Online therapy, email therapy, virtual therapy, cyber-counseling, e-therapy: they all refer to therapy or counseling using the internet, most often by email. Online counseling is a powerful tool for helping people to gain insight and resolve the problems that interfere with the quality of their lives. Therapists typically use email exchanges in online counseling work, and may supplement them with phone sessions (if necessary or requested) at appropriate points in the process.

Pros: People often open up faster during internet exchanges than in face to face counseling. Writing about their feeling and thoughts can have a freeing effect, encouraging faster insight that an office setting.

The inherent time delay in e-mail exchanges provides a rich space for clients to process their thoughts, feelings and decisions in their lives.

Cyber-counseling is tremendously convenient. Clients are able to write wherever they are most comfortable, 24/7. There is no need to wait for normal “office hours” to send messages, and they are free to set their own pace.

Getting out of the house to a face-to-face counseling session can sometimes be daunting. Parents of infants and small children have day care to contend with, and other people may find that certain emotional and physical conditions make travel difficult. Even if there are no professional counselors in the area, an online counselor can be available to help right away.

Unlike traditional therapy, online counseling provides a useful record of the counseling sessions. The e-mail exchanges allow the client and therapist to look back on their work together and evaluate it.

Online counseling is less expensive than traditional alternatives. There is no need for gas or travel, and people only pay for the time it takes their therapist to read their communications and write replies.

Cons: In online therapy or phone sessions, therapists cannot watch facial expressions and other behaviors to better understand what a client is feeling. It is possible to have misunderstandings. Because of this, online counseling is NOT easy for the therapist, despite the fact that it costs the client far less than traditional therapy.

Clients need to be able to put their thoughts and feelings into writing, and write about themselves in a fairly articulate way.

E-counseling isn’t for everyone. People with severe emotional difficulties, who are currently in crisis, those who are under the age of 18 or who are suicidal should seek a more traditional counseling environment.

Online therapists cannot yet provide their clients with a formal diagnosis.

Online counseling has only been done for a few years. It is truly pioneering work, and a bit experimental in nature.

E-therapy is an empowering option using readily available technology to provide affordable, high-quality, convenient therapeutic services. It is wise to take care whenever choosing any type of counseling. Cyber-counseling is no different. It should not be avoided simply because it differs from traditional therapy, nor should anyone dive into it just because it is new. It is worth discovering more about this powerful tool to see if it might be a wise choice for you.