COUNSELING AND COACHING IN SECOND LIFE
Virtual World - Real Emotions© -
A trusted source of help in-world since 2006
Updated May 6, 2010
We offer counseling/coaching services by appointment to individuals and couples, as well as group therapy sessions on a variety of topics. Perhaps you are facing relationship issues, or exploring new aspects of yourself in a virtual environment. Utilizing a person-centered approach, we are here to help you on your journey to self-discovery and personal growth and acceptance. This is not a roleplay or a game, but genuine talk therapy. Other helpful techniques that may be used are cognitive behavioral, narrative, psychoanalytic, and dialectical behavior therapies. All counseling and coaching sessions are conducted in text at this time.
Keep reading for information about prices, appointments, and policies.
How does it work? Much like a RL office appointment. The goal is to create a safe environment for you to explore issues and uncover your own answers. Each person is unique and that is valued at The Counseling Center. The solution that works beautifully for one person may be all wrong for another. We listen, we do not judge, we support and challenge and above all - we care.
We have private offices for individual, couple, and group sessions. You will be out of chat range in a secure office.
To make an appointment :
1) Read about our services here and in the notecard at our locations. Check Avalon's calendar (updated weekly).
The counseling appointment calendar is HERE, in the web tab of Avalon Birke's SL Profile, and at our locations. All times shown are SLT. If a time says "AVAILABLE," you can request an appointment at that time.
2) Complete a Policies and Procedures form, available at all of our locations. Send the completed form to Avalon Birke, along with the "AVAILABLE" time from the calendar you would like.
3) Please wait for Avalon Birke to confirm the appointment with you before you submit your session fee. She will confirm that the time/day is still available, and if you are a new client she may ask you some questions about what you would like to talk about, to be sure she is the right person to help you.
4) Session fees are due at the time the appointment is made, in advance, in order to reserve the time for you.
Please note - Avalon Birke's RL work limits her time in Second Life. She responds to inquiries as quickly as she can. IMs sometimes cap so notecards or email are preferred. Please check the calendar as it is updated often. Avalon enters in the following week's appointment times every Friday, based on her RL client/work schedule.
5) At the time of your appointment, Avalon will IM you with a teleport to a private, professional office setting for your appointment.
Your session is kept completely confidential*, just as you would expect from a RL therapist or counselor. You can come for one visit, a few, or on an ongoing basis - whatever you feel you need. Our office is in a beautiful island setting - private, no one allowed access but you for the duration of your appointment.
A ten-minute IM or email consultation is free for any first-time client.
RATE STRUCTURE:
UPDATE: Beginning May 1, 2010, session fees start at $2500L per 50-minute hour for individual counseling - about $9 US. The session rate increases $2500L per additional person in the session. For example, the 1-hour session fee for a couple would be $5,000L, $6,500L for a family of three, and so on. Longer sessions of 90-minutes are available - see below.
CURRENT CLIENTS: 2006-2009 clients with *continuous* counseling sessions (no more than a 3-month break between appointments) - your previous rates are locked in through Dec 31 2010. More than 3 months between sessions, and new client rates apply.
**FEE STRUCTURE - FOR NEW CLIENTS**
1-hour session - $2500L per person
90-minute session - $3500 per person
We are not a substitute for real-life medical or psychological care, but a source of support and resources in-world.
There are limitations to in-world counseling, and we reserve the right to refer you to Real Life care when needed - your wellbeing comes first. If you are a danger to yourself or others, we can help you find immediate RL care.
*Your confidentiality online is limited if you are threatening to harm yourself or someone else.
Grid problems?
What to do if the grid is experiencing problems? First, check the official Second Life® blog at http://blog.secondlife.com/ for news updates.
If you have an appointment, please hang in there and we will be back on as soon as they have it sorted out. If not, email avalonbirke@gmail.com so we can reschedule. The grid can be unpredictable sometimes but we will do our best to work out an alternative if one of us can't log on.