CESL - half way there!

2 days and 23 presentations into the 2nd Virtual Conference on Counselling we are now over half way!

Has been a tiring 2 days, including the last minute preparations, and I feel so excited to be working with colleagues, meeting new friends and outing the boundaries of what is possible with relationships and technology.

Although this conference is being delivered in an online virtual world, viewable from our website for those who aren't able or don't have the time to log in, the topics covered extend far beyond working online.

We had the most amazing interview from the Online Therapy Institute with the director of the documentary Life 2.0, thinking about the ethical dilemmas and the teaching possibilities when working in Second Life.

And we have had a very thought provoking presentation on why we need to talk to our clients about their view of the therapeutic alliance and it's impact on them, the possibilities of Counselling Training programmes being validated by an international body and an insight into the world of Christian Counselling, tacking some misconceptions and thinking about how in many ways it is not an expert led experience and how it holds to many of the ethics and principles that other colleagues would also identify as central to their work.

It is truly exciting and nourishing to be able to attend a full Counselling conference, and to work at this event, all in the comfort of my own home.

If you fancy joining us for the last 2 days, why not sign up here, free of charge!

http://2vcc.eventbrite.com/




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Been asked to write a 100 word blurb, any thoughts?

Been asked to write a 100 word blurb, any thoughts?

“OnlinEvents broadcast live to the internet and record to view later on our website, on DVD and as a download. Nothing can ever replace being in the room with other people, but there isn’t always the time or money to attend in person, so we make events available live online. It’s not enough to just view the event from a distance so we utilise chatroom technology allowing communication with the facilitator and other delegates. And if you are not available on the day of the event? We record so that you can view on our website, on a DVD and if you prefer, download to your computer.”

Online Counselling in a Niche Market

We had a great interview tonight with Buck Black!Buck of truckertherapy.com his professional but friendly presence oozed over the online connection and out to an online audience spead around the globe.

Buck talks passionately about his determination to meet the people he works with "where they are". Buck's ability to utilise technology to support the therapeutic relationship is thought provoking and inspiring!

You can catch up with the recording herehttp://onlinevents.co.uk/OnlineCounsellinginaNicheMarket

Coolest counselling Conference this Year

I am getting excited about the CESL Counselling conference that will be held in Second Life in September!

Last year there was a rich and varied programme of presentations from a discussion of suicide in Second Life, supporting students who are victims of bullying how Carl Rogers fits into virtual worlds psychotherapy and of course the rock stars of online counselling Kate Anthony and DeeAnna Merz Nagel from the onlinetherapyinstitute.com!

Calls are currently going out for presentations, and I feel confident that the range and quality of content will equal any other counselling conference this year.

But this conference can be accessed without charge!

Turn up at the venue in Second Life or watch the live stream at our website and get participate in great discussion, hear thought provoking presentations and connect with colleagues from across the world.

And if you want to use this time as part if your personal development www.onlinetherapyinstitute.com is providing CE's for an incredible range of professions in the US for a minimal charge.

If you want to deliver a presentation or just fancy attending the coolest counselling conference this year check out http://ow.ly/1qzQgS







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Online Counselling in a Niche Market

We released tickets for an online interview with Buck Black early this morning and already 13 people have signed up to participate!

We use a chat room facility to compliment our online events as we feel audience participation is key to the experience. It's much more fun if you can turn up and ask your own questions!

Buck Black is going to be an interesting person to listen to, question and stir some good debate. Buck is working with truckers accross America and realized that here is a group of people that by the very nature of their job can struggle to access psychological, emotional and relationship support.

A community that can very much benifit from the advantage of contact with a therapist online.

Whats your reaction to online counselling? Do you wonder about how safe it is to work in this way? Can we as therapists really be helpful to someone when we are seperated by hundreds or maybe even thousands of miles?

All great questions to think about with Buck!

Tickets are free and available from http://truckertherapy.eventbrite.com/

Hope to see you there!



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OCTIA 2010 Online Counselling Conference - Next Week!

Is hard to believe that this time next week OCTIA 2010 will be well under way and we will be listening to Elaine Bousfield and Sally Evans delivering the presentation "Working with Self Harm and Suicide online".

This is a real hot issue for therapists working online, is it ethical to work online with someone who is harming themselves? What about someone who is thinking seriously about killing themselves? If it is ethical then how can we work with these clients in safe way?

These are tough questions and I am really looking forward to this presentation!

I am hoping that I will get a chance to absorb this fully as my team and I will be streaming the live video feed, via the internet, to delegates all over the world. As well as making sure there is a good video and audio signal we will also be facilitating the chat room so there is opportunity for everyone attending the conference to participate in discussion whether you are in Manchester or tucked up in bed with your laptop!

I am probably going to miss at least some of the presentations so I am glad that we will also be recording the presentations and they will be accessible for 30 days following the conference to everyone who buys a ticket.

All the online counselling authors in the UK will be in Manchester, their will be top experts from around the world in the chat room, if you have any interest at all in online communication this is definitely an event not to be missed!

Maybe I will get a chance to meet you in the chat room, or perhaps even Manchester ...

Why not find out some more by watching video interviews with presenters and organisers here http://www.onlinevents.co.uk/octia2010

Day 11 365 Project #DigitalChalk

Saturday 27th February and I am snowed in! It's been a long winter but I can just about manage as I have my mac and full access to digitalchalk.com!

Spent the afternoon working on the excellent Distance Credentialed Counselor course from ReadyMinds that will be soon appearing on the DigitalChalk platform.

Tyding up PDF's tweaking the sound on some audio and uploading some streamlined PPT slides, just feels great getting it just right.

Really enjoying being part of such a great project, a big thank you to readyminds.com for having me onboard and to DeeAnna Merz Nagel for bringing us together!







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Day 10 365Project

Took today's pic on the way back from Sheffield, my first class ticket was cheaper than a regular which made it even more enjoyable!

Attended a meeting of the core staff team of Temenos in my new
role as a member of the management group. This feels like a huge privilidge to have joined this fantastic organisation to support it's ongoing growth and development.

Can't wait to tell you all the plans we are making!







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Day 9 365Project Tools of the trade

Really enjoying my new tools of the trade today, laptop & headset!

Had a fab interview with Jane Evans from OCTIA, her workshop sounds so exciting!

And an online peer supervision group, it's great to be in contact with such supportive and experienced colleagues despite the distance between us!











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Day 8 365Project Dentist!

Fear of the day today? Dentist!

It's only been about 20 years since I have been to the dentist, I didn't like it then and I didn't expect I would like it today, although it was more than that!

I kept seeing visions of myself strapped to the chair with instruments in my mouth causing me extreme pain ... no wonder I was anxious!

The reality? The receptionists were lovely, the dentist was lovely and although having my teeth prodded with instruments isn't my first choice of activity it wasn't painful and I left feeling that I could just about manage to tolerate the 2 fillings I need, result!

Left me wondering what it's like for people coming to see me for counselling for the first time, are they experiencing the same fears and fantasies of intolerable pain?!?

It is always my endeavor to make someone who comes into my office as comfortable as possible whether they need some quiet space or to chat about the weather till they relax.

After today, and the anxiety I experienced, I am continuing with this strategy!






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Day 7 365Project Observations

You might have guessed I didn't take this pic of the Dean Galleries in Edinburgh, I was there yesterday for peer supervision, I did intend to take my own picture but got totally distracted.

Yesterday evening I was observed teaching on the counselling skills course and by the time I got to lunch time my anxiety was very high!

The group of tutors that I work with are excellent, full of wonderful practical experience and a knowing of just how anxiety provoking this work can be, especially when being observed attempting to do it! And the students were so generous in allowing this process of mine into their learning experience. Thanks everyone for your amazing support!

So it's done now, with some lovely feedback and some suggestions for the next observation in a fortnight ...







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Day 6 365Project

I thought that I hadnt taken any pics today when I forgot that I had, but just in one of my other lives!

I also run a cleaning business and the day started with the rubbish in this photo below, we photograph it, communicate with the management company and then clear it, who would have thought the iPhone would be such an important part of a cleaners life!

I have also been on 2 conference calls, one including colleagues in New Zealand, ongoing work with the OTI, 2 counselling sessions and a lovely dinner with a great friend in the city ...

But it all started with some black bags ... and I kinda like it that way :D

Day 5 36Project

It's only an introductory course but I am stressing about getting my head into it, mostly because I am behind, no surprise there then :)

I am being observed teaching on Teusday evening, should be interesting!


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Day 4 365Project

Feeling in transition today as I move my office downstairs. I have spent nearly 4 years in private counselling practice in Centrex Conference Centre. My first experience of office life and as a professional!

The corridor where my office was located has got much busier in the last few months, which is great for the building and makes sure that this loation known for it's open, relaxed and welcoming atmosphere continues to be viable.

But also means that I need to be in a quieter part of the building, which is why I am moving downstairs. It's a great part of the building, I am sure the people I work with will be comfortable there and as I closed the door on my first ever office I could feel my heart stretching in a way I didn't expect!

It's probably got something to do with my attachment issues, and my struggle to move in to new things and it says something about how right it was for me to enter this field, this building and this life!

Hope you like the pic of my new room :)






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Day 3 365Project

3 minutes to go for today and u am just squeezing in my pic of the day, caught this quite by accident in my car and really like it!

Idea of this project is that it will get me thinking and hopefully taking interesting pics, let's hope it's already started :)


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Day 2 of 365Project

I did a lot of thinking about the future this morning, not unusual for me :)

Just as well I had my coffee!


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Interview with COAP team for OCTIA 2010

Recoded an interview with the COAP team today who run a website that offers support to young people who are living around addiction using a forum and online counselling.

Emma and Sonja will be presenting at OCTIA 2010 and the interview will hopefully give you a sense of what this excellent team will bring.

Only 1 month to go till the only counselling conference that will be available to view online live with real time interaction with the speakers. Don't forget to book your ticket here www.onlinevents.co.uk

External Assesor

Visit from the external assesor to www.stevenson.ac.uk yesterday where I have been teaching counselling skills since September last year.

The assesor was one if the tutors on my counselling diploma and had a profound impact on mr and how I work!

It was great to see her "get" what the team offers in counselling skills training, a deeply relational space where there is plenty of room to develop!

When I joined the team I was sure it was a great place to develop myself in this kind if work, by the end of yesterday I was convinced all over again!




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365 Challenge

My good friend and colleague Rich Cove has challanged me to record the next year of my life by taking a picture every day, si here goes!

A picture of my new iPhone 3GS, or the box! Insurance delivered it yesterday and I stayed up late setting it up, the story today ... yawn!

Rich is also taking this challange and I will be retweeting his updates on Twitter.com feel free to follow me over there @onlinevents





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OCTIA 2010 Interviews

I am recording a series of interviews with the organisers of the OCTIA 2010 conference. The only conference to date about online counselling that is actually available to attend online!


I was too ill this afternoon to record the planned interview with Anne Stokes, which is really disappointing as I have been enjoying the experience and feels great to be getting stuck into preparations. Sorry for canceling Anne and look forward to recording the interview next week.

Weekend spent with @richcovephoto

Just spent a lovely weekend with my very good friend @richcovephoto and his wife in Southampton. Why do I use his Twitter name? I noticed us tweet our exploits throughout the weekend and we referred to each other by our Twitter names.

Not only is Rich an excellent photographer, he is also an experienced and well respected therapist ... with a Twitter name???

One of the many great things about Rich is his engagement with life as we are experiencing it in the second decade of the 21st Century including Twitter, facebook and video conferencing!

To get some time with a man who can have fun, have contact accross multiple mediums and can connect fully psychologically and emotionally feels like a real priviledge and lots of fun!

We both hope as men who live real lives we have lots to offer clients and colleagues and of course we both have even more to learn ...

And a big thank you to Rich's wife for putting up with wall to wall laptops, phones and general fooling about :)

Thanks for a great weekend guys!







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Live Interview with Christie O'Connor

Friday morning on the plane to Southampton reflecting on the live interview with Christie O'Connor.

I am so pleased with the outcome of this event! The last two attempts at an online discussion resembled our vision of an interactive mixed reality where I am in the room and on camera with my guest and the online audience has smooth video and clear sound and access to the guest using the chatroom.

The event with Christie didn't just resemble the vision, it was the vision! Extensive preparation and multiple backups of laptops and cameras meant the event quickly became all about hearing from Christie and not managing the technology.

Very quickly the audience grabbed the opportunity to pick Christies brain and benifit from her experience. We talked about profound and complex issues that are around when working therapeutically with people who are living with HIV and their families including knowledge about medication, touch and how to look after ourselves in relationship.

Not only where Christies responses thought provoking but they seemed to touch the audience deeply due to her deep commitment to honest and genuine contact!

I am left feeling excited and curious about Christies lecture she will deliver on 29th of January at Centrex Conference Centre in Livingston, West Lothian and will be available to view live online at www.onlinevents.co.uk where she will explore in more depth her work with people living with HIV.

Christie has generously agreed to participate in both these events without charging a fee in return for a percentage of the DVD and CPD certificates bought by the audience. You can find out more here

And if you missed the interview I am sure you will enjoy the recorded video here http://www.onlinevents.co.uk/ChristieOConnor

Both Christie and I would love to see you online or in person at the lecture, hope you can join us :)

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Progress so far!

I was adding this review of our progress so far to the Facebook groups page  and thought it might also look good on the blog :)

2009 has been a very exciting year as we have begun to stream events live to the internet and record them for distribution.

It started with OCTIA 2009, throwing ourselves in the deep end by streaming a full conference live to the internet and then hosting the recorded video on our website for all ticket holders.

It was so exciting to to have delegates located all around the world along with the delegates who had come to Leicester University where the presentations were delivered.

A key feature of the experience, that has been a part of all our events since, is the chat room that sits beside the video window allowing all the delegates to communicate with each other whether they are online or at the conference location.

As well as traveling to conference locations we are also hosting events at our home venue Centrex Conference Centre, Livingston, West Lothian, UK. 2009 seen us host a lecture and several online conversations.

One of the highlights of 2009 was being part of the CEinSL 2009 virtual conference, an event delivered entirely in Second Life. We were very excited to stream the presentations live to our website and record so that if the virtual world of Second Life felt overwhelming the content was still accessible.

So what's in store for 2010? We are off to Manchester to support OCTIA 2010, and we have more than 7 other events in the diary combining our home venue with video and virtual world environments!

Online group work is a big part of our vision for 2010, so we have invested in a high quality, encrypted web conferencing solution to enable people to work and train together no matter where they are located around the world.

2010 is going to be such an exciting year for us and we want this Facebook page to be part of the whole experience, hope you will join us for the ride!

Beginning new year

Thinking about how I am beginning the new year ...

Talking to friends and family on facebook, email, Twitter, SMS and facebook and in SL! Watching thier updates and responding, the conversation and connection is ongoing and seamless accross multiple mediums and I still haven't got out of bed or turned my laptop on!

Does that say anything for 2010? Maybe it's time for the conversation to become king again, all this new stuff is becoming second nature, as the novelty wears off hopefully the questions will be less "how do I use this ..." and more "what's the best way to keep talking ..."

Here's to an exciting 2010 of communicating and relating!




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