History of online counseling and child development
The history of online counseling over the Internet began approximately forty years ago. The first twenty years of online counseling promoted free-source educational and therapeutic ideals. Many of these ideals promoted by child psychologists and child behavior experts began to serve parents and educators with learning opportunities. Like many other online services that began after the advent of the Internet, the concept of online counseling was developed among educational and research institutions with a desire to promote a stronger learning environment. Below is a synopsis of the history of online counseling.
In October 1972, one of the first demonstrations of the Internet was a simulated psychotherapy session between computers at Stanford and UCLA. This took place during the International Conference on Computer Communication.
In 1976, not long after the introduction of the first personal computers, computer bulletin board systems began to enter service.
Starting in 1979, the first national online services, Source and Compu-serve, enabled personal computer users to communicate online nationwide.
In 1986, Jerry Feist, at the time Director of Psychological Services, and Steve Worona founded Uncle Ezra” (named for Ezra Cornell, the University’s founder).
In 1995 John Grohol, Doctor of Psychology. began offering free mental health advice in a popular weekly public chat.
In 1995, paid mental health services offered to the public began to appear on the Internet.
From 1995 to 1998, Sommers worked with more than 300 people in his online practice, spanning the globe from the Arctic Circle to Kuwait. David Sommers, Ph.D., can be considered the main pioneer of “e-therapy”. He was the first to establish a paid Internet service.
In 1997, the International Society for Mental Health Online was formed to promote the understanding, use, and development of online communication, information, and technology for the international mental health community.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the interaction between mental health professionals and consumers on the Internet can be divided into two types:
Online counseling and electronic therapy, developed by numerous counselors and psychotherapists, formed ongoing helping relationships that are now evolving through the media of the Internet.
Mental Health Counseling: Currently, counselors and psychotherapists respond to questions generated by the general population seeking professional mental health counseling only via the Internet.
Today, online counseling services are helping people all over the world. Although this service is still in its early stages of development, online counseling is becoming a viable option for individual or family counseling needs.