ISSN : 2233-6710(Print)
ISSN : 2384-2121(Online)
ISSN : 2384-2121(Online)
Journal of Asia Pacific Counseling Vol.14 No.2 pp.25-42
DOI : https://doi.org/10.18401/2024.14.2.2
DOI : https://doi.org/10.18401/2024.14.2.2
Online Counseling during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Practical Experience from Play Therapists
Abstract
Online counseling became a popular method for delivering counseling services during the COVID-19 pandemic. While traditional face-to-face psychotherapy continues to remain a steady means to offer counseling services, Telemental health is gradually growing with its increase of popularity and clientele. Studying this transition from in-person to online counseling will help augment the preparation of future counselors. Since play therapy requires rich counselor-client interaction, play therapists’ experience during COVID-19 provides insights for the transition to online counseling. This study aimed to explore the benefits and obstacles of practicing counseling online. It utilized a qualitative inquiry to understand the experience of online counseling from the perspective of a group of play therapists. Our outcomes reported both the benefits of accessibility and clients’ comfort at home and the difficulties in technology use and virtual interaction with clients. Counselors can learn from the outcomes to prepare for online counseling and adjust to the different aspects of counseling in a virtual environment.