9 research outputs found
Recruitment and Retention Issues Between Online and Face-to-Face Smoking-Cessation Treatment in the Workplace
The University Archives has determined that this item is of continuing value to OSU's history.Session 3. Presenter: Sandra Turner, Case Western Reserve University (2004) - "Recruitment and Retention Issues Between Online and Face-to-Face Smoking-Cessation Treatment in the Workplace"The Ohio State University College of Social Wor
The use of online text based technologies as a medium for employee counselling: perceptions of online counsellors
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Occupational Social Work, August 2017Technology is ubiquitous and presents an opportunity for the psychosocial profession to explore and expand the platforms through which counselling and support for employees is offered. The aim of the research study was to explore the perceptions of counsellors regarding the use of online text technologies as a medium for intervention in the workplace environment. Mobile technology globally and in South Africa is growing rapidly, people are connected to information and services more than ever before. More services are being offered and marketed through the use of online technology mediums; these include professional services for mental wellbeing counselling support. Recognising that this is a relatively new field of study, it is valuable to gain insight from experienced counsellors regarding the use of online text based technologies for counselling specifically for workplace environments. Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) is used as a framework that it explains how the object of study being text based counselling technologies are used currently characterised by highly mobile social media use. This study employed a qualitative approach and was contextualised to a specific organisation, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) because it offers online counselling interventions which include specific programmes for workplace environments on mental health. Purposive sampling was used to select a total of eight counsellors with experience using online text based mediums and two key informants representing management of the organisation. Individual face-to-face interviews were conducted using two semi- structured interview schedules. Thematic content analysis was used for interpretation of the data. The findings show that counsellors do not prefer to use text based online counselling technologies for serious mental health issues. Results indicate that though online text based technologies are relevant as part of employee wellness services in the workplace, the platforms are more suitable for containment, information and referral purposes. Recommendations from the study are for further research to inform standards of practise and formalised and structured training is required for counsellors.XL201
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Authenticity: How do counselling psychologists know who their clients really are?
Counselling psychology trainees are obliged to undertake a minimum of 40 hours of personal therapy as part of the course requirements. This qualitative study explores how trainee counselling psychologists experience mandatory personal therapy and how chartered counselling psychologists experience having trainee counselling psychologists as clients. Phenomenological methodology - specifically, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (lPA) - was employed to access the lived experience of both trainees and qualified psychologists. Analysis of the results suggests that as the therapeutic relationship develops, trainee counselling psychologists move from an 'inauthentic' to an 'authentic' self. They use mandatory personal therapy to learn and grow both professionally and personally. Whilst many trainees feel that therapy should remain a compulsory course requirement, they also highlight that it costs them both emotionally and financially. The qualified therapists notice a difference when working with trainee counselling psychologists, as opposed to their other clients. The therapists are aware of the mandatory nature of the therapy and their own worries about being judged by the trainees. They find it difficult to maintain the 'role' of therapist. The therapists both empathise and sympathise with the trainees, which often results in concessions being made. There are four overarching categories common to the two groups: i. impact of mandatory therapy on therapeutic process, ii. the therapeutic performance, iii. the value of therapy and iv. boundaries. Despite both groups stating that the obligatory nature of the therapy initially impedes the process, neither trainees nor therapists communicate this belief within the relationship; often resulting in 'an elephant in the room .' Recommendations are discussed including the value of providing preparation for both trainees and qualified therapists before entering the unique trainee therapeutic relationship, extra funding, and other personal development ideas
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Ground rules in online psychotherapy
Online psychotherapy dates from 1995 and is still in its infancy. This research focuses on the therapeutic qualities of online psychotherapy and the role of ground rules in creating a secure frame for the therapeutic relationship in this new medium. Chapter 1 presents the history of online psychotherapy and a description of the main modalities for therapeutic interaction, namely, e-mail therapy and chat room therapy. Chapter 2 reviews the literature dealing with the psychotherapeutic relationship, with regard to the definition of ground rules. In this chapter I identify seven categories of ground rules that are common to all approaches to psychotherapy. These categories will serve as a prism in evaluating the options for creating ground rules in online psychotherapy. Chapter 3 explores the therapeutic qualities of e-mail and chat room therapy according to the seven categories of ground rules. It also presents a survey of 236 therapeutic web sites. According to the findings of this survey, online psychotherapy is not a substitute for face-to-face psychotherapy, although there is. a potential for creating a secure frame in a virtual clinic, which does not yet exist. In Chapter 4I present my limited experience with online psychotherapy and the virtual clinic which I have developed according to the guidelines of the seven categories of ground rules. It is too early to draw conclusions based on this limited experience, but it opens several options for further research