Using the Internet to assist family therapy

Possible uses of the internet to assist family therapy, especially in the treatment of families where members are geographically separated, are explored. The potential value of using e-mail and other Internet functions to facilitate family therapy is explained. The possible negative aspects of this new and experimental approach are evaluated. A case example is presented of a family that benefited from exposure to Internet resources. Ethical considerations in working with the new information and communication media are discussed. Analysis of a report on the use of the telephone to assist family therapy reveals many of the pros and cons that similar use of the Internet is likely to encounter. An evaluation of the use of the written word in recently developed family therapies lends support to the use of the Internet as a means of facilitating therapeutic family communications between remote members.