Final Thoughts on Counseling and Technology

This class and website creation project have been great experiences. At first I was resistant to learning about a variety of new technologies. I had made it a mini unspoken goal to never use Twitter in particular. I realized that as I progressed through learning to use each type of technology however that it is all relatively easy to use and beneficial within the counseling profession.

My favorite assignment was completing the email counseling. This was a beneficial experience because it integrated a technological tool that I was very familiar with and helped me apply it to my field. I liked that I could go back and reread the emails and not lose any of the details. One drawback I found was that it took longer to make progress because of the time lapse that occurs in between email exchanges.

It was fascinating to realize how many apps, Instagrams, Pinterest pages, and twitter accounts exist in relation to mindfulness and mental health! Having to explore the options opened up so many opportunities for resources that I can recommend to clients. This will be helpful in providing client support in between face-to-face sessions.

Exploring the Technology Sandbox in the College of Education was a fun and educational experience! It is amazing how far technology has progressed and what there is available. My favorite was the Oculus Rift! One application of this I though would be great to integrate into practice would be using the Oculus Rift into treating phobias! Doing in vivo desensitization therapy can be unrealistic and expensive. with the Oculus Rift you can provide that right in the office!

It has been wonderful being exposed to such a variety of different types of technological options! I was exciting to have our online classes where we could explore different website options (such as the Stickies), and showed me that there are so many options for communication available. With this knowledge we can help provide mental health care to a wider base of people.