Suggestions for the ethical practice of online psychotherapy

This article identifies some of the ethical controversies surrounding the use of online therapy conducted via e-mail, chat rooms, or interactive video and identifies practical solutions for ethical dilemmas. Consensus on the subject is hard to find, and although many authors and organizations have offered their opinions, this has led to such variation in advice that psychologists considering expanding their practice to include online therapy would certainly be confused. This article is the product of an extensive literature review on the ethics of online therapy and seeks to operationalize what the field appears to agree are the major ethical issues. A set of practice suggestions based on the work of various authors and organizations are proposed rather than ethical standards or guidelines.