Psychotherapy in cyberspace

Abstract

Cyberspace is opening up new opportunities for psychotherapists to deliver mental health services. Clinicians are currently offering e-mail therapy and addressing problems such as substance abuse, relationship issues, depression, and sexual concerns. Potential advantages of on-line therapy include client empowerment, accountability, affordability, convenience, and privacy. Potential disadvantages involve loss of face-to-face contact, elitism, delayed on-site services, and confidentiality. Ethical, legal, and practice issues surrounding this trend have not been thoroughly addressed. In addition, research is needed to investigate the long-term efficacy and cost-effectiveness of this innovation.