Talk to a Therapist Online

Now you can meet with a psychotherapist for personal counseling or advice, from the privacy of your own computer. Using the Internet, professional counselors are forming effective helping relationships with people like you.

This is the only independent consumer guide to therapists and counselors who provide help over the Internet - compiled by consumers, for consumers.

Is “e-therapy” the right choice for me?

How can I protect myself from “quacks”?

Will my online counseling be private?

How much does e-therapy cost?

How do I compare e-therapist qualifications?

Are there any issues I should know about? Before you consult a therapist online, there are some things you need to know. We’ll tell you what to consider when talking with a therapist online.

Online counseling - “e-therapy” - is when a professional counselor or psychotherapist talks with you over the Internet, to give you some kind of mental health assistance or emotional help. It could be one question, or an ongoing conversation; it could be by e-mail, chat, video or even Internet phone (voice-over-IP).

E-therapy is a viable alternative source of help when traditional psychotherapy is not accessible. It’s effective. It’s private. It’s conducted by skilled, qualified, ethical professionals. And for some people, it's the only way they can get help from a professional therapist.

E-therapy is not psychotherapy. It should not be compared to psychotherapy. It is not a substitute for traditional psychotherapy. Working with a therapist in person is still better. But many people cannot or will not see a therapist in person. E-therapy is a form of counseling which, though it falls short of full-fledged psychotherapy, is still a very effective source of help.

E-therapy directly addresses a major problem uncovered by the Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health (1999) which stated that while one American in five has a diagnosable psychological problem, nearly two-thirds of them never seek treatment.

Managed care and the mental health industry sometimes make it difficult for people to get the care they need. When traditional systems fail them, many people are turning to the Internet.