III. Empirischer Teil - E-Beratungsjournal

It seems to be high time to examine more scientifically the fascination and the limits of
psychotherapy on the Internet. The demand of psychotherapeutic help exists and is
already there which is also confirmed by this present study. Eleven out of twelve
psychotherapists, who were interviewed, responded to the request of a patient and then
offered psychotherapy via videophone. It would be a shame if this very sensitive area of
mental health care would be flooded by dubious psychological helpers.
The present qualitative study explores the use of videotelephone in psychotherapy. The
aspects of the psychotherapists of how to deal in psychotherapy with a video phone, are
presented by a structured interview with an expert. In addition, this study shows the
differences in the formation of relationships, the characteristics of the therapeutic
relationship, the limits in a screen-to-screen treatment and the expectations of
psychotherapists´ for the future.
Twelve psychotherapists with many years of psychotherapeutic experience and
expertise in the sector psychotherapy with Skype video phone were interviewed. Those
people were found by a random selection on the Internet and belonged to different
schools of therapy. They had their practices and consulting rooms in Austria,
Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Great Britain, Canada, USA, Vietnam and Australia.
Six interviews were conducted in German, six in English.
Due to the results of the content analysis of the transcribed interviews the following
four main categories could be found:
- Review - entry into psychotherapy with videophone
- General regulations
- Therapeutic process
- Future prospects
In the category of review, where the introduction to the psychotherapy by using video
phone was examined, it was found out, that the flexible, mobile and technically-minded
life of psychotherapists influences the decision to try out and use this new, little-
explored type of psychotherapy. The major reason for a screen-to-screen treatment was
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