Technology: The Digital Age

The digital age has brought about many changes in the way we conduct business, education, entertainment and mental health. The trend to incorporate technology into our mental health programs, while in its infancy, continues to grow in popularity and use by both educational and private mental health providers. There has been a great deal of discussion on the methods, ethics, problems and benefits of this new technology, however little research has been done on the effectiveness of this method of counseling on clients.

For years the counseling profession maintained a strict face to face technique of meeting with clients. This trend is being challenged as more people are finding it difficult to arrange appointments, find specialists, transportation, child care and a host of other issues that conflict with the ability to receive therapy. As early as 1982 internet self-help groups began to appear on the scene which led to the development of fee-based internet clinics by the mid-1990’s (Reamer, 2013). These transformations and challenges have led therapists to transition into the use of technology to facilitate sessions.

Technology that is being used today continues to transition as more technology and faster systems are developed. The use of the telephone has been the catalyst for this move and today along with teleconferencing sessions are being done through web-based application, video conferencing, chat, email, electronic social media, and web-based interventions (Reamer, 2013). These different methods of counseling have often shown to be much more useful, convenient and adaptable to a larger portion of the population.

Significance and Justification of the Problem

While the use of technology has provided a number of diffe...

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...n those issues by determining if the use of e-therapy is an effective way of delivering needed mental health services that promote growth and health within the clients who participate in them.

Works Cited

Day, S. X., & Schneider, P. L. (2002). Psychotherapy using distance technology: A comparison of face-to-face, video, and audio treatment. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 49(4), 499-503. doi: 10.1037//0022-0167.49.4.499

Hepner, K. A., Munoz, R. F., Woo, S., Osilla, K. C., Wiseman, S. H., & Watkins, K. E. (2011). Building Recovery by Improving Goals, Habits, and Thoughts (BRIGHT-2). Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation.

Olasupo, M. O., & Atiri, O. S. (2013). E-therapy: Contemporary tool in psychotherapy. IFE

PsychologIA, 21(S-3), 277-280.

Reamer, F. G. (2013). Social work in a digital age: Ethical and risk management challenges. Social Work, 58(2), 163-172.