From: Damaged Justice <frogfarm@yakko.cs.wmich.edu>
Date: Thu, 4 Sep 1997 06:27:07 +0800
To: cypherpunks@Algebra.COM
Subject: Unlicensed net.psychotherapy
Message-ID: <199709032214.SAA26283@yakko.cs.wmich.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text



   
[somewhat snipped from raw lynx dump]

   Daily Double Scoop Graphic
   Just enough Net news.
   
   By John Motavalli
   
   Is Psychotherapy On The Net Legal?
   
   HOW DOES ONE OFFER PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP ONLINE? Very cautiously.
   
   The issue of whether the practice of psychology or psychiatry online
   is legal still appears to be a bit unclear. Psychologists have to be
   licensed to practice in each state. If they're doing psychotherapy
   over the Internet, and they're offering therapy to people in states
   where they're not licensed, are they breaking the law?
   
   Sacramento psychologist Ronald L. Mann, Ph.D., has a [8]site, allowing
   a visitor to "e-mail a question (about anything from relationships to
   career changes)." This service costs you $20 a question. Dr. Mann, who
   is licensed in California only, said he's not breaking the law because
   he is not offering psychotherapy online.
   
   "Technically, psychotherapy is about exploring unconscious thoughts
   and feelings and making interpretations about these earlier memories,
   feelings, and linking them to present circumstances," Mann said. "I'm
   uncomfortable (professionally and personally) doing psychotherapy on
   the Internet. I think people need a personal face-to-face relationship
   that will provide emotional support when they get into intense
   powerful emotional material. I can't offer that through e-mail. What I
   can offer is good sound educational advice and point them in a good
   direction."
   
   Doug Fizel, deputy director of public affairs at the [9]American
   Psychological Association in Washington, D.C., said the question of
   the legality of online psychiatry is under study. "That really has not
   been worked out yet within the APA," he said. "It does really raise a
   lot of good questions, as to whether someone in California can legally
   offer therapy to someone in New York. You also have to ask whether
   someone can truly enter into a genuine therapeutic relationship
   online."
   
   Mann noted a recent correspondence he had with a young man who has
   some personal problems. "He is in college, and he has very poor
   self-esteem. He's really anxious in his relationships with other
   people, he has trouble sustaining relationships. We talked (by e-mail)
   about what it takes to have comfortable relationships with other
   people, and early childhood issues."
   
   I said this sounded like psychotherapy. "I know it's not
   psychotherapy," Mann replied. "I could have said, 'Why don't we do
   this [a treatment process]. I didn't. I actually think psychotherapy
   wouldn't work very well via e-mail."
   
   Adds Fizel, "It's more a question of ethical practice -- the
   difference between law (which a state would determine) and ethical
   practice (determined by an organization like ours)." He concludes that
   "So far, the questions have been raised, but the answers haven't been
   found."
  
 
   8. http://www.ronmann.com/
   9. http://www.apa.org/