E-mail as an Adjunctive Tool in Psychotherapy: Response and Responsibility

In a world of technological breakthroughs, it is not surprising that psychotherapists have, along with the general population, taken to the multiple possibilities offered by devices or systems that affect communication. E-mail, now an ever-present phenomenon of near “real time” interaction, provides a myriad of possibilities for enhanced dialogue in psychotherapy relationships. This paper will describe the growing phenomenon of e-mail as an adjunctive tool in psychotherapy practice by initially reviewing the most current of the recent literature. The authors will present a model for the adjunctive use of e-mail between patient and therapist. Case material will illustrate this model as applied to ongoing treatment, crisis intervention, and follow-up.