Exam 65: Therapies: Treating Psychological Distress

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Answer will include that while it is generally preferable to meet with a therapist face- to-face,it is not always possible.Today,psychological services are available in the home through radio,television,telephone,and the Internet.Not only is this generally less expensive,it also makes therapy available to people who,for a variety of reasons,cannot easily attend a traditional face-to-face session.On a phone-in radio psychologist or one on television,participants typically describe problems ranging from child abuse to phobias and sexual adjustment to depression.The mass media psychologist then offers reassurance,advice,or suggestions for getting help.Such programs may seem harmless,but they raise some important questions,such as "Is it reasonable to give advice without knowing anything about a person's background?
Could the advice do harm? What good can a psychologist do in three minutes or even an hour?" In their own defense,mass media psychologists point out that listeners and viewers may learn solutions to their problems by hearing others talk.Many also stress that their work is educational,not therapeutic.Nevertheless,the question arises: "When does advice become therapy?" The American Psychological Association urges media psychologists to discuss problems only of a general nature,instead of actually counseling anyone.Of course,another drawback is that mass media psychologists must entertain as well as educate.Thus,most therapeutic distance therapy is done individually,that is,conducted one-on-one via telephone or the Internet.Regardless of how a therapist and client communicate perhaps the key feature of successful therapy is the establishment of an effective relationship between therapist and client.This could be a problem if,for example,only texting is used.Smiley faces and text message shorthand are poor substitutes for real human interaction,which includes interpersonal cues such as facial expressions and body language.Similarly,brief e- mail messages are no way to make a diagnosis.However,the Internet also makes it possible to create two-way audio-video links.While conducting therapy this way still lacks the close personal contact of face-to-face interaction,it removes many of the objections to doing therapy at a distance.It is worth noting that distance therapy does have some distinct advantages and disadvantages.For one thing,clients can more easily remain anonymous,although it is wise to remember that e-mail counseling may not be completely confidential and could be intercepted and misused.Nevertheless,a person who might hesitate to see a psychologist can seek help privately,on the phone or online.Of special concern is the fact that distance therapists may or may not be trained professionals.And even if they are,questions exist about whether a psychologist licensed in one state can legally do therapy in another state via the telephone or the Internet.In closing,under the right circumstances,distance therapies can be successful.For example,telephone counseling helps people quit smoking.
Other studies have shown that depressed people,as well as people with social phobia and panic disorder,benefit from Internet therapy.