Archive for July, 2008

DeeAnna Merz Nagel, co-founder of Online Therapy Institute, has been practicing counseling and psychotherapy face-to-face and online for many years. She has seen how technology has changed lives. With technology infiltrating work and leisure (and sometimes causing those lines to blur), she has added the use of technology as a specialty in her face-to-face practice. She assists her clients online and face-to-face, in understanding the impact of technology on their lives and the lives of people they love.  Internet addiction, social networks such as MySpace and virtual worlds like Second Life are changing the way many people exist day to day- some folks are impacted positively while others are having a difficult time managing.

She practices in Rumson, NJ and shares office space with Breaking the Chain Counseling and Lora Sasiela, a clinical social worker based in New York City and Rumson. With an array of specialties between them, Breaking the Chain Counseling, Lora Sasiela and DeeAnna Merz Nagel have much to offer the community. BBC helps identify patterns of unhealthy behavior and they facilitate breaking the chain, learning health ways to help individuals, couples, families and children communicate and grow. Lora assists people dealing with anxiety, depression, women’s issues and binge eating. In addition to technology and internet addiction, DeeAnna also assists survivors of abuse and people struggling with relationship issues and substance abuse.

With the added convenience of online counseling, DeeAnna is able to offer her face-to-face clients more flexibility in scheduling appointments and more availability during travel. If you are interested in working with DeeAnna, call her todayat 1.877.773.5591 for a free initial consultation.

Online Therapy Institute is pleased to announce a new website feature: The Online Therapy Institute Book Store. We will keep our online storefront up-to-date with the latest books related to online counseling, internet addiction and the impact of technology on mental health. We will add new publications as they come out, making this an easy one-stop shop for your online mental health book search. Please bookmark the store and check back often!

DeeAnna has recently been appointed to the Editorial Advisory Board of Telehealth World Magazine.

TeleHealth World is the new magazine serving the rapidly expanding fields of telehealth, telemedicine, and connected healthcare. It is a comprehensive news and analysis resource for healthcare providers and technology providers who are leading today’s revolution in remotely monitored and administered healthcare, medical treatment and fitness/wellness enhancement.

TeleHealthWorld began publication in April 2008 as a full-color, high-quality print magazine with a distribution of 10,000 copies in North America. Its companion internet portal and knowledge center, e-newsletter, and industry directory will begin operations at the start of 2008. Subscriptions to the print magazine will be free to qualified readers in North America.

For more information visit http://www.telehealthworld.com/index.php

The New Statesman has published an article entitled “Virtual Blues”, about online counselling.  Kate was interviewed for this article along with the press office of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (www.bacp.co.uk), and it may be read and commented on at

Enjoy!

The Online Therapy Institute’s presence in Second Life was featured in a Scientific American 60-Second PSYCH podcast, which discusses topics related to e-therapy, avatar therapy and behavioural telehealth. Counselling and psychotherapy in virtual worlds is a growing trend, and is examined in the upcoming textbook “Mental Health and the Impact of Technological Development”, edited by Kate and DeeAnna, by John Wilson of the UK. Also mentioned on the podcast is Dr. Craig Kerley, for his presence in SL – a Psychologist based in Georgia in RL.

Kate and DeeAnna take a break from writing to visit NYC.  A trip to the Modern Museum of Art, followed by lunch in the theatre district.  Technology!  It is everywhere- albeit, just a smattering at MoMa in the media exhibit…purposefully distracted from work and yet…as we exit the lunch venue, we are faced with this marquis: LG Texting Championship 2008! We thought of stopping in with an impromptu survey on how likely it might be for the participants to use thier texting skills to engage in therapy, but we thought better of it and continued with our day in the city!

Our colleague Jerry Finn of the University of Washington is conducting new research.  The purpose of the study is to understand the experiences and perceptions of etherapists in order to better understand this new practice method and to develop better online services.

Please visit https://catalysttools.washington.edu/webq/survey/finnj/54144 to participate!