— Let’s try to answer your questions here
Frequently Asked Questions
Therapeutic Exercises
Q: What is the purpose of these exercises?
A: Your time as a client/patient with a practitioner is extremely limited. These exercises serve as educational tools and as guides to help you practice techniques in between therapeutic sessions, so you can get well sooner. Most actually are techniques you could make part of your coping and integrating with life, as it happens.
Q: Who created these exercises?
A: They are techniques professionals use regularly during therapeutic sessions and freely suggest their clients/patients to keep on using. Where possible, the initial creator/s or psychological approach will be credited, with the presenter of the video’s details. You may do your own research on it or even contact them if you like.
Q: May I submit an exercise I found helpful?
A: We would gladly accept your contributions, suggestions and questions at info@cotherapies.com. All written and video presentations are welcome. Some we may adapt a bit and some we may even publish as they are, offering it freely to everyone. Please make sure to credit your sources and keep it as concise as possible – it is about the exercise and the purpose, not the theory behind it.
Q: What if the source is accredited wrongly?
A: Please feel free to question or correct the sources at info@cotherapies.com. It is often extremely difficult to figure out who applied this technique or version thereof, first. We would gladly give accreditation to those who deserve it.
Q: Why are you doing this? As a mental health professional, this will reduce my source of income.
A: Actually, it doesn’t. Let me explain why. Firstly, there are not nearly enough care providers in the world to serve the need out there. And a platform like this combined with online counselling, allows for an international market.
Secondly, people do not know what to expect and are too scared to open up in order to face their inner fears. This platform serves to ease one into the process, to realise that one is in full control of what will happen; that therapy/counselling is a safe space a professional can hold for one, even when one cannot see it for oneself.
And lastly, “all therapy is self-therapy” anyway. The professional sitting in front of you just acts as a mirror, maybe asking the right questions or maybe noticing something that you cannot see in yourself. But at the end of the day, the client will only have access to this one-on-one service for only 4 or 8, or maybe 20 hours, which does not make sense. An effective session will leave you feeling better in the moment or will have made you think in a different way, but it doesn’t last and it is not realistic of the client to assume the therapist/counsellor to have a magic cure to fix everything. How can anyone be expected to find resolution for issues that has build up over many, many years, and most often is still ongoing in their present day-to-day life?
This platform offers clients the resources to continue their inner work, after you have opened the door for them and given them the courage to go through life.
Support Groups
Q: What is a support group?
A: Support groups are about witnessing each other’s experiences around a specific issue. It is a safe space where we support and validate each other’s pain and fears and anxieties, without judgement or criticism or being told how to feel about it.
Q: What is a support group not?
A: Support groups are not about therapy or even professional advice. If you need one-on-one counselling or a therapeutic groupwork setting, you may ask your group facilitator if he/she could assist or maybe give you a reference to a professional. Note that these services are not part of CoTherapies’ scope. Payments and arrangements are made with the professional directly.
Q: Are support groups presented by CoTherapies’ counsellors?
A: No. CoTherapies is only a platform that enables facilitators to get in contact with people who have a common need.
Q: How do I book or apply for a support group?
A: First register to get your name on the system. Thereafter you can click on any of the services, groups or exercises, to access the material or get in contact with them. Support groups may require a few extra details and agreement to their terms & conditions, to complete the application.
Q: Why do I need to apply for a specific support group?
A: This is to check if the group facilitator, main theme, language, time zones, etc. would be a fit to what you have in mind. Secondly, it is to see if there is space. Groups may vary in size, because of the theme addressed and the presentation style of the facilitator.
Q: Would it be possible to attend a session or two, to see if a support group would work for me?
A: It would depend on the facilitator of the group you like to attend. Complete the application and note that you would like to try it out first before committing to it.
Q: Will the online support group-meeting be recorded?
A: No recordings will, or may, be taken by anyone.of online support groups, in order to protect the identities of participants and to keep what is said during meetings confidential.
Q: What if I miss a group meeting?
A: Each support group is presented twice per week. Feel free to attend any one, or maybe any five in a month’s time.
Q: The webinar is not working — help!
A: Please try these streaming tips:
Refresh the webinar page.
Close any applications that may be using up bandwidth in the background.
Test your internet connection speed for free at speedtest.net.
Watch the webinar via a different web browser, such as Chrome or Firefox.
Watch the webinar via a different computer or device.
Reboot your computer or modem to reset your speed to the fastest internet channel available to you.
Try watching at a different time of day, when your internet signal might be stronger.
Q: What time zone do you broadcast in?
A: Each facilitator will set his/her own days & times. Please check on the website for any alterations to their set schedules. Here is a free time zone converter for your convenience: www.thetimezoneconverter.com
Q: Can I attend another group from the one I signed up for?
A: This would have to be arranged with the facilitators. You would need to re-apply with the second facilitator to see if the group has space. Many groups are ‘closed’ in that only regular members attend.
Q: What is the cost of attending a support group?
A: You may use the exercises and support groups on this site for free, because it has been paid forward by someone else for you. If you found it of value, you could ba an angel and do the same for the next person. Follow the links to our patreon donations.
Q: Are the support group facilitators mental health professionals?
A: Many of them are. Some are wisened souls who have worked in the field and some are spiritual guides. But remember that support groups are not about therapy. If you need to connect with them for a personal online session, you may contact them directly outside the support group to make arrangements.
Q: May I run/facilitate an online support group for CoTherapies?
A: Even though support groups are not about “therapy”, we do prefer our facilitators to be (or have been) a mental health or spiritual practitioner, because at times you will find that participants may need extra care. Having had previous experience and the skills to lead people will certainly help a lot in facilitating a support group. Please complete the application form and let’s see how we can be of service. Note that this is a volunteer service which will require a long-term commitment. You are free however to build networks, include your existing client base in these groups, or serve your support group members professionally outside of CoTherapies, if requested.
Q: May I serve clients professionally through this platform?
A: CoTherapies serve as a free resource for clients. Volunteering to facilitate a small support group, will allow you to list with us in a professional capacity. Note that even when serving international clients, your scope of practice is limited to the professional board you are registered under. The fees you charge and administration thereof are up to you. A ‘Thank you’-donation to CoTherapies would be appreciated though.
Complimentary Therapies
Q: Why complimentary therapies?
A: Talk-therapies have great value, but outside the weekly 1-hour sessions, you would need to practice some coping and processing skills so you can integrate back into the real world you live in, and find practices that bring you joy and inner peace, a sense of awe and wonder, and new connections.
Q: What are complimentary therapies not?
A: As with support groups, these serve to compliment the inner work you do. These are not bypassing or coping mechanisms to suppress or avoid your inner turmoil. Yet, it can do wonders to get out of your comfort zone and reconnect with life in a new and supported way.
Q: Are complimentary therapies presented by CoTherapies’ staff?
A: No. CoTherapies is only a platform that enables you to get in contact with people who can serve you in a special way.
Q: May I enlist my services as a complimentary therapy? And financially, what will it cost me?
A: You are free to enlist as a service provider, free of charge with no strings attached. The fees you charge and administration thereof are up to you. A ‘Thank you’-donation to CoTherapies would be appreciated though. If you like to market your business or special events through CoTherapies, you may contact us directly at admin@cotherapies.com for a quote.
Other Regular Questions
Q: How can I get involved?
A: Register and specify how you would like to make use of this site. We will get in contact with you, or contact us directly at info@cotherapies.com.
Q: How to support CoTherapies? How to be a sponsor?
A: All the services are free to use, because someone sponsored them for you. Return the favour. Support us on Patreon or “Buy me a Coffee”.
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