Self-Disclosure in Online Counselling

Abstract

Online counselling has been described as an emerging trend and an anytime, anyplace activity that is supported by portable technology. Time constraints and geographical barriers are removed with online counselling. Counselling involves a series of skills and strategies along with a therapeutic approach. Self-disclosure is sometimes used in order to help build and deepen the therapeutic relationship. This chapter focuses on self-disclosure as a useful strategy for sharing information with others in a Web mediated context. In many counselling situations, considerable benefit may stem from online counsellor/counsellee mutual self-disclosure. The anonymity of the interaction seems to facilitate a sense of personal freedom and privacy that frees the client to talk to the counsellor with a sense of personal safety and security. These benefits notwithstanding, a number of challenges and ethical issues are involved in self-disclosure in online counselling and these should be taken into consideration by stakeholders.