What is Online Therapy?

Online therapy, also known as e-therapy, e-counseling, tele-therapy or cyber-counseling, is a relatively new development in mental health in which a therapist or counselor provides psychological advice and support over the Internet. This can occur through e-mail, video conferencing, online chat, or Internet phone. Online therapy can occur in real-time, such as in phone conversations and online chatrooms, or in a time-delayed format, such as through e-mail messages.


It is important to note that online therapy cannot be considered psychotherapy and will never replace traditional therapy. In many ways, e-therapy shares some similarities with life-coaching. While online therapists cannot diagnose or treat mental illness online, they can offer guidance and advice to people experiencing problems in relationships, work, or life. E-therapy has limitations, but it is quickly becoming an important resource for a growing number of consumers. Despite a lack of research on the effectiveness of online treatment, e-therapy offers mental health professionals another way of providing services to clients.


Primary tools for communicating in online therapy include:

1. E-mail
2. Instant Messaging (IM)
3. Real-Time Chat
4. Internet Phone
5. Video conferencing

 For more information on video conferencing, visit http://www.ehealthvideoconferencing.com/

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