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A Review of Vicarious Traumatisation and Supervision Among Australian Telephone and Online Counsellors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2016

Wendy Taylor
Affiliation:
BoysTown Counselling Services, Brisbane, Australia.
Brett Furlonger*
Affiliation:
Monash University, Australia. [email protected]
*
*Address for Correspondence: Brett Furlonger, PhD, Institute of Human Development and Counselling, Faculty of Education, Monash University, Building 5, Clayton Campus, Wellington Road, Clayton VIC 3800, Australia.
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Abstract

Literature with a focus on telephone and online counselling is reviewed as this form of counselling is becoming increasingly popular in Australia. The relevance and drawbacks of counselling in these two digital environments are detailed. Of the drawbacks, vicarious traumatisation (VT) is given a particular focus as its effects on counsellor functioning are seen to be profound. Possible causes of VT are outlined in light of the controversy surrounding the definition of the condition. Although positive supervisory effects on vicarious traumatisation was only partially supported from general studies on counselling, highlighting the need for focused research on the value of supervision for Australian telephone and online counsellors at risk for vicarious traumatisation, overall supervision was seen to be a legitimate part of VT management for counsellors working in telephone and online environments.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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