In relation to a previous post I made about tele-therapy, I happened to hear about Lisa Kudrow’s internet tv series, web therapy, that spoofs therapy over the internet. So…I searched on google to check it out (it is pretty funny, btw), but the first link that google pulled up was webtherapy.com. Curious, I searched around the site, where it discussed the benefits of using the webtherapy service. Here’s an example from the site:
Webtherapy is a unique, affordable, confidential online counseling service which provides an ongoing relationship with your own personal licensed psychotherapist.
Webtherapy allows you to communicate to your therapist as often as you like (daily, or more than once a day, if you wish), by leaving private messages on a secure, personal site. Up to five days a week, once each day, your therapist will provide helpful responses and therapeutic interventions.
Webtherapy provides you maximum security in an encrypted environment to ensure the absolute confidentiality of your interactions with your therapist. You can capture your thoughts and feelings on the spot, rather than waiting up to a week for your next therapy session in an office. And you can feel confident that no one–not even your family–needs to know about your webtherapy.
As I understand it, when you sign up you get to contact your therapist as much as you want when you want through leaving messages on a secure part of the web therapy website that is only used by you and your therapist. This is interesting to me, and perhaps the way this is used is similar to asking a client to write down their thoughts between therapeutic sessions, encouraging the tech savy client to use a secure website rather than a pen and paper. However, the information above states that as a client you have your own personal therapist at your disposal once a day and your therapist can respond back to you up to 5 times a week. Would that make the contact between client and therapist closer to traditional psychoanalysis (3-5x per week), or does it blur the temporal boundaries of the therapeutic relationship since the client does not seem to make and keep an appointment but rather logs in when he/she feels like it?
The website also states that they have a large staff membership of highly qualified professionals who specialize in many different populations. They do not disclose the pricing or how payments work, nor do they give out the names and credentials of their therapists. The site does, however, offer many reassurances of confidentiality, ethical standards and states that all the therapists are indeed “licensed professional psychologists, licensed clinical social workers or licensed mental health counselors”. I thought that maybe if I clicked on the “sign up” link on the website, I may get a better idea of cost and more information on the different types of web therapists, however, the message that I got when trying to sign up stated that they were no longer accepting new registrations. This was surprising to me, as it seems to imply that they had so many clients that the practices of the numerous web therapists were full at this time.
I am left with many questions about webtherapy and tele-therapy, so much so that I am still trying to tease out what my questions and concerns really are…just another reason why its so important to be thinking about this new frontier of therapy.
Elizabeth – I love reading your blog, as I am always hungry for more perspectives on Art Therapy practice & theory. This post on web-therapy, however, has me shaking my head.
I’ve often wondered how technology will effect therapy – even digital photography with art therapy, or creating art through Photoshop – using original or borrowed images. Those present their own concerns – but I see web-therapy presenting with so many more issues.
Some issues present themselves before therapy would even begin. “Secure” websites are hacked all the time. It’s hard to imagine being able to guarantee someone’s information as being safe. Also.. how do we as therapists safeguard ourselves? Just as our clients’ information could be hacked – so could ours. Will liability insurance cover web-based therapy interventions? How does the client know they’re getting a licensed therapist? What happens on shared computers in someone’s household? What if there’s an emergency? Or a suicide risk? Who do we contact? ..and how?
Within the sessions.. how does the therapeutic relationship change if you never see your client? Can you be sure they are who they propose to be? Can you sense lying, or denial? Without being able to look in their eyes, or see their movements, or even if they are hygienic.. how do we measure those symptoms that so heavily rely on sight? Fidgets? Tics? Inappropriate laughter? Staring? Dissociation? Self-Injury? Eye contact? Attending to inside stimuli?
There are so many factors that lead me to believe that web-based therapy should only be used in extreme circumstances. Generally, I could see this system being wrought with complications – both for client and therapist.
Hi Liz,
I have been enjoying reading your blog this morning. Nice work. You seem interested in online counseling services even if only for your own research! Our company is about to launch a site exclusive for therapists that includes a private (yours only) online counseling “room” for each member. I don’t know much about art therapy but you might be interested in this medium because there are web browsing capabilities, document uploading and downloading features and white board ability, (including drawing ability) all live, during sessions with a client or colleague. (also features web cam and full duplex audio like a phone, all in a secure environment.) Anyway, for the rest of 2008, while we are getting ready for our launch we are offering free membership to all therapists (license will be verified) in exchange for feedback and suggestions. Please stop by and check us out. (Please keep in mind that we are not actually even in beta launch yet, but you are welcome to begin with us anytime. The online counseling rooms and their features are ready.)
Darlene Ouimet