Posts Tagged ‘Cyberspace’

On Tuesday, May 11th I had the pleasure of attending the screening of Life 2.0, a documentary about Second Life, at ICF Theatre’s  Stranger Than Fiction. Director Jason Spingarn-Koff follows people for a period of over a year or more as they maneuver life lived in a mixed reality.

The scenarios include two people, each married to someone else,  involved in a cyberaffair, complete with hook-ups in Second Life to using webcam technology for face-to-face encounters. Their love affair takes them out of cyberspace for several in-person encounters. Emotions are high and limerence, that state of intense romantic desire for another person, is clearly evident. This is an affair of great proportions~ emotional, cerebral and physical~ filled with the excitement and consequences of infidelity.

An intimate look  into the lives of several people who are brave enough to share their stories continues. Another young adult who is engaged to be married logs into Second Life and soon he has created an alter~ an 11 year-old girl who he describes is a part of himself. This story line is rich and psychodynamic offering a glimpse into the impact of virtual worlds on the lives of people who have experienced childhood trauma. The vulnerabilities of the adult male, his alter child female, his “real life” fiance and other avatars the child befriends in Second Life are all laid out across the screen in a disturbing yet expected fashion.

A woman searching for meaning in her vocation  discovers that she can merge her love of gaming with her talent for design. She also explains that she has been dealing with several health issues so working from home is a plus for her. She starts a business creating a line of clothing and accessories as well as designer homes and landscapes. She manages to turn her hobby into a profitable enterprise. As with any entrepreneur, she applies focused concentration and long hours.

It is the stuff of life that therapists have been dealing with for years, or is it?

Enter the ability to create an alternate digital reality and these life struggles become magnified. Online disinhibition means that people do and say things in cyberspace they might not be able or willing to do or say in their “real life.”  Quotations are purposeful here because the underlying message is that these cyber experiences ARE real- as real as what I had for breakfast this morning.

So what does this documentary offer those of us in the helping professions? How about a new chapter in multiculturalism? Cyberculture is rich, full, real and impactful. Our clients don’t just go to soccer games, or movies or to Paris or Walt Disney. They don’t just have clandestine affairs at work or deal with historical issues of abuse in the therapist’s consultation room. They go to Second Life, another destination rendering the thrill of decadent and clandestine meetings, corporate enterprise, vocational fulfillment and the ability to create a new beginning, reconstruct a past event or extend parts of oneself into another reality.

If you have the opportunity to view Life 2.0, don’t miss it.  Your understanding of cyberspace will grow beyond measure.

Stay tuned for more about Life 2.0. We will regularly post notes of interest to our readers.

DeeAnna

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The Online Therapy Institute is pleased to launch a series of online courses about online therapy.  We will be adding courses so do check back. Our 5 clock hour courses are reasonably priced at $69.99/£45.00. For an additional $25.00 we offer continuing education credits for most mental health disciplines in the United States. Currently our courses also qualify for Registered Social Worker professional development in Canada. We have also applied for PDH course approval for Certified Employee Assistance Professionals (CEAP) as well.

We will be adding new continuing education/professional development opportunities so if you would like our courses to count toward requirements in your country, please let us know and will will gladly look into it!

Our current list of courses:

.

Introduction to Cyberspace: A Primer for Helping Professionals

Relationships in Cyberspace: An Introduction for Helping Professionals

The Online Therapeutic Relationship: Theoretical Considerations

Ethical Considerations of Online Therapy

Working Therapeutically Using Asynchronous Email

Working Therapeutically Using Synchronous Chat

Continuing Education is available for U.S. psychologists, social workers, counselors, addiction specialists, marriage and family therapists, nurses and educators.

Our courses are co-sponsored by R. Cassidy Seminars.  You will take a test and receive a certificate of completion within the course module but if you are a practitioner in the U.S. and you wish to obtain accredited continuing education hours, the cost is an additional $25.00 per workshop.

Online Therapy Institute Accreditation

Co- sponsored by R. Cassidy Seminars

Satisfactory Completion

Participants must have paid course fee, submitted signed verification statement, completed evaluation, and completed post-test with passing grade of 75% in order to receive a certificate. Failure to complete and submit these materials will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available.

Psychologists

R. Cassidy Seminars is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to offer continuing education for psychologists.  R. Cassidy Seminars maintains responsibility for this program.

Also covers LPCs, MFTs, and SWs in the District of Columbia

Social Workers

R. Cassidy Seminars, ACE provider #1082 is approved as a provider for social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) www.aswb.org, through the Approved Continuing Education (ACE) Program. Approval Period: April 15, 2009-April 15, 2012. R. Cassidy Seminars maintains responsibility for the program. Social workers should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval. Social workers will receive __#__ continuing education (clinical, social work ethics) clock hours in participating in this course.

Covers Social Workers in these states: AL, AK, AR, AZ, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NJ, NM, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WY. Also covers Licensed Professional Counselors in PA

DC: See approval for Psychologists

CA: Course meets the qualifications for (#) hours of continuing education credit for MFTs and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Provider #PCE418.

OH: Provider approved by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board for ( ) clock hours, #RCST110701

Counselors

R. Cassidy Seminars is recognized by the National Board for Certified Counselors to offer continuing education for certified counselors.  We adhere to NBCC continuing education guidelines.  Provider #6375.  (#) hours.

AK, AL, AR, AZ, CT, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MN, MS, MT, NC, ND, NH, NJ, NM, OK, OR, RI, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY.

OH: Provider approved by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board for ( ) clock hours, #RCST110701

Marriage and Family Therapists

AK, AL, AR, AZ, CT, FL, IA, ID, IN, KS, MD, ME, MT, NE, NJ, NM, OK, OR, RI, SD TN, UT, VA, WA, WY. See approval for Counselors.

DC & MS: See approval for Psychologists

CA: Course meets the qualifications for (#) hours of continuing education credit for MFTs and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, Provider #PCE418

IL: Illinois Dept of Professional Regulation, Approved Continuing Education Sponsor, #168-000141.  (#) hours.

OH: Provider approved by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board for ( ) clock hours, #RCST110701

TX: Approved CE Sponsor through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists. Provider #151

Chemical Dependency Counselors

Provider approved by NAADAC Approved Education Provider Program for (#) contact hours.  Approval #000654.

CA: Provider approved by CAADAC, Provider #4N-00-434-0210 for (#) CEHs. CAADAC is an ICRC member which has reciprocity with most ICRC member states

TX: Provider approved by the TCBAP Standards Committee, Provider No. 1749-06, (#) hours general and/or (#) hours (specific specialization), Expires 3/2009.  Complaints about provider or workshop content may be directed to the TCBAP Standards Committee, 1005 Congress Avenue, Ste. 460, Austin, Texas 78701, Fax Number (512) 476-7297.

Nurses

CA: Provider approved by the CA Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CeP12224, for (#) contact hours.

Teachers/Educators

IL: Provider approved by the Illinois State Board of Certification #080304164719171

TX: R. Cassidy Seminars is an approved provider with the Texas Education Agency CPE# 501456. This course is (#) CE Hours.

Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling.

Ethical Implications Online: Working and Socializing in Cyberspace
Presented by: DeeAnna Nagel, LPC, DCC
Dallas, Texas EAPA Pre-Conference Training
Co-Founder of the Online Therapy Institute

The Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) invites you to
Register For This Full-Day Ethics Course
Ethical Implications Online: Working and Socializing in Cyberspace
Tuesday, October 20 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM; 7.5 PDH/CE contact hours

This full-day workshop will discuss best practice with regard to communicating online with potential and existing clients, business associates, friends and other therapists. With the advent of Web 2.0 and Social Media, counselors and psychotherapists now must understand the boundaries of working and socializing in cyberspace. Topics to be covered include communicating confidentially with existing clients, how to handle the email inquiry from a potential client, the basics of ethical online counseling and the slippery slope of marketing your practice on the internet via social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Special OTI Discounted Price: $295
(You Save $60!)

Add This Full-Day Business-Building Course
For Just $100 More!

Essential Sales Skills for the Non-Sales Professional
Wednesday, October 21 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM; 7.5 PDH/CE contact hours

Presented by: Shelley Plemons MS, LCDC
President/CEO, Strategic Sales Solutions

The economy is poor and the behavioral health marketplace is increasingly competitive. As a mental health professional, you may be faced with the challenge of maintaining your current work-load while becoming more involved in sales efforts. You want to increase your client base and land business, but sales is not your first profession, and feels daunting. What do you do?

First, don’t panic! Second, participate in this unique full-day training session! This is the only sales training program for non-sales professionals, written and presented by a fellow clinician, and targeted to building the sales capacity of mental health and employee assistance professionals and their programs. Shelley will introduce you to the principles and skills of consultative selling. It’s a logical, non-manipulative approach that focuses on being responsive to the needs of your prospective client and matching them to your products or services. Enhance your confidence by using your personality and skills in consultation, relationship building, and communication to build business!

Total OTI Discounted Price for Both Courses: $395
(You Save $315!)

Offer Expires September 30, 2009!

Don’t Wait ‘Til It’s Too Late!
Use This Special Form to Register Today!

Learn more about EAPA’s 2009 Annual World EAP conference or download the conference preview book.
PDH/CE credit hours provided by:
Employee Assistance Certification Commission (EACC)
National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
California Board of Behavioral Sciences
National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC)

The Georgia Society for Clinical Social Work in conjunction with NASW Georgia Chapter recently invited me facilitate a workshop entitled Ethical Implications of Cyberspace: Understanding the Clinical Risks and Responsibilities. It has been a little over a week since I returned from Georgia having experienced a most welcoming group of workshop attendees. GSCSW recently published an article in their newsletter entitled Protecting Boundaries in a Boundary-less World- Part 1 of an Ongoing Discussion- Setting Boundaries in the Use of Email in Clinical Social Work. I look forward to reading the next discussion in this series following the workshop!

The workshop went quite well and we spent the afternoon working in small groups, pondering over 10 ethical dilemnas.  Each group gave feedback on how they would handle the scenario.  Kate and I brainstormed the scenarios and intentionallly developed them ranging from obvious…to …oh, that would never happen!  The workshop attendees had great feedback, thoughts and ideas about all 10 scenarios and it was such an eye-opening experience for all of us- the workshop attendees and Kate and myself, that we are going to present the scenarios one by one over the course of several weeks here on the blog.  We hope to generate loads of comments and thought-provoking discussion. 

Stay tuned for mind-stretch ethical dilemnas! As we all navigate the waters of online therapy, cyberpsychology and boundaries in cyberspace let’s put our collective heads together and see what we can come up with!  In the meantime, check out the GSCSW article!

Thanks again Georgia social workers!  You rock!

DeeAnna

A random thought on the back of DeeAnna’s last blog entry…

I believe I am the same person in cyberspace as I am within what is sometimes, paradoxically, called Real Life (RL).  The fact that I exist within my writing over the Internet is what is important here, not the fact that I write.  I use writing to convey myself to others because it is the easiest form of communication that currently exists on the Internet, just as the simplest form of communication face-to-face is the spoken word.  I don’t use technology for my professional work for the sake of using technology; it is just the communication system that works best for me for that client at that time.

Would you agree that’s a fair comment and it would apply to you also?

Kate