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Cyber-Therapy Driving Therapy Counter-Culture Final Considerations |
The phenomenon known as Cyberspace is one which is steadily expanding and offering new services to those who access the internet. There is not a day that goes by in which I am faced with an internet address for a company which I thought would never have a homepage. Even elementary schools are starting to put up web pages with information about their academic services.
So what about the idea of having therapy over the internet? Can these therapists provide the same services through the computer, and be as effective? These questions will be answered here in my second report on Cyberspace.
Before writing this report, however, I knew nothing about therapy
over the internet. I didn't even know that it existed. I now know
that there are people out there who provide this service to those
who want or need it. But are they helpful? In some cases, I believe
so, but in others, I don't think the internet can accommodate
for all the needs of the individual who seeks therapy. To hear
a little more on what I have to say about this matter, read on.
After visiting Tom Raymond's web site, Emotional Fitness Online, I wondered to myself whether or not something like this could be of service to the general public, and if so, how? I mean to me, it seemed just like any other type of therapy with a small twist, it was on the internet.
This one thing, however, did catch my eye and made me think. The idea of interaction between patient and therapist solely over the internet was an amusing idea. Did it warrant any further investigation? That it did, and I took a closer look at this web site to determine whether or not it was any good to the general public.
When you first visit the site, there's a nice picture of Tom Raymond (I assume) and his family. Then there's a little introductory segment on his services and also on how to get involved in his therapeutic means. The page is nicely done with links to the different treatments after short explanations of each, making it easy for the internet user to "get around," his web page.
One thing which stood out in my mind, was the description of his therapeutic advice column, Emotional Fitness, being, "more powerful than an advice column and more timely and productive than the traditional 50 minute session." What did he mean by this? I'm guessing that what he meant was that it is more powerful in the sense that it can be accessed at any time and can provide immediate answers to many common questions. If one were to wait for a 50 minute session, the time wasted in between could be disastrous. If one were to write to a normal advice column, they'd have to wait for a response which could take maybe days or even weeks. By having this tool online, people could get help, virtually, whenever they were in need of it.
Sure, even a service like this wouldn't be able to provide for everyone whenever they were in need of help, but it would probably be a more efficient means of accessing therapy to those in need of service. This, I felt, was what he meant by saying that it was a more powerful tool.
Another idea which I thought was rather interesting was his use of participation therapy. What participation therapy is, as described by Tom Raymond, is "a pragmatic, common sense approach to the problems that plague couples, families and individuals. It combines the best of traditional therapies with a direct, no nonsense philosophy that assumes people do what they've learned how to do."
When I clicked on this link, I found his breakdown of how Participation Therapy should work. Basically, what Tom Raymond says here is that, "We learn to be human by participating with other human beings." So through interaction, we can resolve conflicts which are more or less common among the general public. This, I felt, was a pretty good theory on how to solve problems... but over the internet?
I, personally, don't think that something like this would work out too well. I do believe that groups of people discussing their problems, trying to use others' suggestions to solve them, and suggesting solutions to other peoples' problems can work, but I also believe that in order for it (group therapy) to work, actual face-to-face interaction must be incorporated. A lot of what goes on in therapy, from what I understand, is the "reading" of facial expressions, body language, and so forth. So how is one supposed to observe all of this through the internet? I guess one could argue that there are those camera hookups which could be used to see who one is talking to, but in reality, there aren't many people who own these special tools. So I tend to disagree with Raymond's thoughts on this form of therapy.
Another site which I visited was the "Cyber-psych" page. This page, I felt, was basically a guide to places to go, in cyberspace, to find help for psychological problems, or counseling of some sort. The layout is pleasing to the eye and very inviting. Some of the links within the page don't work, but most do, at least the ones I checked out. The first thing that caught my eye was the explanation of what Cyber-Psych is. They say that, "Cyber-Psych is committed to bringing high quality, professional psychological care and information to the on-line community. We believe that the internet provides a non-threatening, interactive medium through which mental health care can be provided to the rapidly increasing population of people on-line."
This is followed by a list of links which offers the person accessing the page to choose anything from eating disorders to sexual abuse recovery. The thing which I don't get, however, is how something like this could be more helpful than conventional therapy. Why access an internet page rather than go to a therapist?
I asked some of my friends this question, and a lot of them said that it could be the fact that people aren't willing to admit to a problem. Instead, they hide it, deny it, and eventually, when ready, see a counselor. This, accessing the internet for counseling, is an easier way, or rather less conspicuous way of seeking counseling. By going this route, no one has to know. Not saying that by going out and seeing a counselor, one announces to the world that he/she is undergoing therapy, but who the hell needs to know what you're doing in your own home, at your own terminal? I guess its a less vocal way of seeking help.
The Cyber-Psych page does, however, provide a wealth of information. I clicked on several different links, and each provided me with more than enough information on their respective subjects. I thought this was an extremely valuable tool, or at least one for those seeking help.
My suggestion, therefore, concerning Cyber-Therapy, is that if
one is going to seek therapy, then they should think about seeing
a conventional therapist first. If at all nervous or hesitant,
then one should look to the next best means of counseling, which
is the internet. More than actual counseling, it could provide
a person with valuable information concerning his/her problem
area.
After visiting the site on driving therapy, provided by Sy Cohn, entitled, "Are you driving yourself crazy?," the first thing which came to my mind was "this is a damn infomercial." The entire page is devoted to selling his miracle tapes which can cure anyone from the fear of driving an automobile. Throughout the page, he inserts quotes from satisfied consumers backing his tapes on driving therapy. But is it actually therapy? I think not.
The whole point of this page, I felt, was to make money. I didn't get the feeling that he was at all interested in helping people to drive. All right, maybe I am being a bit unfair here, for all I know he really wants to help people, but the way he comes across, as far as providing a means of service, is utterly offensive.
One of the first lines, for example, is: "Are you tired of depending on others? Gain independence with confidence with two, 60 minute, state-of-the-art, self-help, audio cassettes, with beautiful relaxing music, designed to use for all your driving problems WHILE DRIVING!" Now seriously, doesn't this sound like an infomercial?
I showed this page to some of my friends, and they all agreed completely with me. Every single one of them said that it seems like he's just trying to sell his stupid tapes. So what about the therapy end? Can this be helpful?
I guess the tapes could actually work, but the way in which he's pushing them is just not right. He could've started out the page by discussing some of the problems involved in driving situations rather than just plugging his tapes. This, I felt, was too offensive and brash.
Okay, enough criticism on his page layout, let's get to the meat of it. About halfway down the page is a link entitled, "Tips from the Tapes." Contained within is a brief overview of what sorts of people are usually afflicted with this problem of driving anxiety. He goes on to describe this problem and then gives a description of the treatment held within the tapes. Some of the methods, like visualization therapy and learning to use certain aspects of your physical being to help ease some of the discomfort of driving, seem to hold some sort of semblance to driving therapy. I can see how these methods would work, but why sell them over the internet?
I guess the problem I have with this particular page is that it seems like an ad more than a helpful tool to alleviate driving discomfort. There is absolutely no therapy going on here, just a means of seeking out therapy through the usage of his tapes. It is for this reason that I feel Sy Cohn's page is not directly helpful to someone in need of driving therapy, thus, it's not therapy at all.
Another page which I mused, however, did provide some sort of therapy for those in need of help in driving. Dr. Driving's page on driving therapy provided a detailed description of what the problem is with those suffering from this affliction, as well as a method for curing this problem. It was a more complete form of help, in that it actually provided the person accessing the page with a concrete form of help.
The section in the page which I am most referring to is entitled, Three Step Program to Healthier and More Zestful Driving., and I believe that it actually can provide help for the reader. Contained within, are three explicit steps in trying to overcome one's problem with driving. There are links within this section to help in clarifying anything which could be vague to the less psychologically geared mind, and because of this helpful feature, it is readable to anyone. This, I felt, was a better form of driving therapy than Dr. Cohn's way.
Also contained within the page is a chart to help in discovering whether or not you have a problem with your driving. This, I felt, was an effective tool in helping to determine whether or not a person is a candidate for driving therapy. It is an extremely comprehensive chart, breaking down personality types into nine "zones" which could help in pinpointing wherein the problem lies.
So how can one help oneself, in driving therapy terms, over the
internet? Well, they could either visit the site by Dr. Cohn where
no help is provided, but by purchasing his wonderful tapes you
can help yourself, or they could visit Dr. Driving's page
where the help is contained within the site. You make the call.
For this next section, I visited the site entitled, "Technology and Transgression," by Steve Mizrach, and went over his paper with the future of Cyberspace in mind. I found many interesting thoughts within his paper, some of which are rather obscure to the perusing eye, and I believe his thoughts hold some merit in what is trying to be said: that the Government is conspiring against the general public in an attempt to have more control over the people.
In his section on Radio Underground, Mizrach spoke of the scanner freaks and radio pirates in their attempts to know more about "what's going on." What I got from this section, was his idea of how people, on the whole, are nosy and/or interested in knowing what the hell is really going on. Many times what actually is being said in the media reports is just some picture of what they (the government) want the public to hear. They bury the truth with vague descriptions of events and withhold important bits and pieces in an attempt to hide the actual events which are taking place. These radio underground people, however, try to find the truth through their scanners and other means of broadcasting.
Mizrach states that, "Scanner enthusiasts seem to gravitate toward areas of mystery, like the 'Area 51' Groom Lake military base in Nevada, hoping to pick up on some intelligible snippet of conversation which will give the place away." This is a good example of how these radio underground people are trying to discover the truth to many of the Government's secret hideaways. This, I feel, is a good indication of human nature in general. We all seek to gain more knowledge, when we know the truth is out there.
Another section which I feel Mizrach hit the bulls-eye with, was his section on Computer Underground. Now, I'm not going to spend a whole lot of time on this section, because it is the same, in essence, as the Radio Underground part of his paper. The group which I'll target is the hackers.
The hackers, according to Mizrach, are out there in an attempt to gain, "total and open access to hardware, data, and software." These people, much like the Radio Underground people, are out there simply to gain anything from a Government which has been taking for so long. All they want is the truth, and by breaking into places guarded by computer security codes, they intend on getting it. Once again this touches on the notion that people want to know what's really going on, and it shows that they'll go through any means to attain that goal.
The rest of his paper, however, doesn't seem to tell me anything of value. Maybe its because of the terminology which he uses (there are a lot of abbreviations which I can't decipher), but I don't think the rest of his paper is readable to the general public. In his section on Modern Primitives, for example, Mizrach states that, "On the one hand, there are forces struggling to make human time (body rhythms, etc.) meet the time-compression demands of post-industrial, flexible-accumulation society; on the other hand there are the forces struggling to redefine time away from the clock and toward more cosmic, natural rhythms." What?!? I'm sorry Steve, but I just don't get your point here. The interesting thing here is that I don't know what you're saying.
That is another point I'd like to make about humans in general. We always try to make ourselves look more intelligent than we actually are. Maybe its because of the fact that since we're the most intelligent lifeforms known to us, we try to fit the mold, but seriously, why should we try and become the prototypical someone which we aren't or can never be? It's questions such as these which make me question where the human race is headed in the future.
So, after looking around a little on the internet, I discovered this site illustrating how hackers are out to gain free access to the world of cyberspace. Apparently, a group of hackers broke into the page of the Department of Justice. Well, they defaced the page and included such comments as, "It is hard to trick hundreds of millions of people out of their freedoms, but we should be complete within a decade," showing how the Government is trying to take away our freedoms. It's an interesting article and I suggest you check it out.
Another site which I found explains a little on what being a cyberpunk hacker is all about. In this site, there is a description of what the author believes hackers are. There are also some interesting links included, explaining why hackers do what they do.
There are many other sites out there on hacking, some of which
actually tell you, in a step-by-step format, how to hack into
certain places. They are rather interesting if you take the time
to check them out. You can start by running a search under: hackers,
Government conspiracy, cyberpunk, etc. If you're interested in
this sort of thing, there's a lot of information out there.
In my first report, the basic premise was that Cyberspace and the mind are basically the same, in almost all aspects. Both need some sort of hardware (the computer and the brain) to function, and both are in essence "accessed," by the user. Both can help you by allowing you to explore different possibilities for different notions, but both are also "only as useful to you as you allow them to be."
Another issue which was touched upon in my first report was the issue of spirituality in clicking on certain links. In my first report, I stated that, "...cyberspace is related to spirit and mind." and, "It is something which must come from within the person and is a direct reflection of who that person really is, spiritually." This, I felt, was an accurate portrayal of what goes on when someone decides on whether or not to click on a particular link. They must want to click first, before actually going through the motions of clicking on the link. This is where spirituality in clicking comes in.
I also said in my first report that, "The one thing which I can say with conviction is that Cyberspace is a phenomenon which is fast-growing and limitless." Now this is obviously true, but what I meant was that there are no bounds to where Cyberspace will end up. No one can know for sure, but what is for certain is that it will continue to grow and gain popularity as long as there are people willing to access its' wealth of information.
The interesting thing here, is that what I wrote about before is actually happening now and I expressed it here in my second report. What was talked about here in my second report, was the idea of therapy over the internet. In my first report, I talked about how useful Cyberspace can be, and how it will be used in the future for many different things. I've now discovered that there are therapists out there, plugging their services, or even offering services over the internet.
Is this helpful, or can it eventually replace the notion of physically going to see a therapist? I believe it can expand a lot more, but to replace conventional therapy completely would be a stretch. I believe that some people will still prefer the idea of actually sitting face-to-face with another person and talking their problems through. Even though the same sort of therapy will be available over the internet, I don't believe that every single person will benefit from this sort of therapy.
After writing both papers, I feel that my understanding of Cyberspace, in regards to the mind, has been enriched beyond whatever I thought was imaginable. Going into this course, I was skeptical as to what kind of knowledge I'd come out with. I mean in most courses, I'll go in, sit and listen for an hour or so, study, take the exam, and then probably forget most of the material later on. What I've gained here, however, at least concerning the internet and how it is relative to the mind, is amazing. I now have a firm grasp, or at least I believe so, on what Cyberspace is, and how it can be helpful in the future.
I am secure enough now, for example, to state that "I am a netizen!" Before writing these papers, and accessing the internet, I'd probably not even know what the hell a "netizen," is. Now, however, I am willing to surf the net for any information which is needed. I know that before this course, I was so computer illiterate, that I'd ask my friends to go online and find something for me. I can now do these sorts of things myself, because I now understand a lot about Cyberspace and virtual reality in relation to the mind.
So is the internet expanding, bringing in new and innovative ideas to the forefront of virtual reality? I believe so. There are just so many possibilities out there, concerning Cyberspace, that I don't think anyone can know for sure what is going to happen in the future. What I believe, however, is that the future will have a new type of human being, one that will understand and use more virtual reality than we are using today. These human beings will be able to turn on their computers and go just about anywhere, virtually, with the touch of a button. I guess what I'm saying here is that a new breed of humans will eventually evolve, ones which will use the computer as a major means of living.
As far as the issue on Cyberspace being related to the spirit as well as the mind, I touched upon this briefly in my first paper, and I'll once again refer to the idea that, yes, Cyberspace is related to both the spirit and the mind. In essence, I believe that Cyberspace and the mind are basically the same sort of tool. They both need to be accessed, for they are always there, but not always in use to the individual. The individual must gain access to each by wanting to use both means of conveying information. This is where the spiritual aspect comes in.
In order for the person to want to access both Cyberspace and the mind, he/she must have an inner drive to seek out these informational avenues. The inner drive, I believe, is a spiritual thing. Whatever it is which causes a person to do what one does, say what one says, or act the way one acts, is spiritual in the sense that we don't know exactly what it is which drives a person to be a certain way. It comes from within. It is unexplainable. Spiritual.
So with that in mind, the only thing left for me to say to you
is: Don't be afraid of technology and what the future holds. Embrace
it and allow yourself to be caught up in the mix of it. Become
one with technology, or eventually, the entire world will leave
you behind.