Of course it’s not necessary to buy into every technological step forward, but it’s also difficult to avoid progress without becoming locked into a time warp.

What would it mean for the telephone counsellor if they could see the caller?  Would seeing the facial expressions, the body language etc. be helpful.  We have done very well without it for over 40 years.  What would happen to being anonymous and the safety it creates?.   What impact would it have on confidentiality?   And what would they think of us?    Would we have to start wearing our best clothes and combing our hair so that we make a good impression?  .   And lets be realistic – there are some callers where we definitely don’t want a visual!

For people who require on-going counselling and need a different kind of relationship there is possibly value in video phones, particularly for those in rural areas, those who are housebound, those who have travel problems

As an organisation we believe in giving the client choices.  Would we perhaps have to offer them the option of visual or non-visual?   Apparently it is possible to turn the visual off independently of each other.  What happens if one wants to and the other does not? Are we then in an “I will if you will” kind of situation. And what would happen if the caller was one we had spoken to many times or someone with a warm, melodious and soothing voice – would we be tempted to have a “sneaky peak”

Obviously this kind of technology would require lots of boundaries and ground rules.  Like all progress it has its benefits and its drawbacks.    I don’t thinks its arrival is imminent but I’m sure it is an issue we will have to come to grips with at some future time as more people become familiar and comfortable with being seen as well as heard.

Food for thought!

By Rita Inch