Why are so many counselling services changing from long-term to a single session format?
- Every session has the potential to be a single session;
- Each session may be the last;
- We all do one session at a time, so each session counts;
- Psychotherapy is about key moments;
- Rapid change is not only possible but common in human experience;
- There is no direct correlation between the duration of the problem and the duration of treatment;
- There is no direct correlation between the severity of the problem and the duration of treatment;
- The full history of the problem does not correlate with the resolution;
- The greatest opportunity for change comes in the early stages of therapy;
- Single session does not mean that services cannot continue; however, it assumes that each session needs to be focused on the goal of the client(s) and that each session “needs to count like it is the last one.”
- People who are comfortable with technology;
- People whose schedule seem overwhelming and find it difficult to make time away from work, family, and other responsibilities. When at home, it might be the only opportunity for self-care;
- People who struggle leaving their homes;
- People who are concerned about their privacy (e.g., small community, avoiding awkward encounters with people they know);
- People residing in rural or isolated communities where they feel they are limited in accessing services;
- People working shift work hours or being consumed by the responsibilities at work, which often limits their time to access traditional business service hours;
- People wanting to talk from the comfort of their home;
- People needing help with a specific problem;
- People wanting to access services for the first time from the safety of their home;
- People wanting access to services that meet their needs.