In order to successfully practice in 2010 and beyond, therapists and counselors must understand and learn to navigate the technological complexities of our time. One of the most important issues of our time is how technology affects psychotherapy and counseling.  As members of a tech-driven culture, clients and practitioners alike are affected.  Increasing numbers of clients receive or send texts during sessions and a growing number of clients prefer texts or email in between sessions to the more traditional phone call.  Families face increasing tension and conflict around children's computer and technology use, over-use, abuse and addiction.   We have developed a course to help therapists understand and face these issues and increase their clinical effectiveness.  The course has relevance to therapists, whether they consider themselves to be low-tech or tech-savvy.  It will help increase understanding for relatively low-tech therapists who often find technological issues overwhelming and, as a result, cannot easily relate to technologically-minded patients.  For tech-savvy therapists, the course offers context and tools for helping their patients bring balance to the world of technology. Our new and unique online course,   Psychology of the Internet and Online Gaming: Parent-Child Digital Divide and Internet and Online Gaming Use, Abuse and Addition is offered for 6 CE credits. Parents are distressed that their children are happier spending hours at the computer than they are playing physical, or socially interactive games, or spending time with family.  From the outside, this may look like a waste of time, but young people are satisfying many needs and, yes, learning online. The new course on "Psychology of the Internet and Online Gaming" addresses the generational digital divide that leads to misunderstanding about technology and helps therapists assist parents in understanding and supporting their children in using technology responsibly. The online course explores the following questions: Does online gaming harm children? How do we treat Internet addiction? Does multitasking reduce comprehension and retention, or induce ADHD? How can I work with tech-driven clients who have more friends online than off-line? Is it harmful to build relationships that are exclusively online? What is the effect of gaming and the Internet on learning and education? Most young people have greater mastery over technology than most therapists and other adults. What are the implications for families and the workplace? How can one achieve balance between online and offline life, and how can therapists teach this to clients? Our free article, On Digital Immigrants (older generation) and Digital Natives (younger generation) discusses the psychology of modern technologies and related topics. Certificate Program in Internet Addiction & Psychology of the Web We have expanded the certificate program, which is now offered for 22 CE Credits and includes our new course.  It is composed of the following five online courses: Cybersex Addiction Internet Addiction Internet and Adolescents Psychology of the Internet and Online Gaming Psychology of the iGeneration (4ce)

Share this:

Follow us on: