[somewhat snipped from raw lynx dump] Daily Double Scoop Graphic Just enough Net news. By John Motavalli Is Psychotherapy On The Net Legal? HOW DOES ONE OFFER PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP ONLINE? Very cautiously. The issue of whether the practice of psychology or psychiatry online is legal still appears to be a bit unclear. Psychologists have to be licensed to practice in each state. If they're doing psychotherapy over the Internet, and they're offering therapy to people in states where they're not licensed, are they breaking the law? Sacramento psychologist Ronald L. Mann, Ph.D., has a [8]site, allowing a visitor to "e-mail a question (about anything from relationships to career changes)." This service costs you $20 a question. Dr. Mann, who is licensed in California only, said he's not breaking the law because he is not offering psychotherapy online. "Technically, psychotherapy is about exploring unconscious thoughts and feelings and making interpretations about these earlier memories, feelings, and linking them to present circumstances," Mann said. "I'm uncomfortable (professionally and personally) doing psychotherapy on the Internet. I think people need a personal face-to-face relationship that will provide emotional support when they get into intense powerful emotional material. I can't offer that through e-mail. What I can offer is good sound educational advice and point them in a good direction." Doug Fizel, deputy director of public affairs at the [9]American Psychological Association in Washington, D.C., said the question of the legality of online psychiatry is under study. "That really has not been worked out yet within the APA," he said. "It does really raise a lot of good questions, as to whether someone in California can legally offer therapy to someone in New York. You also have to ask whether someone can truly enter into a genuine therapeutic relationship online." Mann noted a recent correspondence he had with a young man who has some personal problems. "He is in college, and he has very poor self-esteem. He's really anxious in his relationships with other people, he has trouble sustaining relationships. We talked (by e-mail) about what it takes to have comfortable relationships with other people, and early childhood issues." I said this sounded like psychotherapy. "I know it's not psychotherapy," Mann replied. "I could have said, 'Why don't we do this [a treatment process]. I didn't. I actually think psychotherapy wouldn't work very well via e-mail." Adds Fizel, "It's more a question of ethical practice -- the difference between law (which a state would determine) and ethical practice (determined by an organization like ours)." He concludes that "So far, the questions have been raised, but the answers haven't been found." 8. http://www.ronmann.com/ 9. http://www.apa.org/