“We don't evaluate teenagers and we don't say what issue is important and what issue is not”
Free psychological assistance provided to young people online through talk2ok.by
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To visit a psychologist, you have to take inner efforts: acknowledge that there is a problem; decide to discuss it; and overcome embarrassment and fears. It is followed by logistical arrangements: find out where to go; choose a psychologist; call and get an appointment; allocate time and come to the appointment.
During this “journey”, even an adult may want to hide and drop out of the race; this is even more relevant to teenagers. However, there is an easier pathway: visit the talk2ok.by online platform and — with a few clicks — sign up to a professional psychologist appointment or chat with a peer counselor.
UNICEF in Belarus, together with experts from the Republican Center for Psychological Assistance under the Belarusian State Pedagogical University, have launched the talk2ok.by online platform: teenagers and young people can use it to get qualified psychological assistance free of charge and confidentially. Psychological assistance is provided through online consultations in audio and video chat formats, which are comfortable for contemporary youth.
Alexander Deryugin, a psychologist at the Republican Center for Psychological Assistance at the Institute of Psychology of the Belarusian State Pedagogical University, describes the platform in detail and shares his platform user practices.
How the platform works
Adolescents aged 14 to 19 can get free online psychological counseling. All experts have been trained to work with the platform and to counsel teenagers in crisis.
To sign up for online counselling, you need to open the website, choose your favorite psychologist and submit a request. Counselling is not 24/7, but during business hours (09:00-18:00) on weekdays. If an emergency counselling is needed, we advise calling the children's hotline (8-801-100-16-11): it is 24/7 and free of charge.
If a teenager has not decided whether s/he is ready to discuss her/his issue with an expert, s/he can chat with peer counselors on the talk2ok.by website. These are students, who are future psychologists. It is possible for a teenager to discuss her/his situation with these peer counselors who have their own personal experience. “I know how you feel”: these words win over adolescents and help them discuss a worrying issue openly.
Psychologist's comment
“Psychologists don't give advice,” Alexander picks up the metaphor about the “path” and explains how counselling happens. A client is like a car driver. A psychologist is like a GPS navigation system. This system may not always operate correctly. Sometimes it guides you in circles. Sometimes it does not offer the shortest route: the shortest route can be the most harmful. However, when we go around some bumpy things, together we can get to our desired destination safely and comfortably.
Teens raise the same issues in both online and offline counselling. These are the questions like “how to understand yourself”, “how to resolve relationship difficulties”, “how to cope with loss”, “how to cope with negative thoughts about yourself and others”.
If there are suspicions of serious conditions requiring more drastic intervention, we refer clients to other professionals. I had a case when a young person in crisis (suicide risk) came to me. I suggested that the teenager see a psychotherapist. The case ended in hospitalization: there could be negative consequences without medication treatment. Unfortunately, psychological counseling may not be enough in some cases, and this is especially relevant to online psychological counseling.
Online format benefits
“This format has its benefits,” continues Alexander. — For example, this is an opportunity to get psychological assistance regardless of where the teenager is: in any city or village. You can choose your favorite psychologist by description or avatar (yes, teens tell me they choose psychologists by photos).
Moreover, adolescents have the opportunity to “hide” behind the screen. I have had a few cases when teenagers asked my permission not to turn on their cameras. It was uncomfortable for them to display themselves. This opportunity to hide your appearance can be useful for teens to start talking. I remember when I was a teenager: it was much easier for me to communicate online than to chat live. It is understandable: talking to a stranger about an exciting, often painful topic is not easy. Ways to protect yourself, wear a mask or some kind of “armor” are simply necessary.
Talk2ok in numbers
The platform has been piloting since November 2022. The platform has held 214 counselling sessions since its launch. A website-based feedback feature improves the platform's performance.
Counselling stories
— The most memorable case of working on the platform was a girl who asked for help because of the relationship issues with her boyfriend. Each meeting (there were about 7 of them in total), we discussed what kind of relationship it was for her, what she was grateful for in this relationship, what activities could help her escape from heavy emotions, and at what point she could sink into these emotions.
She had turned for help to her friend and to her parents. However, she had not received what she had wanted. Social support is great, it is necessary. But it's not always the way you want it to be. Sometimes the person you expect support from will say nothing. And sometimes the one you expect silence from will not hold back and will comment.
I was hooked by this case because the girl had all the factors necessary for support and self-support. However, people do not see them in difficult times. Counselling helps people explore the world around them. Who can I address and who I can’t? What experience I already have in dealing with stress (we always have it, really)? And what else can I do for myself?
I would advise teens not to be shy and seek psychological aid. Peer counselors and psychologists do everything not to evaluate people and not to keep their own list of priority problems: this one is easy, but this one is critical.
It is only for the teenager to decide what issues require professional counselling. Subjective assessment and personal feeling are important here. Pay attention to your own condition. If you feel that the situation is insoluble, that the support of your loved ones alone is not enough, contact a psychologist. If the problem will not let you sleep, if you are constantly involved in this problem, contact a psychologist.
