podcast is Sunday 20th January 2008 0900 hours GMT and the theme for discussion is Instant or Planned Availability? - What Is Best For The Online Clients and Counsellor/Therapist? So stick a reminder in your calendar, diary, filofax (hmm...wonder if there are individuals who still carry those around?) PDA, Blueberry, Iphone, etc. etc. Make it your 2008
New Year resolution or the Year of the Rat as the year to join us, just to listen or to participate in the discussion. You can contact me on chewalex@hotmail.com to give feedback, make comments, suggestions etc or just to say hello. You can contact ACTO, the Association for Counselling and Therapy Online http://www.acto-uk.org/

Click on the player to listen to the podcast.... or point to icon below and use the right button on your mouse to click and choose 'Save Target As..' to download the Mp3 file

You can also view the recording of the live broadcast of the above episode here