Best Practices in Online Therapy

ABSTRACT

This article discusses important issues in delivery of best practice Internet-based therapy (etherapy). Etherapy is first defined as the interaction between a consumer and a therapist via the Internet (commonly via e-mail) in association with the use of a structured web-based clinical treatment program. A summary of the professional and ethical issues is provided, along with illustrated examples of best-practice principles experienced in clinical and research work by members of the Swinburne University of Technology Etherapy Unit (formerly the Etherapy Research, Education, and Training Unit in the Department of General Practice at Monash University). Etherapy has been found to be effective in treating a range of psychological disorders. Future research investigating methods of enhancing consumers' ability to engage in etherapy should further increase the effectiveness of this type of therapy.

KEYWORDS:

• Best practice
• internet therapy
• mental health
• online therapy
• professional ethics

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors would like to thank the following organizations for making our research trials of our programs possible: Australian Rotary Health Research Fund, NH & MRC and beyondblue, BP Australia, the Australian Institute of Sport, the University of Ballarat, and Monash University. We thank all of the participants and general practitioners who have been involved in the programs.

We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of those who have been involved with Panic Online over the past 10 years: the late Jeff Richards (the primary chief investigator on the Panic Online trials), Alan Penhall, Dr. Marlies Alvarenga, Tony Archbold, Gwenda Cannard, Dr. David Austin, Joe Bolza, Dr. Marcia Pope, Dr. Felicity Smith, Dr. Craig Stapleton, Dr. Ciaran Pier, Peter Schattner, Dr. David Pearce, Dr. Tori Wade, Dr. Litza Kiropoulos, Jo Mitchell, Dr. Kathryn Gilson, Kerrie Shandley, Katy Symons, Mal Boyle, and Leon Piterman.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jo-Anne M. Abbott

Dr. Jo-Anne Abbott is Research Fellow and Psychologist, Faculty of Life and Social Sciences, SwinPsyCHE etherapy Unit, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia.

Britt Klein

Dr. Britt Klein is Co-Director Etherapy Unit, Senior Lecturer and Clinical Psychologist, Etherapy Unit, SwinPsyCHE, Faculty of Life and Social Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.

Lisa Ciechomski

Dr. Lisa Ciechomski is Research Fellow and Psychologist, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Frankston, Australia.