As we start a New Year, we often take time to reflect on how our life is going and what we can do to make positive changes in the coming year. A number of online tools and services can help us to reach our goals but may not be in our best interest. It is hard to know whether such services, such as online therapy and online pharmacies, are best for us. Throughout this month, I will be looking at not only these but other online tools that may help us in getting the best medical care we can. I will help you in weighing the benefits and reviewing the disadvantages to help you decide what will work best in your situation.

This week, we will look specifically at online therapy.

What is Online Therapy?

Online therapy is communicating with a therapist or counselor through a combination of methods, such as email, chat rooms, forums and sometimes via telephone. Your therapist or counselor will still be available to offer support, encouragement, answer questions, provide feedback and help in developing strategies for coping with your circumstances.

You may hear this type of therapy described in many different ways:

• Cybertherapy
• E-Therapy
• E-Counseling
• Email Counseling
• Chat Therapy

This type of therapy, no matter what name it may go by, is different than face-to-face counseling or therapy, but many people find online therapy to be very effective.

Online therapy can take the form of back and forth emails, with the client having extended conversations over a period of time. Some therapists may also have group therapy in a private chat room or will have a dedicated forum for participants to share with one another.

Online therapy is a relatively new concept and there is little research to help determine if this approach would work for you. Ultimately, this is a personal decision, what may be effective in your situation may not work well for someone else.

Advantages of Online Therapy

• Available no matter where you live. All that is needed is an internet connection. For those living in remote locations where therapists are few and far between, online therapy can be the best approach.
• Fits in to anyone's schedule. Emailing can be done based on your schedule, making online therapy flexible, allowing you to participate when it is most convenient for you.
• Homebound patients can participate. Some physical and emotional disorders make it difficult for some to leave the house. Online therapy brings help to you rather than you having to go to the therapist.
• Written record of conversations. Once a face-to-face therapy session is over, you must rely on your memory to remember what the therapist or counselor said. Online therapy provides a written record, so you can easily refer back to a conversation.
• Many people feel more comfortable online. For many, online conversations can be more open. They may feel less intimidated and may be more comfortable sharing details that may make them uncomfortable face-to-face.
• More affordable. Online therapy is often less expensive than face-to-face therapy. In addition, cost of travel, gas, parking, etc. would be non-existant for online therapy.