E-Counselling

For my integration paper, I propose to explore the recently emergent field of Online Counselling, by interviewing one professional in this field, i.e. an online counselor and at least one, if not two, other mental health professional who is not one.
Mostly, online counseling is predominantly found in the corporate sector where employees make use of the services of an online counselor, appointed by that corporation. However, I would like to explore the possibilities of extending similar services to the public, in any appropriate form.
The interview will, for the most part, revolve around the following:

• Initiation of the professional into the field – shift from the mainstream mental health training to current profession
  
• Need for online counseling
  
• Nature of Problems which are dealt with, in online counseling
  
• Anonymity – Advantages of this to the client, but at the same time, it is important to consider how to ascertain the credibility of the counselor.
  
• Crisis Counseling – similarity/differences with phone counseling
  
• As of now, the average age group of the clients, their profession, other similar characteristics
  
• Impact of management enforced sessions (for IT employees)
  
• E-counseling as initiation of face to face counseling – How it can be the first step towards rapport establishment, etc.
  
  I look forward to comments by the professor as well as my classmates, in how I can improve my plan of action, what more I can include, or any other questions they would like to ask (to the professional).