Copyright © 2021 Andrew G. Marshall
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy| Online Counselling
Author & Marital Therapist
Menu
Online Counselling Sessions via Video
More and more people are recognising the benefits of seeing a therapist online. It is not only more flexible but allows access a top-rate professional even if you do not live in a major city.
If you need help, support and an outside eye, video counselling (by Skype, Zoom or Whereby) is an excellent alternative to traditional face-to-face therapy – and we have a team of fully trained couples therapists who are experienced in delivering it.
For more information about online counselling please use the contact form at the bottom of this page. Our practice manager will contact you within twenty-four hours to discuss your needs and how we can best help.
Couples Therapy via online video sessions
Working through a secure video call, identify and work with the issues stopping your relationship from flourishing.
Video counselling is very flexible. It avoids the need to travel to meet a therapist and so allows counselling to happen virtually anywhere in the world. It is easier to find a convenient time for both you and the therapist than with conventional face to face meetings.
Andrew G. Marshall leads a team of therapists who are specialists in Couples Therapy via Skype (or other video platforms).
All the team are trained in Andrew’s highly effective Marshall methodology which combines Psychodynamic and Systemic approaches.
Psychodynamic looks at the influence of your first childhood relationships with your parents and their impact on all subsequent relationships.
Meanwhile, Systemic is focused on the here and now and engages the therapist and the clients as a team looking at how the relationship could be changed and improved today.
In addition, there are some ideas from Brief Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy and Mindfulness.
Andrew has a Diploma in Marital & Couple Counselling Theory & Practice as well as being the author of 20 books on relationships.
“Even though our therapist was on the other side of the world and we were talking through a video screen, I was surprised how ‘understood’ I started to feel.”
Video counselling connects you to a real person
Video counselling connects you to a real person. There are many text-based online services available using sophisticated AI (Artificial Intelligence) to reply and give some level of support. Some are quite good and realistic, but there is reassurance in knowing you are speaking with a real person and not a computer.
At Marshall Method Therapy you will be working with a professional counsellor – a real person who is experienced and qualified to listen to you and help you.
Despite the conversation taking place via a secure video chat service, you will be speaking to a professional therapist, who is also a human being, building rapport and allowing you to open up. You can see who they are and read their facial expressions. In return, the counsellors are also able to see your expressions making it easier for them to give you the support you are seeking.
A video link allows you to see and speak to someone, yet remain in your own private space. Video counselling can provide the best of both access to your counsellor and feeling safe and secure in your own space.
“Andrew has given us hope. We were angry at each other and disillusioned. Andrew has given us hope that, although our situation was very difficult, we could be happy again. Andrew is navigating us through the many phases of reconnecting with each other in a deeper, respectful and rich way. He has guided us into becoming overall better people, which has gone to the benefit of the other person too. He has helped us unearth what was not working.
Sometimes we did not realise it ourselves, or were afraid to even admit it, but he has wittingly recognised what needed to be uncovered and has a tool box to better handle our relationship and has offered us a protected and guided environment where everything is said to grow and build, never to hurt and destroy.”
Some pros and cons of online counselling
Research suggests that online counselling can be very effective for many clinical issues. Web based counselling can include emails, chat rooms and internet video. At the Andrew G Marshall counselling practice we are finding that video counselling is increasingly sought after and valued.
The advantages of video counselling include its accessibility, convenience, and affordability. Some clients appreciate not having to travel to counselling premises and some people do not have suitably qualified counsellors near them. Video counselling can feel a little more anonymous which some clients appreciate.
Video counselling retains the verbal and non-verbal clues as the counsellor can see the clients. Some may be concerned about confidentiality but video platforms such as Zoom and Whereby are encrypted. Sometimes a poor connection or an unstable platform can make the call drop. Owing to the ease of accessibility almost anyone can set themselves up offering online counselling. It is very important to check the qualifications, experience and reputation of the counsellor to ensure they are competent and you feel you can trust them. Always look for testimonials.
The Marshall Method Therapy Online Counselling Team
Senior Therapist: Jon
Jon has been working with couples for over six years. He has a High Diploma in Counselling. Jon is a registered member of the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy).
“I am now starting to enjoy having therapy because it helps me to reflect on my relationship with my ex-partner and really see clearly what was happening and the role I played in that.
When I see why I was behaving in that way, it gives me a chance to choose to do things differently, I feel less “stuck” and more able to make and recognise healthier choices.”
Senior Therapist: Evelyn
Evelyn has twenty years’ experience as a couples therapist and is also a sex therapist.
Evelyn trained originally with Relate in London.
“With Evelyn’s help we were able to see that the deeper underlying issue was how we related to each other, both emotionally and physically. We both found Evelyn supportive and straightforward. She created an environment where we were able to discuss all aspects of our sex lives with her without embarrassment. By following the programme and working hard at our relationship, we have a fulfilling and varied sex life which has brought us closer together. The original problem has disappeared. What’s more, we can now have spontaneous sex, which is something we never thought we’d be able to do!”
Senior Therapist: Debby
Debby is both an experienced couples counsellor and also a sex therapist.
Andrew and Debby have worked together for fifteen years at Relate.
Debby assists Andrew in leading training workshops. She is fully trained in the Marshall Method approach to therapy.
“We both agree that without Skype we would never have had the prolonged help that you definitely gave us Debby. Committing to have counselling every week is hard and due to work and family commitments – we would never have managed more than a few sessions if we’d had to drive miles to access help.
In fact, in some ways, Skype possibly makes the whole scenario slightly easier as it’s less stressful than having to sit in an unfamiliar environment to lay bare the devastating state that your life is in. Also Debby, we both felt comfortable with you. It never felt strange speaking to you via Skype, in fact, Skype probably made it less stressful because we were in our own home speaking with you. The ability to speak with you kept my sanity. Without being able to speak to you with Skype I’m not sure what would have happened to me.”
Senior Therapist: Claudio
Claudio’s background is in family therapy. He has worked with Relate as an experienced therapist for many years.
Claudio is an experienced couples counsellor, who works primarily with clients via video.
“Claudio has used his undoubted experience and skills to gently guide me through a range of challenges that I faced within my own relationship and life. His incisive yet careful questioning, nonpartisan responses allowed me to begin to understand so much more about myself and my past relationship.
This in turn allowed me to accrue knowledge to grow and develop interpersonal confidence in close relationships. With this information I have rebuilt my life and look forward to the future and all that it might have to offer.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Online Counselling
Please contact the Practice Manager (via the contact form) for further information on fees.
We work on a standard therapy hour which is fifty minutes with the rest of the time used for practical matters (for example upcoming holidays etc).
This varies from person to person and it depends on the complexity of the issues and how deep you want to look but we will give a rough idea at the initial assessment consultation. We generally see couples for twelve sessions and individuals for six. Our aim is to provide as many sessions as your circumstances require. Throughout the counselling process, we am happy to discuss your progress and give estimates of how many more sessions are needed.
We usually use Skype, Webex or Whereby.
As long as clients have a reasonable internet speed, calls are usually fine. Should the video call drop, the counselling is resumed a soon as the connection is re-established.
The conversation quickly gets started and after a very short while the participants almost forget that it is not a face to face conversation. In the initial call, the counsellor will ensure the video camera is at the right distance.
We strongly encourage you to be in the same room as this helps us to work with your interaction with each other.
Yes, we suggest you try to ensure you are not interrupted. Switch off mobiles phones and preferably hide them away somewhere. If you have children, ensure they are not in the same rom as you, are safely occupied and do not interrupt the session if possible. Sit reasonably close to each other.
FAQs: The Marshall Method Therapy approach to Couples Counselling
There is a full explanation of the MMT approach on our Counselling page.
Using our many years of experience as relationship counsellors, we work with couples to find out what is holding back the relationship and then we explore agreed issues together.
An important part of which is often communication. Counselling isn’t a magic answer but it can bring insights and tools to help a couple work through issues that enables them both and the relationship to flourish.
Couples therapy works best if both people come to therapy with an open mind and a degree of trust in the process.
Having counselled thousands of couples we are likely to have seen most situations and we are very likely to be able to help you and your relationship.
No. The purpose of therapy is to help each person grow in their understanding of themselves and their partner and so make the right decision for them and their relationship. However, great understanding of each other and better communication can open up new possibilities.
No. Very often partners come with different objectives. In therapy we explore these objectives by bringing insight and looking for common ground. I start with improving communication, so you can understand if the differences are as large as first thought. We then look at what needs to change and whether there is enough common ground to continue.
We combine Psychodynamic and Systemic approaches with influence from Brief Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy and Mindfulness.
This means that:
- We believe that relationships run into problems because of poor communication but that good relationship skills can be taught.
- We concentrate more on solving current problems than understanding what went wrong. (However, if you are dealing with infidelity an important part of the recovery will be to understand why the affair happened).
- Unlike some therapists who answer a question with another question, we believe that we’re all working together as a team to improve your relationships and therefore are happy to answer questions and be as transparent as possible.
- Our approach is solutions-focused.
A number of couples come back some months later to do some more work. This is often on a particular aspect of their relationship.
“Andrew’s books, the first of which I read three days after I discovered my husband had been having an affair, brought calm and hope to what had been a hugely traumatic, confusing and scary experience. Our family lives would have been very different, and in a negative way, without Andrew’s help. I subsequently went on to do one-to-one Skype therapy sessions with Andrew, and I found this experience to be life-changing.
We went right back to my childhood, relationships with my parents, siblings, and the impact of various life events on what had contributing to the making of me. I have found reflective listening, contemplative versus comparative thinking, and some of his CBT techniques very, very useful. Myself, my husband, and children have a huge amount to be grateful for that Andrew came into our lives. I feel personally blessed to have discovered his books, and had the opportunity to have had life enhancing therapy work with him.”
Contact the Marshall Method Therapy Team
To enquire about video counselling with one of Andrew’s specialist counsellors in the Marshall Method Therapy team please complete the form below. Please give brief details of your situation.
Our practice manager will aim to reply within 24 hours and agree a time for an introductory video call with one of Andrew’s team.
Time prevents Andrew from being able to enter into email responses to relationship issues but his range of books offer a lot of helpful advice.
Fields marked with an * are required
Share with Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
WhatsApp