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Take courage.. The good news is that we are strong enough to survive the bad news. Philosophy Online offers Counselling Coaching Consultancy with deeper foundations a broader base a wider perspective. |
| 8. What are the
advantages and disadvantages of on-line contact?
Advantages: You select when to consult, and for how long. You decide when to start, and stop. You send and receive material at times to suit you. You keep control, and preserve your privacy. You have a record, automatically, of everything. You have a chance to reflect on what you have sent and received. You can pause for thought before sending material. You have access to practitioners operating world-wide Disadvantages: We do not see or hear each other. (This will change with sound and video). The written word is a limited bandwidth. But you can use this to focus to the heart of your agenda. On-line support requires you to be comfortable with the written word, (unless you try speech-to-text software). It does not require ‘great literature’ or spelling. A willingness to take yourself seriously is all you really need. 9. What are the security risks of on-line contact? This is a secure site that meets THAWTE standards. Loss of security is a smaller risk on this site than with a great deal of face to face or telephone contact. At no stage do I personally receive or see your credit card details. These are handled by WorldPay.com If you wish for further security, I can arrange for encrypted messaging. You can use password security to limit access on your own PC. You can keep material off your own PC via floppy disk, cartridge or CD RW. I recommend email without attached files, using a ‘firewall’ and anti-virus software. 10. What if I am feeling really desperate and need help from someone face to face? Then you must get off-line and look for the local and direct help that you need. On-line support cannot be a substitute for all face to face contact, but it is a useful addition to services currently available. On-line support is about getting, maintaining, and improving your (off-line) life. 11. How do you know if a client is being serious and honest? Contributions lacking committment will not produce a serious result. As everywhere, you get out in proportion to what you put in. 12. How do clients know who you are? Security on this site is very strong. You may check authenticity at the APPA site, and testimonials about my work from here. 13. How can I be sure you are my best contact and can be of use to me? Certainty is not available, here as anywhere else. You must judge for yourself and consider your options. There is far more information about me, from this website, than you will find from most service providers. I get fulfillment in this work only by dealing with clients for whom I think I can be useful. 14. Can you give just a few instances of how philosophical counselling and consultancy differs from the more familiar approaches? My last book explores this subject in 33 chapters. Here’s just one thumbnail illustration, concerning tragedy: Contemporary ‘how to’ practitioners sometimes seem to think there is no such thing. Compare this with the early Greek philosophers and dramatists. Sophocles, for example has a great deal to teach us that we have largely forgotten. It does not help people who are coping with tragic circumstances if their counsellor believes there is a ‘can do’ remedy for every problem. 15. You are English, based in England. What do you offer, that is different, to North American clients? Possibly my optimism is more tentative. There is some truth in the stereotype about British understatement. I am positive enough to face the negative; the constraints, limitations and set-backs. A ‘can do’ mentality that ignores what we can’t do lacks courage. It is bravado. It avoids tough reality. Beware over-easy answers. 'Think and Grow Rich', or 'Grow Rich while you Sleep' - this kind of shiny happy talk helps no one. That is why I think that, for example, Greek tragedy can be so healing for those facing catastrophes in their own lives. |
