Relationships, Identity, and Well-Being Online Counselor, Online Nurse

I have been a therapist for some time, but it was relatively recently that I decided to also become a nurse. I felt I needed to do more. By treating only the mental aspect of health, I was missing an important part of the picture. So often our physical health and mental health affect each other. When we are in pain, it affects our mood, or our ability to think. When our physical function is limited, it makes us feel limited in our lives. At the same time, when we feel stressed or depressed or angry, or any other emotion, we can exhibit symptoms in our body. Our muscles tense up, our blood pressure shoots up, and over time, these can lead to chronic conditions. As a nurse and an online counselor I feel I can address people in a more holistic fashion – the whole person. For that matter, sometimes the dis-ease can exist in a person's environment, in their family, or in their community – and the whole system needs healing. Better physical health leads to better emotional health, and better emotional health improves physical health. We are made of minds and bodies, and we need to pay attention to both.

As an online counselor, I appreciate the value of the written word, especially when it comes to matters of the heart and soul. And for some of us, the face to face show down of a one on one office visit can be more inhibiting than helpful. You trek out to the therapist's office, you wait in the waiting room, greet awkwardly, take a seat, feel the studied gaze of the therapist's judgmental eye, and are asked, "so, where would you like to begin today?" to immediately draw a blank. As an online counselor, I obviously don't believe this is how real soul work is best done. Real soul work happens in accordance with real life – while conflict is in progress, when questions come up, when feelings are present – and oftentimes within the confines of our own minds. How nice it would be to dive into such a pursuit in one's own time, in one's own company, at one's own pace – like this – with your online counselor available on just the other side of your modem.

I offer my services as an online counselor and a nurse for others who function best in this medium. Some people are verbal, some are more expressive with the written word. I think there should be a space for both. I love that the world is made up of every different sort of person, introverts, extraverts, talkers and listeners, the shy, the bold, the creative, the rebellious, the curious, and we're all changing. What path you choose towards healing is all up to you.

Maybe you just have some questions about some health symptoms you've been experiencing. Or maybe you want more information about the diagnosis of a loved one. Or maybe you just know that "something’s wrong" and you're not sure exactly what it is. Just as we all need our regular physical checkups, just as our cars need regularly scheduled maintenance, so do our minds and souls. And this is what I do. If you'd like to talk with me, I'm available around the clock. Drop me an email or let me know if you'd like to have an online chat. I look forward to your possibilities.

E-mail Nurse and Online Counselor Barbara Averre, MHPCS, M.A., RN

Schedule an Email Counseling Session with Online Nurse Barbara Averre, MHPCS, RN

Return to the Medical Staff Page