Second Life Job - therapist?

[V0XX]

I was thinking of ways to earn lindens and I came across an interesting idea, online therapy. Does anyone think it would be a good idea or know how to open a small therapy business in game? Also, how much should I charge per session?
If you don't like this idea, feel free to tell me as I am open to suggestions. I won't escort, I'm a good socializer, and I love to sing, write, and draw. Also, my favorite av is a child...

[Madelaine McMasters]

Hi V0XX,

I'd be cautious with the idea of "therapy" in SL. That's serious business best handled by trained professionals in real life. I'm sure there are people who role play therapists, and I hope they make it clear they're doing so. And I would hope that any "patients" they see are similarly role playing. If the malady is made up, and the therapy is as well, I'm not sure how you'd put a price on it.

So long as you make it clear that you're playing a role and have no expertise outside "the school of life" I think you're fine. And, since your favorite av is a child, I'm thinking your role play would be along the lines of this...



I'm rarely in-world these days, so I wouldn't be competition for you. And I guess I do have an idea how you'd put a price on it.

;-).

[Lindal Kidd]

Besides Maddy's take on it, I think it would be a very stressful occupation for YOU.  You see, you have the problem of what I'll call "limited bandwidth" in your communication with your patients.  Text chat, or even voice chat, denies you the full range of information that you would get in a face to face conversation.  You cannot see facial expressions or body language.  In text, you cannot hear the emotional connotations of your patient's words.

All of this would make it hard enough even if you assume your patients are being honest.  But in fact, there's a very good chance that they are NOT being honest with you.  Lots of people enjoy playing games with other people's heads on the internet.  In other words...they LIE.  They lie like rugs.  They spin the most fantastic yarns, and hope to get your sympathy.  And all the while they are sitting behind their monitors, laughing at you while you expend your time and attention and belief on them.

I think being a psychiatrist in Second Life would be a very good way to go crazy.

[Madelaine McMasters]

Are you saying I'm crazy?!

[Alwin Alcott]

i would advise... you like sing, draw and write.... look for a job that meets that.

You will love your hobby that is your job...

Being a therapist will give a load of expectations to your customers, and if you'r not trained it will put a truckload of problems on you.I think that will ruin your second life.

If your voice is nice... live singers mostly get a real nice followers group and pretty well tipping and wages.

[KarenMichelle Lane]

By all means do find an outlet for your singing, drawing and writing. You will not only grow in many enjoyable ways but you'll share with others the gift of your creativity.

As a retired trained Peer-Counselor in Second Life I have been in the in-between place [Not a Therapist / handicapped by the limitations of communication in SL] where people with SL accounts found themselves in need of a listening ear and some constructive direction and in some cases advise regarding mostly relationship issues.

I was trained with many others as a Peer-Counselor in SL by a well regarded psychologist to help others on an ad-hoc and/or scheduled appointment basis. This additional training along with grief-counseling training I received in college allowed me to volunteer and set up shop for a number of years. To be honest the 2 years I spent as a Peer-Counselor were overall very rewarding.

Much of the counseling I dealt with focused on the well being and maintenance of relationships. I helped both singles and couples during my time.

It was an interesting observation that many came to SL to "start again" not realizing that this only worked for a 1st impression. Afterwards, YOU were all that mattered and how you communicate. The avatars aren't real except in that they are a window into our own desires [gender fluidity / other notions of beauty being recurring themes].  The visual tells we automatically use in RL are absent and we substitute our own expectations onto our friend/lover's avatar. The verbal cues as well.

So many started relationships on the wrong footing [genderwise/need-wise/real lifewise] and my goal in those cases was to help the affected couples to bridge the gap if it was at all possible.

I found myself teaching others how to effectively communicate via the limitations of SL when so many of our normal visual and aural cues are missing. As in real life, uncommunicated and unrealized expectations were the major stumbling block for many couples in SL. I was pleased when SL relationships turned into RL relationships where that option was desirable. I was also pleased when a not ready for RL couple found a comfortable playing ground for their relationship here in SL.

Teaching old fashion writing skills where you communicate feelings, thoughts, dreams more eloquently was one of my favorite couples healing exercises. 

I had my share of role playing clients but my previous training and my experiences giving life to and raising all my children [and their friends] as well as being an unpublished short story writer gave me the tools to weed them out.

I always used music in our chat and voice sessions and that eventually allowed me to retire from counseling and to enter the ranks as a DJ in Second Life. I've been there ever since.

So do what makes you happy. But if you are going to head down the counseling/therapy career path please get training and look up the laws regarding these occupations in the State of California where Linden Lab is headquartered. You will have to carry yourself accordingly and professionally..