ABSTRACT
The use of technology in psychological therapy is not a new phenomenon and practitioners have adapted and integrated such innovations for decades. However, from a ‘digital immigrant’ position, the seemingly rapid development of social media may perhaps take time to accommodate. On the one hand, while the technology is new, ethical core principles remain constant. On the other hand, the innovation of social media technology presents many opportunities to develop new ways of delivering psychological therapy and may challenge us to re-consider Paul’s (1969: 44) pre-internet question of ‘what treatment by whom, is most effective for this individual with that specific problem and under which set of circumstances?’, in the digital age. Hence, as a practitioner, multiple layers of complexity are presented when considering the role of social media in counselling and psychotherapy practice. This chapter sets out to discuss some of the opportunities and challenges that social media use presents in this context.
