What is Etherapy?

Etherapy is a viable alternative to traditional psychotherapy and coaching. It's effective, private, and economical. For some people, it's the only way they can get help from a professional therapist or coach when traditional services are inaccessible.

My services offered are; the email-video exchange, the real time chat session, the phone session, and the video-conferencing session.

Etherapy is not psychotherapy or coaching. It should not be compared to psychotherapy of coaching. It is not a substitute for traditional psychotherapy or coaching. But many people for various reasons cannot or will not see a therapist or coach in person. Etherapy is a form of counseling which, though it falls short of full-fledged psychotherapy and coaching, is still a very effective source of help.

How effective is Etherapy?

The official stance by the psychotherapy community is still in question in regards to the efficacy or non-efficacy of Etherapy.

"Studies investigating the long-term effectiveness of etherapy for the treatment of specific disorders or conditions are currently lacking. As a relatively new treatment modality, etherapy has not yet progressed to the status of an empirically validated therapeutic medium. There is a need for additional research into the risks and benefits associated with etherapy in the treatment of various conditions."

— Excerpted from The American Psychiatric Association (http://www.psych.org)

However, the anecdotal evidence, case studies, and other short-term research that has been conducted have shown ETherapy to be as effective as traditional therapy.

Why use Etherapy?

The most popular reason for using Etherapy, for the therapist and the client, is the convenience. Etherapy sessions can be conducted from the comfort of the client's home and at convenient times.

The other great benefit to Etherapy is the cost. Individual Etherapy sessions with rmetherapy.com are up to one half the cost of traditional psychotherapy. Even less than the cost of the co-pay under some insurance policies. An online therapy practice reduces overhead costs for the e-therapist. Therefore, the client pays less for services with the added convenience of not having to travel to an office.

How long does Etherapy last?

This is completely dependant on the individual client and the issue(s) he or she is dealing with. Some clients may only require a brief Etherapy regimen consisting of about 6-12 sessions. While others who require assistance working on a long lasting and prevailing issue may request a long-term plan lasting a few to several months. The length of Etherapy is a topic discussed between the client and myself when working together.

Do you accept insurance?

Unfortunately, I am unable to accept insurance reimbursement from clients. Nor will insurance companies accept claims for Etherapy services to reimburse you.

What is required to use rmetherapy.com?

First, you will need to register for an account on the website to be able to start using services. Once you do you will be able to create your personal profile, schedule session(s), and pay for session(s). Then there are the system requirements. For more detailed information, please visit the Services page. At the very least you will need a computer with an Internet connection.

Finally, you must be able to speak the English language fluently to use rmetherapy.com. I am completely open to international clients but your English must be fluent enough for me to understand. For non-English speaking clients, the only service I can provide for you is the video-email exchange, but the email must be translated in English and you will have to have my video response translated for you in your language.

What does it cost to register for an account?

Absolutely nothing.

Does my personal information remain confidential with your website?

The website and all the services offered are conducted with safety and confidentiality being of the highest priority. There is also only a limited amount of personal information required to register an account, the rest being optional to add on your part. Furthermore, none of your information will be shared at any time with anyone unless on rare occasions, which we will discuss together, when you register to use my services. Finally, all personal information on your rmetherapy.com account page will be permanently deleted once you personally deactivate your account. Any account that has not been used in 1 year's time will also be permanently deleted.

How long does each session last?

With the exception of the email-video exchange, the real-time chat, phone, and video-conferencing sessions all last 1 hour. For more information please visit the Services page.

Can minors use rmetherapy.com?

Persons under age 18 may use my services with the submission of a signed parental consent form, which I will provide to the parent(s) prior to the start of etherapy. No persons under 13 will be permitted to use services on rmetherapy.com.

What forms of payment are accepted?

All major credit cards and banking accounts. However, should you wish to use another form of payment through the mail, please visit the Contact page and send me an email with a contact phone number. I will call you to discuss potential alternatives over the phone.

I tried to schedule a session on a certain day, but it is unavailable:

There are a number of possible reasons why it is not available. These are usually related to pertinent personal matters or the maximum number of clients I can work with on that particular day has been reached.

A question I had wasn't answered on this F.A.Q. page:

Then feel free to get in contact me through the contact page. I will gladly give you a call or return an email for any question you have.

Etherapy, also known as e-counseling, tele-therapy, or cyber-counseling, is a relatively new development in mental health in which a therapist or counselor provides psychological advice and support over the Internet.

While E-therapists cannot diagnose or treat mental illness online, they can offer guidance and advice to people experiencing problems in relationships, work, or life.