Counselling

Coping with Separation

Uncoupling, separation or divorce – whichever way you put it, it is often the saddest, most stressful time in any relationship. And with divorce rates on the rise and almost half of these happening within the first 10 years of marriage, it is something more and more of us have to deal with.

Whilst Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s “conscious uncoupling” splattered all over the media at the moment, the pair have got away to maintain their privacy and allow them some downtime. Gwyneth wrote “…while we love each other very much we will remain separate. We are, however, and always will be a family, and in many ways we are closer than we have ever been.”

Like Gwyneth and Chris, for many couples it is changes in circumstance, lifestyle and interests that cause separation and not necessarily a broken or unloving relationship. However, whatever the cause of separation, the procedures involved to separate a lifestyle that has been led as a couple in two can take its toll. Getting away, relaxing with some downtime before tackling that bureaucratic untangling is not a bad idea at all.

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The benefits of Skype meetings between Healthcare Professionals and the Public

Only yesterday, news channels broke the story that doctors across the country are going to trial Skype appointments (a tool enabling online video conferencing) with your doctor.

The idea is to make better use of modern day technology and improve access to GPs – who are getting harder and harder to get hold of.

The idea of using technology to improve patient experience is not a novel idea.

We spoke to Bhavin Morjaria of Talking Therapy, an internet therapy company which allows you to talk to a therapist face to face from the comfort of your own home or office, bringing “the therapist to you”, is already locked on to this new way of getting excellent treatment in an efficient way.

What are your thoughts on using technology to treat patients?

“I think it is a fantastic idea and definitely the way forward. It allows patients to remain in the comfort of their own home, thus saving them time and money. Many people who require this sort of therapy often don’t have the means to get to face to face meetings or are post trauma patients who have physical inhibitions meaning that they cannot get to necessary sessions.

For the therapist, they too benefit – not only can they see more people in a day, they can be more flexible with their work timings. It’s a fantastic innovation for everyone involved.

With Talking Therapy, we have currently developed a secure environment where people can discuss issues with fully qualified therapists without worrying about privacy and confidentiality. We are hoping to roll this out into all areas of healthcare where there is a requirement to save money and time – Doctor/Patient, Occupational Therapist/Patient, Nurse/Care Home Patient, the options are limitless.”
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