More threads by Cat Dancer

I was doing a search online looking for a therapist close to my area and I noticed a LOT of online therapy services. I wonder if there would be any benefit to something like this or would it not be useful at all? To me, it seems like it would be hard to assess someone this way, body language is a big part of communication and obviously that would be missing here.
 

ThatLady

Member
I tend to agree, janet. If someone is really unable to access personal, face-to-face therapy, I guess online therapy would be better than nothing, but I'd think it would be better, and more useful, to see a therapist in person. Online forums, like this one, can serve as a wonderful adjunct to therapy, but one-on-one contact can't be replaced.
 

David Baxter PhD

Late Founder
One of the problems with online therapy is that it isn't regulated. At present, anyone can set up a website and offer online therapy. Unlike face-to-face therapy, the people offering the service don't have to be licensed and are not subject to regulation by a licensing body. That means you may get someone who has no training and no knowledge of what s/he is doing.

As always, buyer beware is the rule on the internet.
 

ThatLady

Member
As Dr. Baxter pointed out, it will be much more interesting once it's regulated to such a degree that you know, for absolute sure, what you're getting. I'm well trained in handling the problems and stresses associated with death and dying, but I'm by no means a psychotherapist. Yet, as things are, I could set up a website and claim just about anything with no way to prove what I say, one way or the other. That could be very dangerous, and cause a great deal of harm to people who really need the type of help I'm not trained to give.
 
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