20 October 2009

Therapy online: In cyberspace no-one can see you cry

Online therapy sessions could deliver help to thousands of Australians including women seeking help with domestic violence and country people whose self-reliance, heavy work schedule and geographic isolation rule out seeing a therapist face-to-face.

A review of technology use in therapy, counselling and dispute resolution by the Australian Institute of Family Studies has shown counselling in cyberspace holds “a great deal of promise”.

The Institute’s Elly Robinson says the increasing proliferation of online therapy sites offers an alternative source of help that may suit some clients with some types of problems.

“It’s astonishing that no more than a generation separates everyday users of computers, mobile phones and the internet from people for whom these tools are completely foreign,” Elly Robinson said.

“Yet there are signs that online therapy could be helpful for rural people, single parents at home, people dealing with issues of violence, or those who want anonymity and the privacy of accessing a service in the comfort of their own home,” she said.

Young people familiar with technology may be particularly suited to online therapy. However people over forty, more marginalised groups and the computer illiterate are less likely to be suited to online treatment.

“There are challenges like the fact that therapists and clients can’t see each other and they might miss non-verbal cues, or there could be delays in dealing with issues. There’s also the problem of what to do if a client becomes suicidal. Some practices refer people to local counsellors or emergency services in their area. But it’s probably better to screen people first to see who’s likely to benefit from online help,” she said.

Ms Robinson says studies have shown that online therapy helps people with emotional issues like post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, anxiety and other stress disorders as well as people with some personality disorders.

“But it may not suit people with psychological disorders like borderline personality disorder, clients who are suicidal or those who are the current victims of violence or sexual assault,” she said.

Promising Australian research shows interventions such as the online therapy program MoodGym and depression information site Blue Pages successfully helped people with depression. “In one study, people were offered these interventions and at twelve month follow-up their mental health had improved compared to a control group of people who weren’t treated,” she said.

Internet based treatments could also be useful when clients are unwilling or unable to access help due to the nature of the difficulties they are experiencing.

“For example problem gamblers, whose shame and the secrecy surrounding their problems can be overcome by accessing private treatments.”

Online dispute resolution for families also holds promise, according to the Institute, especially for families marred by violence or when family members are geographically separated.

“In Australia online family dispute resolution is in its infancy but it’s being offered by a growing number of businesses. It allows people to connect and exchange information and schedules and this has reduced parental conflict and hostility in negotiating arrangements after separation,” she said.

“Thee are still many questions regarding who is best suited to online therapy and lingering questions about the right mix of online and face-to-face therapy. But rapid advances in technology suggest we should be evaluating the services on offer and anticipating clients’ desire to use these services,” she said.

 

AFRC Briefing No. 15 - Online counselling, therapy and dispute resolutions: A review of research and its application to family relationship services

 

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