When it comes to
online services people tend to focus on the fact that it cuts out travel, and
that’s it’s discrete - or that sitting down with someone tends to make for
better communication than video conferencing.
However, working online can offer
some special benefits. Here’s are three
that I value.
#1 If you’ve been raped and your country will jail or punish you for it
You may have seen the
cases in the news like that of Alicia Gali, the Australian woman who was raped by three men after they
drugged her drink. When Gali told the
police, they arrested and jailed her - because United Arab Emirates law states
that rape victims are guilty of illicit sex, which is illegal.
The UAE isn’t the only
country with that kind of law, so if you’re living in that situation, reaching
out to someone overseas online can be a sensible idea.
#2 If you’re in a situation where you need little support boosts
With face-to-face
sessions you may schedule two or three meetings a week, or even daily sessions.
However, if you simply want to fire off a quick email here, or need a five
minute Skype session bump there, then working online can give you that
flexibility.
However, do discuss
limits before you start so you both know where you stand.
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| When there's a massive cultural gap... |
#3 When you are out of your culture
Twenty years ago when
I moved to Malaysia, I went to see a therapist to say, “I’ve just moved here
from Europe, I just got married, I’ve just changed careers, and that’s all been
okay but now my parents are splitting up because my dad has a mistress. Help
me!” He said, “Your mum should accept
your father having a second wife.”
Enough said, right? If you’re far away from home, reaching out to someone who understands you online is better than trying to bridge a huge cultural gap with someone in the same room.
