Is it Ethical?
Yes. Counseling associations across the world have been expanding their ethical codes since 1999 to support and provide guidelines for Distance Counseling. The National Board of Certified Counselors now offers a professional certification in "Distance Counseling."
In the United States: The National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) as well as the American Counseling Association (ACA) have recognized that the world of psychotherapy has been reshaped by Internet and telephone technologies. Both organizations expanded their codes of ethics several years ago to provide guidance for distance counseling.
In Australia: The State
Government of Victoria recently published a comprehensive guide to
online counseling. They write: "The Internet is an attractive medium
for counseling because it offers
people an anonymous, cheap and convenient way to communicate and accept
services. It also has the potential to reach clients who are remote from
the service delivery point and who may not be inclined to use other
methods of crisis support. ... The Government urges counseling
organizations to make the most of these new communications
opportunities to re-assess their service delivery mix and extend their
valuable commitment to those in need of counseling and crisis support."
In Canada: The
Canadian Counseling Association's Code of Ethics urges counselors to "follow all ethical guidelines for services delivered by telephone,
teleconferencing and internet."
In the United Kingdom: The
British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy (BACP) supports distance counseling by hosting links on their website to distance counselors.