It’s one of the simplest of words in the English language; four letters, one syllable. It comes with a nifty blue icon too, a thumbs up. I’m referring to the ‘like’ button on your Facebook page. It is operated with deceptively simple ease, just a click of a mouse, and yet it really packs a… [Read More]
Tedium: Marriage and Couples Therapy in Hope Springs
Back in March there was a New York Times article which asked, “Does Couples Therapy Work?” In this article the author explored the myriad problems that exist for therapists attempting to treat struggling couples. One of the key issues, the author points out, is the lack of empirical and theoretical insights that distinguish couples therapy… [Read More]
Is it Time for Therapists and Coaches to Abandon Facebook?
I don’t know about you, but I’ve recently become very disillusioned with Facebook and its ability to support businesses. In case you haven’t noticed, recent changes to their algorithm have meant that less than 15% of people that actually follow your business page see your posts. The way the algorithm works is the greater the… [Read More]
A Distance Counselor’s Ohanashi*: Coming to Work with People in Japan
My name is Roy, and I practice distance counseling with English speakers in Japan. Yep, I do speak Japanese, but I work in English. I could also do online counseling here in my home state of Oregon, but Oregon isn’t part of the story behind my distance practice. I lived in Sapporo, Japan for three… [Read More]
Innovative Online Counseling Referral Programs (Part 2)
Referrals are the lifeblood of any online or offline counseling practice. You may have already noticed that the biggest challenges to creating an online practice often do not involve technology, legal issues or even reimbursement. The biggest challenge typically is creating a consistent flow of client referrals. My hope is that the illustrations provided here… [Read More]
For the Love of Books
“The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, And all the sweet serenity of books.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Brain Power: From Neurons to Networks Tiffany Shlain While many wonder what the pervasive use of technology is doing to our overloaded mental circuits, ‘Brain Power: From Neurons to Networks’ ponders that question in another way: can cutting-edge… [Read More]
Online Therapy: Is the Client “Electronically Present” in Your Office?
The news yesterday brought a ruling in a New Jersey State Appeals Court that dismissed Linda and David Kubert’s civil liability claims against a Rockaway woman who sent a friend a text message moments before he crashed his pickup truck into their motorcycle in September 2009. Attorney Stephen Weinstein praised an appeals court decision that holds… [Read More]
Ethical Framework for the Use of Technology in Supervision
Distance delivery of mental health services is becoming a norm in the field of mental health (Shallcross, 2012), and the American Counseling Association (ACA, 2005), the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC, 1997, 2009, 2013), and the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE, 2011) have all recognized the need for ethical guidance. NBCC (2013) recognizes… [Read More]