Online Therapy

Online Therapy Cathy L. Jacobs BSHS351 July 31, 2013 Denise Cooper Online Therapy Therapy as defined by the freedictionary.com is the treatment of physical, mental, or social disorders or disease, and any act, task, program, etc., which relieves tension. Online or in person both serve the same purpose; providing an outlet for an individual. Online therapy is relatively new, and it is convenient to the online community. There are several advantages and disadvantages of online therapy. Anonymity is considered an important asset for individuals who do not want a face- to- face meeting. Other advantages include access to mental health information to people in rural or remote; however, individual must have Internet access to a computer, provides accessibility to disabled and homebound individuals, and many of the sites are free or provide low cost sessions. Research of online therapy sites reveals several forms of therapy sessions such as online chat, e-mail, Skype, and texting. Online therapy is an asset to traditional therapy methods. Serenity Online Therapy Serenity offers e-mail counseling, and chat therapy. Carl Benedict, is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor specializing in depression, anxiety, mental illness, and substance abuse, just to mention a few . Benedict’s received his bachelor’s degree in psychology, and his master’s in Mental Health Counseling, he is licensed with the Board of Counselors and Therapist in Maryland. Serenity offers online voice chat via Skype, webcams, and telephones are not used in therapy sessions. Secure email address with Secure Socket Layers encryption ensures individual privacy is protected. Sessions are 60 minutes in length, and fees for services provided are through PayPal system, money orders, and personal checks. Medicaid and Medicare are not acceptable forms of payment with Serenity. “I believe online therapy can be effective and helpful for the right person in the right circumstances” (Carl Benedict, 2005) My Therapy Couch Talk therapy, or the talking cure used by Sigmund Freud in psychoanalysis for client centered therapy is not much different My Therapy Couch. Both offer client-centered counseling sessions; difference is talk therapy is in an office setting, and My Therapy Couch is an online approach. According to the website, therapist is chosen based on an individual’s issue or need. My Therapy offers direct counseling, free community forum, and support groups to an online community. My Therapy is a fee- based service, $29.95 for every 500 word message emailed to therapist. This rate could become a disadvantage for an individual seeking long-term, intense counseling. Online therapy with My Therapy is not cost a cost- effective site; listed as a social counseling site established in 1997, and member of International Society for Mental Health Online. Membership to this organization is $25 per year, and membership is open to an individual who want to promote and guide mental health online. Licensure, educational requirements, nor professional organizations are listed on the site, and does not hold any official position about the legitimacy or usefulness of online counseling. There are no advantages to this online therapy site. LZcybershrink for Online Therapy Elizabeth (Liz) Zelvin is a licensed clinical social worker, and psychotherapist practicing in Ney York. Her professional credentials are extensive, verified and listed with the Licensed Professions in New York state, and New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (NYSOASA). LZcybershrink would be a recommendable site if an individual is comfortable with the Internet and experienced using e-mail and chat. Like many other online sites, LZcybershrink offers private and secure chat rooms for individuals preferring online to face-to-face meeting. Although the fee structure is high in comparison to Serenity and My Therapy, for one e-mail the cost is $45 and a 60 minute chat is $100. Difference in My Therapy and LZcybershrink is, My Therapy is not licensed or certified professionals, whereas LZcybershrink is licensed and certified by the state. Another significant difference between the two organizations is LZcybershrink list several categories to consider before choosing online therapy, and My Therapy advertises is free; however an individual has to sign up for membership. When selecting a therapist, an individual should consider the advantages and disadvantages of online therapy. There are several advantages to online therapy; one is difficulty due to disabilities or phobias about leaving your home, secondly members of the armed forces want anonymity when seeking counseling for issues that may result in disciplinary action (“e.g. Substance or alcohol abuse), an individual may be uncomfortable face to face, but more open to reveal an issue via e-mail on online chat. As with advantages there are several disadvantages that one needs to be aware of. According to Counseling Resources Mental Health Library, remote counseling carries many disadvantages in comparison to traditional counseling sessions. It can be difficult to understand what a person is saying when you are not looking at them directly. Verbal and non-verbal body language may indicate something different than what is actually said. It can be frustrating waiting for e-mail response from therapist if an answer or advice is needed immediately, especially in cases of potential bodily harm. Many online therapy list a secure link for e-mail and payment options, although software is constantly developed to protect personal information; there are software that counteracts those protocols and information is stolen. Individuals should weigh the pros and cons of online therapy prior to making a final decision. Issues of privacy and confidentiality, once an individual submit information on the web, the possibility of someone other than the intended person receiving or viewing that information could be detrimental to both the therapist and the individual. The American Psychology Association published an article in March, 2012 discussing the interstate practice of online therapy. According to the article, Email, videoconferencing and avatar therapy all allow psychologists to reach patients anywhere, but state licensing laws generally do not permit out-of-state psychologists to provide tele-psychology services to consumers. (DeAngelis, 2012, p.52) Therapist providing online therapy should be bound by the same code of ethics as therapist in traditional settings. The American Counseling Association (ACA) code of Ethics serves five main purposes and contains eight sections that address those purposes; however, it does not address Online Therapy or therapist in those sections. Although the ACA Code of Ethics does not directly address online therapy, a good therapist has an ethical obligation to abide by the code set forth by the ACA. Conclusion Online therapy or traditional therapy is a choice an individual has to make for his or herself. There are advantages and disadvantages to every decision; an individual has to weigh each one out based on personal preference. Several years ago I decided to seek out a therapist to talk with. During my research I ask for advice from a trusted friend and confidant, knowing what I know now; I would have chosen the Online Therapy over the traditional face-to-face. Face-to-face therapy was uncomfortable and challenging to open up about the issues in my personal life, writing those issues out was easier than openly speaking about them. Individuals have an option that was not available during my time in therapy, my suggestion would be research, and chose accordingly.

References
American Counseling Association (2005), ACA Code of Ethics. Retrieved from http://www.ncblpc.org/Laws_and_Codes/ACA_Code_of_Ethics.pdf on July 30, 2013
American Psychological Association (2012), Practicing distance therapy, legally and ethically
Psychology is developing guidelines for practitioners in this rapidly changing area. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/03/virtual.aspx on July 30, 2013
About.com, (2013). Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Therapy. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/guidetoonlinepsychology/a/etherapy_procon.htm on July 30, 2013.
My Therapy Couch (2013), Retrieved from http://www.mytherapycouch.com/free_online_therapy/ on July 30, 2013.
Counselling Resources, (2013), Disadvantages of Counseling or Therapy by E-mail. Retrieved from http://counsellingresource.com/lib/therapy/service/online-disadvantages/ on July 30, 2013
Serenity Therapy (2013), Retrieved from http://serenityonlinetherapy.com/ on July 30, 2013