Concerns about online therapy
In response to the February article, "A Growing Wave of Online Therapy," while online therapy shows promise for reaching people via new mediums, I am concerned providers might place themselves and their clients at great risk. There is scant evidence to suggest that psychologists leave doctoral training programs with the skills necessary to interact with and utilize technology in psychotherapy. This risk for providers may be compounded by corporate policies that label them as independent contractors, and potentially liable as such.
Moreover, the field must consider the ethical ramifications of location tracking via technological mediums (i.e., will law enforcement be able to access my client's historical location data?), informed consent processes when conducting psychotherapy via third-party corporations (i.e., how does the company's privacy policy influence my autonomy as a provider?), how your training translates to digital-first mediums (i.e., where did I learn to effectively text message clients?), and whether you are maintaining data and records appropriately (i.e., where do I store my notes, who has access and how long until they are deleted?).
Samuel D. Lustgarten
PhD candidate, counseling psychology, University of Iowa
Lessons for caregiving
Two articles in the February Monitor speak to a common issue: the need for and role of caregivers in today's world. The article "The Men America Left Behind" develops the theme that traditionally masculine men "avoid all things feminine," including the caregiving roles described in the second article, "Lessons for Caregiving." These men also limit themselves to the possible development and growth. As Barry Jacobs, PsyD, of the Crozer Keystone Family Medicine Residency Program in Springfield, Pennsylvania, writes, caregivers "grow personally and spiritually, and they gain an enhanced sense of purpose from making a difference in someone's life." His conclusion raises the question: Would our society be more compassionate with a concern for others if more of us were caregivers?
Harriet Heath, PhD
Winter Harbor, Maine
Please send letters to APA Monitor on Psychology Editor Sara Martin at smartin@apa.org. Letters should be limited to 175 words and may be edited for space and clarity.