What’s it like doing psychotherapy in Second Life?
New Scientist
has a level-headed
article
that describes how personal therapeutic interactions are altered by the
online world and how this may be a benefit for people with certain
types of problems.
In my limited experience of Second Life, I was struck by how many
people were offering commercial counselling services, many without
apparent qualifications, and I’ve seen been a bit sceptical since.
The NewSci piece is by a professional counsellor and takes a
critical look at the concept and its practice, relating both the
experience of therapy and where its strengths and weaknesses lie, not
least for people who may have social anxiety or other face-to-face
difficulties.
The other major concern is the loss of body language. For people used to
Second Life, this is not as much of a problem as you might think,
according to Dillon. But as a therapist, I glean a great deal from
seeing someone become tearful or shift in their seat.
It’s a trade-off, say avatar therapists. What you lose in body
language you gain in the eloquent expression of conscious thought – at
least for clients who type in their responses – as well as the loss of
inhibition that comes with communicating through an avatar.
I have to say, having read so much drivel about ‘cyber therapy’ I was
ready to dismiss the article but found it one of the best introductory
pieces I’ve yet read that tackles online psychotherapy. via: Mind Hacks
Link
to NewSci on Avatar therapy: Avatar therapy: From couch to cyberspace