A heated contemporary ethical issue in the field of Social Work is online counseling. Online counseling causes many complex ethical dilemmas, and it is still so new that many of the kinks haven’t been worked out legally and in ethical codes. Online counseling has many benefits such as, the ability to provide services in conjunction with in-person sessions, to give people in rural locations access to care, or help those with busy schedules that don’t allow for traditional therapy options. Online counseling also has many drawbacks, these include, the possibility of a breach in confidentiality due to an insecure connection, licensure across state lines, and the possibility of not being able to reach a client during an emergency. Online counseling
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I believe that it is ideal to use online counseling in conjunction with traditional therapy. The only exception to this would be if the agency specialized in online therapy and all the employees received extensive training in how to best assist clients through online therapy, but that is still very new. Before beginning treating clients using both online and face-to-face therapists should always receive additional training in an area they are unfamiliar with before they begin to practice. This is to both legally protects the therapist and ensures that the client is not harmed in any way. Online therapy is ideal for many different client’s situations. According to Corey, Corey, Corey, and Callanan (2015) online therapy in conjunction with face-to-face therapy is ideal for people who may live in a rural area where there is an absence of services, people with exceptionally hectic schedules who are often unavailable during tradition counseling hours, and for those who already have a therapeutic relationship built and the client no longer needs as intense of a treatment plan (p. 178). Corey, Corey, Corey, and Callanan (2015) also go on to state their viewpoint on the use of online therapy which is “At the present time, we do not think online counseling should be used as exclusive or primary means of delivering services, but in some case it could be an important adjunct to face-to-face counseling” (p. 180). I completely agree with the textbook’s authors stance on online counseling, their stance doesn’t limit services to those who truly need it, and it still safe guards the counselor with a reserved viewpoint. Online therapy used in conjunction with face-to-face therapy can be incredibly effective, it suits the busy lives of many people who still need to receive treatment, and it also helps those who couldn’t otherwise receive
I believe that it is ideal to use online counseling in conjunction with traditional therapy. The only exception to this would be if the agency specialized in online therapy and all the employees received extensive training in how to best assist clients through online therapy, but that is still very new. Before beginning treating clients using both online and face-to-face therapists should always receive additional training in an area they are unfamiliar with before they begin to practice. This is to both legally protects the therapist and ensures that the client is not harmed in any way. Online therapy is ideal for many different client’s situations. According to Corey, Corey, Corey, and Callanan (2015) online therapy in conjunction with face-to-face therapy is ideal for people who may live in a rural area where there is an absence of services, people with exceptionally hectic schedules who are often unavailable during tradition counseling hours, and for those who already have a therapeutic relationship built and the client no longer needs as intense of a treatment plan (p. 178). Corey, Corey, Corey, and Callanan (2015) also go on to state their viewpoint on the use of online therapy which is “At the present time, we do not think online counseling should be used as exclusive or primary means of delivering services, but in some case it could be an important adjunct to face-to-face counseling” (p. 180). I completely agree with the textbook’s authors stance on online counseling, their stance doesn’t limit services to those who truly need it, and it still safe guards the counselor with a reserved viewpoint. Online therapy used in conjunction with face-to-face therapy can be incredibly effective, it suits the busy lives of many people who still need to receive treatment, and it also helps those who couldn’t otherwise receive