Online counselling: a descriptive analysis of therapy services on the Internet
- 1 May 2006
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in British Journal of Guidance & Counselling
- Vol. 34 (2), 145-160
- https://doi.org/10.1080/03069880600583170
Abstract
This study investigated the emerging practice of online counselling. Although the traditional practice of counselling involves face-to-face interaction between counsellor and client, a growing number of practitioners are providing counselling or therapy services via the Internet. In the present study, a total of 67 online counsellors completed a questionnaire exploring the backgrounds, services, fees, and communication technologies of practitioners offering online counselling to the public. Results suggest that online counselling is conducted by relatively experienced, primarily Western-based practitioners and is characterised by the use of email. Online clients are mainly female and receive relatively short-term interventions. Although the field appears to be evolving as its popularity increases, some ethical concerns raised by early research remain inadequately addressed.Keywords
This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Online and Face-to-Face Counseling Attitudes Scales: A Validation StudyMeasurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 2004
- The Scope of WebCounseling: A Survey of Services and Compliance With NBCC Standards for the Ethical Practice of WebCounselingJournal of Counseling & Development, 2003
- Extension and Replication of an Internet-Based Treatment Program for Panic DisorderCognitive Behaviour Therapy, 2002
- Counseling and therapy on the Internet.Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 2000
- Ethical issues in internet counsellingCounselling Psychology Quarterly, 2000
- Psychological applications on the internet: A discipline on the threshold of a new millenniumApplied and Preventive Psychology, 1999
- Therapy Over the Internet? Theory, Research, and FinancesCyberPsychology & Behavior, 1999
- Computer-Mediated CounselingComputers in Human Services, 1999
- When writing helps to heal: E-mail as therapyBritish Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 1998
- Counseling on the Information Highway: Future Possibilities and Potential ProblemsJournal of Counseling & Development, 1997