The digital world, of video work, is a world of knowledge that the therapist must acquired and understood in order to realize the potential of therapy sessions that take place in this space. Knowledge of sound and microphones, photo and lighting quality, processing speed etc. are worlds of knowledge that can contribute greatly to the quality of the other’s sense of “presence” in the room. Most of the therapists I spoke to practice therapy while holding the mobile in their hand (I am one of them) and over time I discovered that there is a blind spot about the effect of not taking the technical elements seriously when it comes to feeling the other more “present”. Even body language, influenced by working with video. informal interaction like small talk that occurs naturally from time to time, when meeting in the kitchenet or between sessions. It seems that in video sessions worthwhile to create them proactively.
We need to learn more about group meetings in video, invest time and effort in order to overcome the natural difficulty of “being in the group” when it is in video. The experience of “staying out”, of loneliness, of anxiety, should be in front of our eyes – we as therapists need to keep in mind that sometimes, a big part of what our patients need in quarantine (and not just them) is to feel that that someone is interested in them and asks how they are doing.
A lot of research is needed to understand the various phenomena and consequences of quarantine. the personality structure that video therapy is useful with it reaching more intimacy compared to the personality structure that will make it difficult to reach intimacy. I believe that information “from the field” can help to better understanding how to improve therapy in quarantine. I believe that this will help patients, parents, parents, teachers and each of us to deal better and more effectively with the COVID-19 crisis and with crises in general. Any work on the ability to deal with uncertainty will contribute to psychological well-being and resilience.
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