Online counseling is replacing the traditional couch in traditional brick and mortar counseling offices. Internet therapy (or ecounseling) can be much more flexible than traditional approaches of marriage, family and relationship counseling. Clients can choose from email, chat, or telephone services depending their comfort, budget or schedule.

Choice of an online therapist is an important action. Many traditional therapists are not equipped to deal with the unique challenges of working with clients who are not physically present. Also there may be many fraudulent sites where counseling is offered, but the counselors are not certified or insured. online counselors should have their credentials clearly displayed, and you should be able to verify them easily by checking the official source.

There are experienced online therapists who have had many years experience with both the technology involved as well as the therapy approaches that make for a successful practice. You should be able to view some samples at their website to get a feel for their style of counseling, and how you may benefit from it.

Online counseling provides you a safe, professional place to go where you can seek the answers and map out the changes you can make in your life that will really help. When you live with others in a committed relationship whether family, marriage or other, there are inevitable issues that will surface and need to be addressed. These issues can eat at you and your relationship like a fast moving cancer.

Organizations of Online Therapists help standardize the practice and ethics of their members. The premier organization for Online Therapists is the International Society for Mental Health Online. When you see their logo on a website you can be sure that this therapist adheres to the standards of the society.

Here are a couple of great resourses for online counseling information directly from professional licenced therapists.

Online Counseling by Grace Tree Counseling Services

Online Counseling by LZcybershrink

In summary, here is what you should look for when shopping for an Online Therapist.

1. Are they licensed?  They should have a link on their site where you can check their credentials.

2. Are they a member of an Online Therapy organization? Look for the ISMHO logo on their website.

3. Are they secure? Look for the lock logo on your browser before you enter your credit card number or any other personal information. Also look for a logo on their payment page indicating a trusted authority such as GeoTrust, Verisign, or others.

4. Do they have a privacy policy posted at their website?

5. Do you get a sense of security when you visit their website?

6. Can you view any samples of their counseling style at their website?

I truly wish you the best as you reach out for help. We all need help at some point in our lives, and it's the strong people who reach out and get the help they need.

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