Limitations Surrounding Online Counseling

Ever since the form of online counseling, there has been a controversy over the skills of online counseling and face to face counseling. A few experts are trying to limit online counseling while others appear to have boundless eagerness for this most recent advancement. In a research article by Shaw and Shaw (2006), they spoke about a study composed by Sampson, Kolodinsky, Greeno (1997) they created an ethical intent checklist to evaluate counselors who do online therapy. They used websites to identify and survey those professionals about their use of ethics related to this practice. Three ideas are hypothesized including (a) online counselors who were licensed in their given professions would score higher in ethical practice than would the

This essay will explore the counselling relationship along with the benefits and limitations as well as discussing other factors that have an important impact in relation to the outcome of counselling. Counselling is an interpersonal relationship between the client and qualified therapist, the relationship involves communicating with the client and using skills to explore the client's feelings. The counselling/ therapeutic relationship can be used in all types of counselling such as psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioural, person centred and cognitive therapy. As mental health disorders increase so does the need to deliver effective counselling, which means that the therapeutic relationship is more crucial than ever. (Miller, Hubble, Duncan and Wampold 2010; Norcross and Lambert 2011).

Online counseling provides many services to clients that otherwise would be unwilling to receive it. The use of the internet also provides a large database for websites or blogs that just offer advice to people. Personally, I have read blogs on self-help tips in order to deal with certain situations. Like others, it makes me feel good to know I am not the only one going through a situation. People may be willing to ask for help but are often embarrassed. In the class article online, Shane Haberstroh et.al explains that the internet was first used for counseling suicide victims. The use of anonymous comments over the internet allows people to help each other but still keep their secret identity.

Morgan I also choose to use scenario 2. Furthermore, I agree that the major red flags in this scenario is the initial refusal of service to counsel the client based on faith alone. There could be a multitude of reasons as to why the client choose to use a counselor outside of his faith. However, it seems apparent the main reason why the client chooses to use outside resources for his gambling problem is because the root cause is from him proclaiming his faith going door-to-door. But, this leads to a major problem that the counselor and the client agreed initially that the counseling sessions would exclude faith in the counseling sessions. Furthermore, this leads to an inherent conflict of interest as the root of the problem is faith based.

1. Differences in the American Counseling Association (ACA) 2005 and 2014 include provisions that I believe were/are necessary for a growing profession in a vast growing diverse society. An article published by Counseling Today claims, “the new (2014) edition is the first code that speaks to the ethics of using social media with clients” (“2014 ACA Code of,” 2014). During this time period many individuals were starting to communicate in different ways over technology; and with the continued growth of the options to communicate, our profession had to adapt. The article also goes on to briefly review how the 2014 edition of the code of ethics “presents new or expanded guidelines for preventing the imposition of counselor personal values, distance

Counselors run the risk of being blinded by their own issues and inadvertently miss the warning signals of impending client crisis and missing valuable opportunities for timely responses (McAdams III & Keener, 2008). Unprepared counselors may overreact in a verbally escalating client crisis with excessive physical control which in then harms the client. Pre-crisis instruction in prevention and intervention methods needs to be accompanied by an emphasis on counselors becoming aware of areas in which their clinical objectivity during crisis response might be compromised by issues that they, not the client, bring to the crisis situation (McAdams III & Keener, 2008).

What this article describes is what e-therapy is and how the client and the councilor are able to communicate. While being able to address some of the legal concerns that can arise from doing e-therapy session with a client. As well as, addressing some of the ethical standards that the counselor needs to be aware

Even though computer mediated communication is cost effective, there are still some people who do have access to the internet. Since health care professionals do not facilitate most publicly accessible groups, opportunities exist for the appearance of inaccurate, dangerous, or mistaken medical information (Winzeler, 1997). Misinterpretation plays a large role in online support groups. The absence of visual and aural cues can be a disadvantage. Without facial expressions, touch, vocal tone and inflection, eye contact, and body language, many online support group members use a paralanguage composed of brackets, embedded text, capitalization, emoticons and acronyms (Galinksy, 1994). Groups are open continuously to new membership. In addition to new members joining an established group, other online members may log on or log off at any time during a session. Such fluctuations in membership make it difficult for online groups to engage in the typical group phases of warm-up, action and closure or to maintain the working stage of group development for extended periods. This limitation reduces the efficacy of online support groups as a sole support source for some members (Gary, 2000). The hosting of and participation in online support group raises some ethical and legal questions that currently remain unanswered. Currently, it is unclear if the online support

Frame: After completing my IRLF, I would meet with Payne A. Tension first because I do not have their contact information and they may be able to provide more information.

Integrating distance counseling in the future will probably be based on a case by case basis. I foresee distance/telecounseling having a big and positive impact in the way people engage in counseling. A few advantages Remley Jr & Herlihy state in distance counseling are “increase accessibility of services for those who would otherwise find it difficult to receive services, individuals who are chronically ill or severely physically disabled, and individuals with social phobia” (p. 160). These are just a few examples in which distance counseling would benefit those who may not normally seek counseling. I believe when it’s utilized in an appropriate way could be integrated

According to National Board of Certified Counselors online counseling defined as “technology assisted distance counseling for individuals, couples, and groups involves the use of the telephone or the computer to enable counselors and clients to communicate at a distance when circumstances make this approach necessary or convenient”.

Research proved that individual therapy was more effective than group therapy when treating SAD. Studies supported the idea that internet-therapy was more successful than face-to-face therapy with regards to SAD. Therefore, my new proposed study is aimed at proving that individual internet-based therapy is an effective treatment for SAD. While researching the three focus article, a common occurrence throughout the studies was self-reporting through questionnaires. Although questionnaires have their benefits like being relatively inexpensive and the ability to implement a large volume of participants, questionnaires can lead to bias. According to researchers, Elizabeth Austin, Ian Deary, Gavin Gibson, Murray McGregor and J. Dent, some questionnaires’ scales

Internet access changes the way the we do things daily, we can bank online, apply for loans online, and go to school online, we can even attend group therapy online. The question that then needs to be asked is, will group therapy work if only done online? What are the requirements that are needed technology wise and socially? Can Internet group therapy be just as effective online as in an intimate group therapy session? Here we will look at if empathy can be construed over the internet and can the disinhibition that leads to toxic behaviors be contained.

Over the last 30 years, the methods of human interactions have grown explosively, from face-to-face conversations, to video calling, instant messaging, texting, Facebook, Youtube, Snapchat, and Instagram. As the technology we surround ourselves with pervades an increasing number of aspects in our lives, it has begun to affect our mental health. A Carnegie Mellon study concluding that internet usage leads to significant increases in loneliness and depression received U.S. national media coverage (Kraut, Patterson, et al., 1998). However, others argue that the internet may just provide a place of refuge for those suffering from loneliness, anxiety, and depression. (McKenna and Bargh, 59)

When online, people are blocked off from hearing and seeing these non-verbal suggestions. “As human beings, our only real method of connection is through authentic communication. Studies show that only 7% of communication is based on the written or verbal word. A whopping 93% is based on nonverbal body language.” (Tardanico). This can be a real problem to society because if a person acts as if he or she was fine online, they could really be hiding their true feelings, and others would never know. “Awash in technology, anyone can hide behind the text, the e-mail, the Facebook post or the tweet, projecting any image they want and creating an illusion of their choosing.” (Tardanico). The person may be feeling upset, depressed, or suicidal, and all others can see is the way they pretend to be online. Without nonverbal cues, others will never know the true emotions behind the computer or phone screen. Another issue if that “Soon, they will neglect their family and friends as they are too engrossed with the social networking sites…” (Social Networking-Destroyed Communication Essay). Essentially, social networking sites have caused families to slowly drift farther apart. As well, family bonds and friendships are being worn down and broken. Social networking has caused the importance of face-to-face communication to lessen; now we depend on little emoticons and the way the person