Most of us know the therapy cliche of a patient sitting in a doctor’s office with their feet propped up on a leather sofa as they divulge their life’s problems. All the while, a doctor sits in an adjacent chair, jotting down notes furiously and writing various prescriptions.
Whether we have been through this ourselves, know someone who has, or simply identify it from television and movies, this has been the long standing, conventional form of therapy.
But what happens when therapy becomes unconventional? E-therapy, the therapy that cures you from the comfort of your own home.
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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.
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Although this practice is nothing particularly new, the recent rise in patients utilizing this form of therapy speaks to the importance put on human interaction.Therapy, one of the most highly personal acts, has morphed into mini-sessions with patients skyping their psychiatrists on-the-go.
Patients have traded in that stationary hour of talking for video conferencing while running errands, amongst other duties.
| “ | It pains me when I hear my colleagues say, “Don’t tell me online therapy is effective.” So you want me to lie? | |||
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In regards to communications, while e-therapy has been proven beneficial, just as face to face therapy has, the problem is that it devalues human interactions.
Human beings are social creatures and benefit from being around other social creatures.
Decades ago, therapists were able to actually see the effects of their advice. Yet today, therapists have to trust their patients are taking their advice, instead of being able to physically check up on them.
| “ | The changing face of #therapy Therapists Are “Seeing” Patients Online – NYTimes.com — http://t.co/VtIMC30J | |||
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Therapists Are “Seeing” Patients Online
She mixed herself a mojito, added a sprig of mint, put on her sunglasses and headed outside to her friend’s pool. Settling into a lounge chair, she tapped the app on her phone. Hundreds of miles away, her face popped up on her therapist’s computer monitor; he smiled back on her phone’s screen.
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Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites also show our changing socialization views.
It is not uncommon for there to be a room full of people, who do not make eye contact with one another, because they are so tuned into their smartphones and laptops.
Today, news spreads faster on Twitter than it does in real conversations. Facebook allows us to legally stalk acquiantances, who we may not have spoken to in years. And Tumblr is nothing more than a random stream of consciousness reposted by thousands.
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Facebook”s New Features Might Not Be as Private as You Think [UPDATED]
Apparently, Facebook has a lot of work to do on its privacy controls. In some cases, the new “ frictionless sharing ” features of Facebook can make it so that even when you’re logged out of Facebook, your browser is still tracking every page you visit, sending that data back to Facebook
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Years ago, society relied on actual word of mouth to keep people connected and spread news.
Now? There’s an app for that.
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