I will admit that I'm not as well read on the literature on this topic, but I can think of a few things I believe to be advantages and disadvantages.

In terms of advantages, clearly it allows counselors to reach a wider client base which may help those with struggling practices as well as help clients who are home bound or who are in rural areas which might prevent services from being delivered. It may also be less intimidating for a client to email/skype/etc... than go to a counselors office. I would also think that it could reduce the number of scheduling and transportation issues that sometimes plague counselors and their clients.

In terms of disadvantages, when a client is in crisis a counselor might not know of referral sources in the area and would have to prepare themselves. Clients are sometimes also a bit unsure about technology (however, I recently talked to a friend who blends it, by having the first few sessions in person and then using distance video methods). Furthermore, there seems to be a questions of which code of ethics a counselor should follow; that is to say, are you bound by the ethics and laws of your home jurisdiction or that of your client? I would also say that security of information is an issue to consider.

I believe that the Journal of Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking http://www.liebertpub.com/overview/cyberpsychology-behavior-and-social-networking/10/ has some articles that may be of interest to you.

Hi Cinar,

I'm wondering what you mean by online counselling. Cyberchat? VOIP? Email?

I am interested in the area as a whole. I did not intend a specific medium. But it is also obvious that there are strong differences. But the most complex form is the Cyberchat format. I would like to read about it most.

Thanks for that Cinar. I think there are big differences between emails, cyberchat and VOIP exchanges. I wonder why you consider cyberchat to be the most complex?

I supervised someone who was conducting counselling with a client via cyberchat. She reported that it was helpful to have time to consider her responses, but that the emotional content of the exchange had to be inferred from the text itself, with a little help from emoticons. I think the need to infer emotional content is the biggest difficulty to be navigated. So much of the meaning we make from conversations comes from body language, tone of voice etc.

There's lots of literature about this. For example, this from Fontana, A., & Frey, J. H. (2005). The interview: From neutral stance to political involvement. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitative research (3rd ed., pp. 695–727). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage (p. 713).

"Nonverbal techniques are also important in interviewing. There are four basic modes of nonverbal communication:

[begins quote] Proxemic communication is the use of interpersonal space to communicate attitudes, chronemic communication is the use of pacing of speech and length of silence in conversation, kinesic communication includes any body movements or postures, and paralinguistic communication includes all the variations in volume, pitch, and quality of voice. [ends quote from Gorden, R.L. (1980). Interviewing: Strategy, techniques, and tactics. Homewood, IL: Dorsey p. 335.]

All four of these modes represent important techniques for the researcher. In addition, the researcher should carefully note and record respondents' use of these modes because interview data are more than verbal records and should include, as much as possible, nonverbal features of the interaction."

I know this is about research interviewing, but I think it can be extrapolated into counselling.

Or this, from Gergen, K. (2009). Relational being: Beyond self and community. New York, NY: Oxford University Press (p. 73):

"But these words are not simply hovering overhead in a comic strip balloon. Their words are actions within a relationship, and in this sense, equivalent to the remainder of the body in motion - lips, eye movements, gestures, posture, and so on. The spoken language is but one component of a full social performance. Our words are notes within orchestrated patterns of action. Without the full coordination of words and action, relational life turns strange."

Zoe

The literature is becoming more up to date with the ever changing leaps of technology.

Playing devil’s advocate: The subtly of observing the client, the non-verbal cues, mannerism, physical appearance and first impression often support or de-buff mental health status. These are so valuable in the first engagement of the therapeutic relationship. How do we ethically get over this hurdle that ensures duty of care to self and that of our client?

Online counselling, once termed alternative therapy, is now becoming a common practice preferred by both clients and therapists (Elleven & Allen, 2004). It has been praised for bridging the gap that existed with traditional face to face therapy around issues such accessibility, convenience, affordability and more. There are of course simple pragmatic advantages to online counselling (as technology permits). Remembering much of rural/remote Australia has limited access to stable broadband that online counselling would require.

Advantages

Provides direct access for people:

i) Living in remote areas where there may be limited transport and few, if any, local counsellors.

ii) With certain disabilities, for example, people with hearing difficulties or people who are less mobile.

iii) With social anxiety or phobias.

iv) With long-term illness and their carers who may be unable to leave them

v) Who do not have childcare.

vi) Without lengthy waiting lists.

Seem to be some of the common advantages. I have linked some references that may be of interest. I will enjoy following this post, for I am sure many will advocate such different viewpoints and personal stances on the subject.

Regards

Stuart Fisher

Dunn, K. (2012). A qualitative investigation into the online counselling relationship: To meet or not to meet, that is the question. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 12(4), 316-326.

Kauer, S. D., Mangan, C., & Sanci, L. (2014). Do Online Mental Health Services Improve Help-Seeking for Young People? A Systematic Review. Journal of medical Internet research, 16(3).

Richards, D., & Viganó, N. (2013). Online counseling: a narrative and critical review of the literature. Journal of clinical psychology, 69(9), 994-1011.

Ross, W. (2011). Ethical issues involved in online counseling. Journal of Psychological Issues in Organizational Culture, 2(1), 54-66.

Thanks to all for your informative and comprehensive answers. This thread, I guess the thread will seem interesting to other fellow researchers as well.

Note: Dear, Zoe Alford in my country, exact translation of "cyberchat" can mean video conversations via internet like that of Google Hangouts, or Skype, I intended this meaning. In fact I am curious about the whole area, (distant counseling?) which seems to be quite promising and yet seems to immature in some aspects.

Thanks for that clarification Cinar. I agree with Stuart (above) about the advantages of online counselling. I've provided this sort of counselling (VOIP), but more often I am offering supervision of other practitioners online. Without exception we have met face-to-face before taking up the online option.

I used to think meeting face-to-face before providing consultations was essential, but lately have been conducting research interviews with strangers via Skype. What I've discovered is that it's a little awkward at the start, but very quickly things start to go more easily.

I live in an isolated area of New Zealand (Gisborne on the East Coast), and until the advent of VOIP (Skype etc), I had to travel for nearly 3 hours to see my own clinical supervisor. Then, after an hour's session, had to drive 3 hours back. The roads aren't the best. Now, we Skype. It saves me a lot of time and money, and is every bit as good, in my opinion, as a face-to-face meeting. My university supervisors Skype me once a month, which saves me a 5 hour drive each way, plus an overnight stay.

Some of the practitioners I supervise live in even more isolated places than I do, further up the coast. If the roads are impassable, we Skype. I consider internet technologies an absolute Godsend.

I agree with the answers above and would like to add that anonymity is a  possible advantage using  most online media. One disadvantage is that support to the suicidal client may be very limited, as you may not have contact details; so sharpening up your persuasion skills may be essential.