Welcome to Coherence Phone Counseling

Choosing a phone counselor is an important decision.

My name is Tim Desmond, MFTI and I offer phone counseling to people around the world as well as consultation and training for therapists. I specialize in Coherence Therapy and Buddhist practices. Please feel free to browse the Case Examples section in the left menu or fill out the form below to schedule a free 50-minute consultation session to discuss your goals and see if we would be a good match.

Schedule a free initial consultation for phone counseling

Some advantages to phone counseling

Privacy - You can have a phone counseling session from the privacy of your home, office or car.
Ease - It can require a lot of courage to begin counseling. It is less scary to do so over the phone for many people.
Anonymity - It can be easier to feel safe and open up to a counselor over the phone. This can lead to therapy being more effective.
Convenience and accessibility - You don't have to drive to an office, saving time, gas and stress.
Research suggests it is just as effective - Several studies have come out looking at different forms of phone counseling and many therapists are publishing their experiences. From all of this research, it seems that therapy over the telephone can be just as effective as being in person.

Some disadvantages to counseling by telephone

Being physically present with your counselor may help you feel more connected with him or her.
Some people feel safer letting themselves become emotional in the physical presence of another person.
Phone counseling is not appropriate for people who are homicidal, suicidal, self injuring, or requiring more care than one session per week. Phone counselors are less likely to be aquainted with your local emergency service options.

What has research shown about phone counseling?

There have been many studies on telephone counseling over the past 15 years. A recent study in the Journal of Counseling and Development showed that people are generally more satisfied with phone counseling than face-to-face counseling. A much higher percentage (93% for telephone compared to 63% for face-to-face) said they would seek counseling again. It also found that more than half (58%) of people who had experienced both phone and in-person counseling preferred phone. Click here to read about that study.

Other studies found that people who are experiencing depression were less likely to drop out of telephone therapy and consistently showed improved mood. Click here to read about one of the depression studies.