Telephone Counselling in India: Lessons from iCALL

Abstract

Delivery of mental health services to clients has been profoundly impacted by the advent of technology. Across the globe, the telephone has been a medium of providing counselling for many years; with services being provided by trained volunteers and also by mental health professionals. Helplines run by professionals have begun to supplement the delivery of mental health services in many countries, including India. There is a growing body of literature that suggests that telephone helplines are efficacious in dealing with a range of mental health issues. In developing countries such as India, individuals in need of mental health services remain unserved and unattended, owing to the lack of trained and qualified mental health professionals. Telephone helplines ensure easy accessibility and immediate assistance to people in need. iCALL—The Psychosocial Helpline was set up by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences to address the psychosocial needs of individuals in need of mental health services in India, offering counselling by telephone and by email. This paper examines how telephone counselling is carried out and offers insights into the experience of providing counselling through a distance mode. Many of the process skills required for effective face-to-face counselling are required in telephone interaction as well.