Advantages and Disadvantage of Online Therapy

Do Online Therapists Follow the Same Code of Ethics?

In 1976 a case titledÂTarasoff v. Regents of the University of California, in which a therapist failed to alert a young woman and her parents of death threats being made by their client, brought about what is now called a "duty to warn" law, whereupon a therapist or counselor must inform authorities or third parties about potential threats their clients may pose, either to themselves or other individuals. While all practicing mental healthcare professionals are required to act within this law, the online therapy model can complicate matters due to geography or confidential client information, which may not even use real names or places. Furthermore, the remoteness between therapist and client can mean valuable physical and verbal cues that alert a therapist to potentially harmful behavior are only minimally detected, if at all.