THE TRANSITION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING TO AN ONLINE FORMAT IN A TIME OF WAR: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Abstract

The article presents a theoretical analysis of the transformation of psychological counseling into an online format under wartime conditions. The study conceptualizes digital counseling as a component of the broader e-mental health system, emphasizing its growing role in ensuring accessibility and continuity of psychological support in crisis contexts. Particular attention is paid to the structural and functional changes in the counseling process mediated by digital technologies.

The paper examines the specific features of online counseling, including the transformation of the client’s request, which often becomes more fragmented and crisis-oriented, as well as the expansion of the counseling contract to include technical, ethical, and security aspects. The phased structure of the counseling process is analyzed, highlighting the blurring of boundaries between stages and the increasing need for structured and directive interventions.

Special focus is placed on the formation of the therapeutic alliance in a technology-mediated environment, where the reduction of nonverbal cues requires enhanced verbalization of empathy and more explicit communicative strategies. The phenomenon of psychological distance is explored as an ambivalent factor that can both facilitate self-disclosure and hinder deep emotional engagement, particularly in trauma-related contexts.

The article also addresses the adaptation of major psychotherapeutic approaches ‒ cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and psychodynamic ‒ to the online environment, noting their varying degrees of compatibility with digital formats. Additionally, the study highlights key challenges such as digital inequality and the need for new professional competencies among psychologists.

It is concluded that online psychological counseling represents a complex and evolving form of professional interaction that integrates therapeutic, crisis, and psychosocial functions, requiring further theoretical development and empirical investigation in wartime conditions.