Welcome
After 25 years of traditional, face-to-face, in a private practice, I chose to augment my work with current and returning clients through online services. Why? The way we communicate has changed.
If you have watched our incredible technology explosion, you may have felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. She was swept up in the calamity of a tornado in Kansas, and transported to the yellow brick road leading to the Wizard in Emerald City. Dorothy knew from then on nothing would be the same again. She learned courage from the Cowardly Lion, and prevailed--but often wanted to grab Toto and run.
Online therapy is met with mixed emotions from both clients and professionals. Most of this is based on ignorance. In a world where we maintain our relationships, both personal and professional, through phone, text, chat, twitter and facebook, it is not unrealistic that we can create very involved therapeutic relationships as well through these vehicles. A growing body of research tells us that technology-based treatments in real time between therapist and client work extremely well. Online therapy now has a 10-year track record.
I feel, as most experienced therapists, who first conducted face-to-face sessions, and then switched to a video-conferencing format with the same clients, that therpy was simply just as effective. The clients who took part, also agreed.
The modalities of text, chat or phone are also very productive. Clients can benefit from multi-modalities in meeting their treatment goals. Therapists are trained to store emotional impressions: body language, non-verbal cues, voice tones. I find I often mentally record a client's repertoire of physical cues in our first session. From then on, therapy is basically an intuitive art.
Studies show that by challenging the rigid structure of how therapy works, i.e., a weekly 50-minute hour, a physical setting, that often more--not less growth and recovery occurs. If a client feels the need to talk more than once a week, this can happen. Help is a click of a mouse away. There is no need to wait for the next session to process things. The program that I envision as most ideal is a blend of virtual and conventional face-to-face sessions., Research shows that defenses drop more when the client feels secure, in control, and on his or her own turf. Writing, rather than just speaking feelings, enhances meta-cognitive awareness. Above all, online therapy leads to more personal freedom for both client and therapist.
Teleconferencing is accepted in our court system. Jurors watch an expert witness on a flat screen while she is actually being questioned in real time by an attorney in the courtroom. Doctors and nurses consult with patients in rural areas. Social workers teach parenting skills in live real time classes, and online colleges have nationwide enrollments.
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Online therapy continues to grow in popularity. More and more therapists are incorporating virtual therapy into their existing private practices.
This method of therapy is recognized by state licensing boards, professional organizations, and insurance carriers . It is speculated to be the future of the mental health field.
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ONLINE THERAPY AND SECURITY
Your email address and personal information will never be shared with third parties. I employ state-of-art technlogy to insure your online therapy privacy. I never see your credit card information when you pay, which is processed through PayPal, the global leader in online payments.
Privacy in Chat Therapy:
You must download the program at AIM Pro and set up an AIM Pro account, which takes 5 minutes and is free. If you already have another AOL AIM account, then you can use the same screen name for AIM Pro. AIM Pro is a great product and has attractive features, such as the ability to see when each other is typing. I highly recommend AIM pro and will help you set it up if necessary. Just go to www.aim.wetpaint.com/page/AIM+Pro
Privacy in E-mail Therapy:
Option 1: Safe-mail - I highly recommend that you choose this option. In less than 5 minutes, you can go to Safe-mail and create your own Safe-mail account free. That's right, it is free. Just go to www.safe-mail.net .
(Note: During registration when Safe-mail asks for your email address, it means a new user name of your choice for Safe-mail and not your personal email address.)