Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., July 17, 2008 Tamuz 14, 5768 | | Israel Time: 18:03 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 21:56 15/07/2008 My online shrink By Ofri Ilani Tags: Internet, Psychotherapy Psychologist Eliza's therapeutic techniques appear to be utterly conventional, at first. At the beginning of the session, she asks me to present the problem that is bothering me. She responds to my truncated phrases with questions like, "Why do you think that?" or "Tell me more." She occasionally takes pains to encourage me with lines like, "Please continue," and "I'm sorry to hear that." Although she occasionally repeats herself and evades answering questions, she projects level-headed empathy and directs the conversation in a professional manner. One might quite effortlessly continue to talk to her for a long time and forget that Eliza is a simple software program, which duplicates the client's responses and situates them within general patterns. The program, which provides free therapy sessions (www-ai.ijs.si/eliza/eliza.html), was written 40 years ago as a clever parody of psychotherapy. According to psychologist Dr. Udi Bonstein, previous experiments proved that robotic psychologists of this type can extract powerful emotional responses from human subjects. Advertisement "There is something in these programs that really encourages people to talk," he says. "In my opinion, it works because you fantasize that there is a relationship. You believe you are talking to someone who is really listening to you and understands you. But that illusion is limited." Even if automatic therapy is little more than a curiosity, it proves that you do not have to go to great lengths to cause a person in emotional distress to spill his heart to a computer. During the previous decade, psychologists discovered that it was possible to maintain a therapeutic relationship by means of email, Internet forums and chats, and video conferencing. Online therapy enjoyed broad media coverage, and a few futuristic therapists presented it as a mode of therapy that would replace traditional clinical therapy within a few years. In most cases, it is also relatively cheap - a factor that eases the burden of clients. The Israeli Association of Internet Psychologists, which uses the Hebrew acronym "e-love," recently held a conference at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya attended by a number of Israeli psychologists who have used this mode of therapy in their work. What did they conclude, years after digital therapy was introduced? Suits the anxious Many psychologists, who have tried this technique, maintain that it is ineffective in a significant number of cases. Dr. Bonstein says that he was initially enthusiastic regarding the options that online therapy provides, but that he became disappointed with the technique over time. "The therapeutic achievements are very slim," Bonstein says. "Therapy by means of Internet only brings up pathology in very difficult places." Bonstein maintains that the Internet is mainly effective when people who suffer from social anxiety fear, for a variety of reasons, initiating a relationship with a therapist in the real world. "The Internet allows many people to conduct social lives without the risk of rejection," he explains. "This is a type of relationship that does not involve the anxiety associated with eye contact - the anxiety that they won't like me - because you can always change your identity and move to another place." Despite that, Bonstein says, virtual therapy can make it more difficult for an anxious client to enter the external world thus heightening the problem. "The Internet provides very partial communication. And if the client's problems are so grave that it is only possible for him to engage in fragmented communication of that type, there is little chance that the therapy will succeed. The risk is that one can quickly fall prey to the illusion that this is full-fledged therapy, but it is merely partial." There are only words Psychologist Yaakov Barmatz operates the shrink4u.co.il site in which he directs a counseling forum and a "counseling room," where he provides brief Internet therapy sessions. "Do you lack the time to take care of yourself? You can begin therapy in your own home, at a time and place which is convenient to you, even after midnight," he writes. Despite that, like Bonstein, he notes that to a great extent, expectations that the Internet would replace clinical therapy have been proven false. "There were many attempts in the United States to provide complete therapy by means of Internet, but that has diminished," says Barmatz. "Professionals have sobered to some extent." Barmatz believes that the main problem with online therapy by means of correspondence is that it takes place on an intellectual rather than emotional plane. "There are only words on the Internet, and they are written," he says. "When I see words, I use my brain. In clinical practice, I have many more options of bringing the heart into play, because of the personal contact. Therefore, my main dilemma regarding providing Internet therapy is whether I am helping or hurting. Is the client who turns to Internet therapy receiving an answer to his problems, or is he merely exempting himself from receiving face-to-face therapy?" Barmatz notes that the Internet also permits the patient to disguise himself and conceal central elements of his personality. "In clinical practice, after an hour of conversation, a person can't really conceal things. Even if you try to present yourself as more sane or nice than you are in reality, things crop up. In contrast, on the Internet you can preserve a facade for a very long time." Bonstein agrees. "When someone writes me that he is interested in beginning therapy on the Internet, from an ethical point of view, I have no option of beginning therapy like that unless I meet him and talk to him. I don't think you can accept responsibility without meeting the client. It could be someone suicidal sitting next to the computer with three bottles of sleeping pills, and I wouldn't even know that." But at the same time, he says that wise use of the Internet may be employed as an element of therapy. "The Internet facilitates a starting point," Bonstein says. "More people, who would otherwise not come, may start therapy." Yet, some disagree that online therapy is useless. Fervent disciples of the Internet utopia believe that psychologists' rejection of the Internet is little more than conservatism derived from fear. One of them is Dr. Asher Idan, head of the Future Management Program in the management department at Tel Aviv University. Idan, who is not a psychologist, believes that psychologists refuse to recognize that the world is changing, and that institutions which they consider sacred are destined for extinction. "The entire generation of people age 35 and older display resistance to the Internet," Idan says. "Psychologists are trying to protect the clinical institution, just as teachers are protecting the classroom and journalists are protecting the newspaper. They have all sorts of totems and amulets: books, universities, and schools. "But young people, who grew up with the Internet, have already passed those infantile stages and for them, reality is something different - virtual reality controlled by other laws. For my children, what psychologists call 'reality' is what they consider to be ghosts and spirits." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Hezbollah abduction How the Lebanese militia captured two IDF reservists in 2006, illustrated in pictures. Kuntar's crimes Israeli YouTube video details the 1979 terror attack perpetrated by Samir Kuntar.   1.   Seeing and hearing can make the difference. 17:01  |  Dr Daniel 17/07/08

Read & React Zvi Bar'el: It took 2 years, but Nasrallah kept promise to free Kuntar Responses: 77 Report: U.S. to station diplomats in Iran for first time since 1979 Responses: 84 Goldwasser's widow: Our journey has ended today Responses: 80 Talansky tells Olmert lawyers: I did not lie to prosecutors Responses: 9 Ex-envoy to South Africa: Calling Israel apartheid insults victims of that regime Responses: 60 More Headlines 15:33 Regev's brother: I am proud of the nation who fought for your return 14:20 After two arduous years, Karnit Goldwasser's crusade is over 16:30 Talansky tells Olmert lawyers: I did not lie to prosecutors 12:03 Report: U.S. to station diplomats in Iran for first time since 1979 16:24 Poll: 55% of American Jews see Mideast peace as 'core' U.S. interest 13:39 Kafka's mysterious heir snapped for first time - in Tel Aviv 16:19 Israel and Russia close to deal on Mediterranean pipeline 13:46 Amman gunman wounds Israeli, 5 others before shooting self 14:44 VIDEO: Israel posts clip on YouTube describing Kuntar's 1979 attack 14:21 After swap, Israel fears Hezbollah will escalate tensions in North 15:58 Jerusalem bulldozer attacker buried in closed funeral in Zur Baher 11:17 Former MI head under investigation for disclosing state secrets 14:22 Top MK: Public pressure on abductees forced decision makers' hands Previous Editions Select Day 16 jul 15 jul 14 jul 13 jul 11 jul 10 jul 09 jul 08 jul 07 jul 06 jul 04 jul 03 jul

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Dan Hotels Israel Live the Legend & experience an Unforgettable Summer Vacation Yossi Avrahami Presents: New Luxurious Projects in North Tel Aviv & Eilat Holyland Park Jerusalem Apartment Tower World Class Luxury Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved