Delivering Online Clinical Interviews With NGO Workers in Humanitarian and Cross-Cultural Contexts

Abstract

This article explores the use of online clinical interviews in humanitarian contexts—a practice that not only builds on, updates, and adapts the interventions of psychologists and NGOs dealing with humanitarian crises, but also reflects technological advances. Psychologists working with humanitarian staff in the field can be called in to remotely conduct assessments or provide psychological support to those in need. After providing a brief overview of this relatively new practice, we describe—from a psychodynamic perspective—our own experience of conducting online clinical sessions from France (in collaboration with NGOs) with humanitarian workers directly or indirectly exposed to traumatic situations in 2 countries struck by crisis (Haiti and Syria). We highlight both the benefits and limitations of this practice, as well as the opportunities it offers for developing a new kind of therapeutic support for trauma victims. Based on our specific experiences in the field, we then make a series of clinical, methodical, and ethical recommendations for psychologists using the Internet.