Are there any "shrink"/help groups in SL, that can help with personal problems?

Are there any "shrink"/help groups in SL, that can help with personal problems?

I question if there are any psychiatrists that know about the social aspects of second life.. or any group in secondlife that may be less professional, but also helps?

I have a problem that is SL specific, and Im afraid people will laugh at it

Try SupportforHealing

Without having any more specific details it's hard to know what to suggest.

However, there is a "Support For Healing" group in-world that hold regular support meetings for things like depression, I'm not sure if one of those might be able to help you.

I'm happy if you want to contact me in-world and give me a little more information about the issue, I may be able to suggest somewhere that can help further. I'm no professional by any means, but I might know someone useful.

Lewis

Its a risk bringing problems into a video game if you are looking for real help. You have no idea who you are really talking to.

On that same vein, you don't have to be as concerned about a problem as you seem to be. Do you really care what someone behind a avatar is going to think? If someone becomes a problem, ignore and never think about them again.

I would not worry about finding "professional" help. There are communities of every nature in SL and finding like minded people is not a problem. I would suggest not going out of your way to draw attention to yourself.

Use your "find" and keywords and if its not illegal you will probably find your nitch.

Remember you are anonymous in SL and I suggest you stay that way unless you are absolutely sure you know who you are dealing with. At the same time everyone else is anonymous and more likely to betray trusts then if you were really dealing with someone face to face in RL.

SL is a game and some people's game is drama. You don't want to become their leading charactor.

I highly doubt that you would find any kind of mental health professional that would be willing to take on a person in a doctor/patient relationship online.

Psychology isn't just about what people say but also how they say it. Tone of voice and body language are all major things that “shrinks” watch. A lot of the time it gives more information to them than what the patient is actually saying with words.

If you really think you have a problem that you need professional help dealing with, seek out a professional in rl. I guarantee you that a rl professional will NOT laugh at you.

Along those lines, but somewhat on a tangent, are there any professional therapists out there who would be willing to talk to me about your job? I'm hoping to start a master's program in counseling soon and I'm looking for pointers and suggestions. Thanks!

If your problem is within SL only, and ceases to exist outside of SL, then you might find some degree of help inside SL. If your problem exists in both real world AND SL , then by all means seek help from a professional in real world. As was stated, you don't know if what you are being told in SL would be helpful or ultimately harmful or confusing at the least.

I consult in real world, and can consult in SL, but I do not suggest anything that would have any effect on one's perceptions outside of SL.

Bottom line, if your problem is a relationship inside SL, or frustration inside SL, I'll talk with you. If your problem is of a nature of a fear of heights, of crowded places, and such, then please talk with a real world psychiatrist. Those types of problems are being found, more and more, to be linked to biochemical processes, and only an M.D., namely a psychiatrist can help with those things since they are licensed to prescribe medicines that assist in those areas. A psychologist can listen and talk, but not prescribe medicines, by law.

Even a psychologist must have a license in their state to practice. In SL I do not practice psychology. I am a "life coach" and can help people see options, then each person can weigh those options and choose for themselves which path to take.

I've found many people with anxieties, assorted phobias, and more, that use being online as an "escape" which is, in itself not a bad thing, but when anything begins to replace our real lives, or some aspect of it, then we are into another area altogether, and again in my opinion, requires some face to face meetings with a psychologist or psychiatrist.

Nothing should be laughed at when it's considered a problem to that person, again in my opinion.

In fact there are on-line psychologists out there. Most work via video tele-conferencing setups.

You would trust your personal problems to someone in a Video game who says "I'm a Psychologist/tharapist/councelor" WITHOUT being able to See either the person or their credentials???

~Sighs shaking my head~

Angel.

Yep...

Take everything that goes on in whatever groups you find with a grain of salt, as whoever you are talking to may be there for their own amusement rather than to help anyone. Telling the internet about your problems is inherently risky.

If it deals with human behavior, I can guarentee you that it's not "SL specific".

Depending on your age and resources, I would suggest talking to your local department of mental health, school councilor, or make an appointment with your regular doctor and have him give you a referal to someone who can help you better than he can.

Actually..Support For Healing is a support group. None of the management of hosts of Support for Healing are or have ever claimed to be any form of mental health professionals, nor do we offer professional therapy services of any kind.

Support for Healing is a UK based, non-profit charity group IRL, based both on our website, www.supportforhealing.com and now in SL as well. But we are a volunteer run program that tries to offer support and comfort by those who understand because we have been there as well. But we most definately are not mental health professionals, and always urge those who seek help from us to also seek therapy IRL from a qualified therapist or professional.

If what you seek is simply someone to listen, someone that understands and has experienced what you have, and can give you comfort and the knowledge that you are not alone as you struggle...Support for Healing may be what you seek.

Our meetings and services are purely confidential, and Zafu, Specky and the other management and hosts are some of the most wonderful and caring people you will likely ever meet in this life. We have regular meetings for Depression, Anxiety, Dissociative Disorders, Abuse, and Loss and Grief, and have members and staff that have experienced nearly anything you can imagine. We understand and have a caring ear and warm shoulder waiting in SL or on the website for any and all who may ever need us.

But, no...we are not professionals...and never claimed to be.

- Zoe
Support For Healing Host

This is not an endorsement nor referral, (I do not know this person) I just happened to see this yesterday while perusing fansites:

http://www.drkerley.com/avatartherapy.html