Three Steps To Creating An Online Counseling Service

Creating an online counseling service is a valuable tool for those who cannot or do not wish to come into an office. Being an online counseling service also offers you a wider reach. Online tools for psychologists can happen with phone-based or text-based services depending on the system that you choose to set up. Though online counseling services offer you the chance to reach more patients who are in need of help and lower your bottom line, there are some important issues that you need to account for before opening for business. 

You need to be able to do proper intake

Intake information is just as important for an online counseling service as it is an in-person counseling service. Intake should consist of a survey and assessment to determine the counseling needs of a person. Some people may be able to have a counseling service online while others will need in-house help from a psychiatrist. People will also need to be matched with a counselor with specific specialties. Have an intake questionnaire filled out, then have a counselor perform a preliminary assessment. 

Be sure that the servers are secure

Privacy is of the utmost importance when it comes to counseling. The patients that you help will need to know that the things they discuss with their counselor will be kept private and inaccessible by anyone in the general public. Have a technology firm put together your online counseling tool to make sure that anything that is said is encrypted. With proper encryption, no one will be able to read through counseling conversations. Have your system tested by an internet security firm on a regular basis to confirm that you are operating with top-notch security. 

Publish online courses for clients to go through

When the patients are not directly speaking to their counselor, they should still be working on self-improvement. If you cater to clients who have issues such as bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder, they will need to go through self-improvement tools in order to help them control their disorder symptoms. Create counseling tools in the form of courses that your patients can access and go through. The courses should consist of information in the form of presentations, worksheets, and interactive exercises. These will help clients who need something to work on immediately go through their work. The counselor can access the worksheets and interactive system to determine how well the client is progressing in their extra-curricular coursework. 

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