The Metropolitan Area Career/Life Planning Network invites you to:

Best Practices in Distance Counseling Date: Thursday, October 20, 2005

(For Review of Meeting, see below.)

Best Practices in Distance Counseling
Technology is revolutionizing the way career counselors work. Clients want consultations across town, across the country and around the world with the expectation of immediate access to the counselor often a given. Some of us consider ourselves to already be doing distance counseling without any special training or certification. But are we providing the best practices? How have we adapted? What do we need to consider as we change the way we practice? What are the issues that we need to be concerned with to effectively meet client needs? This presentation will focus on the following distance counseling topics:

• What is distance counseling
• Best practices
• Types of distance counseling & their impact
• Privacy and ethics concerns
• Research
• Training and certification

This program will include an opening presentation by Dr. Nedra Klee Hartzell followed by a panel of career counselors who are actively using a variety of distance counseling techniques. They will share their best practices, challenges and tips as well as answer questions.

Review of Meeting:

WHAT YOU MISSED…

The October 20, 2005 MAC/LPN meeting provided participants with a wealth of information not only on distance counseling techniques, but consulting business practices as well.
Dr. Nedra Klee Hartzell, a certified Distance Career Counselor among her other titles presented information on distance counseling, the advantages and disadvantages, when to use effectively, and the ethical issues involved. She was joined by Dr. Margaret New and Nancy Abramson who spoke about their experiences in working with clients and provided many valuable tips on how to use telephone and email counseling more effectively.
All presenters shared examples of best practices as well as things to look out for when working with clients. The need for a website was emphasized by Nancy. Different coaching programs, helpful resources, using assessment tools and providing feedback, confidentiality - both online and cell phone - as well as setting a structure for the session was discussed. In addition they shared methods for collecting fees on-line, billing processes and other business issues.
Presented in an informal circle formation all participants got to ask their burning questions and share their expertise as well. Sorry we missed you!