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Therapy: Is There An App For That?

Therapy Iphone Application Freud "There's an App for that!"

NPR reports today on the development of smart phone applications designed for therapeutic use. Ranging from mood-tracking devices to downloadable cognitive behavioral programs, these apps are designed to be used by mental health clients as a way to help clients do the "homework" sometimes involved in more traditional talk therapy.

However, the article's title, "'Mental Health Apps: 'Like a Therapist in Your Pocket,'" seems to hint at something more: the idea that these programs are as effective as professional therapists. Indeed, for the consumer who has already replace the travel agent, insurance salesperson and reference librarian with technology, this may even seem like an obvious progression. But does the future really lie in the downloadable therapist?

Research has shown that the most important factor in successful therapy is not the mode of therapy used, but rather the relationship between the therapist and the client. Specifically, the use of empathy by the therapist facilitates appropriate change in the client. So while technology can provide useful tools, the human contact and empathy critical to healing and real change still require a relationship that just can't happen with a mobile device

Of course, it is important that the counseling profession embrace new technology and new modes of communication. The professionals interviewed for the article highlight the many ways in which this technology can improve the client's ability to record his or her moods for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. One therapist noted an increase in compliance with homework when his adolescent clients used their smartphones to record relevant information about their lives. Other modes of therapy such as Dialetical Behavioral Therapy often used for Borderline Personality disorder require the client to monitor his or her behavior regularly and could likewise benefit from these tools.

Just remember that the proper use of this type of technology is to complement rather than to replace a working relationship with an appropriate professional. Any application that claims to replace a qualified professional should be regarded with skepticism and used with caution.