Online Therapy for Agoraphobia. A Case Study
Online Therapy for Agoraphobia. A Case Study

Summary/Abstract: The practicians in the mental health field are living fascinating times. The potential clients of psychological services became more sophisticated while searching to obtain emotional or relationship help. They research their symptoms online and learn about psychiatric diagnosis from DSM, and about a multitude of treatments. Today, we wish to get immediate answers to a problem we are confronted with. Therefore, many of the potential clients want a rapid connection with a qualified and objective therapist who adjusts to their schedule. The time needed to go to the therapist’s office for a face-to-face session is increasingly considered a waste of time, being replaced with online therapy. Obviously, essential skills and abilities are necessary for becoming both an efficient online therapist and an efficient online client. In this study, we shall present the case of a 30 years old client, the reasons for asking online therapy being: agoraphobia, current difficulties in the relationship with her partner and professional difficulties. We shall present the experience of the client while looking for a therapist, her acceptance as online client and the assessment, as well as the scheduling of Skype sessions, and termination of the therapy. We shall illustrate the manner in which elements from Schema Therapy (Young, 2003) are incorporated into short-term exchanges. As a result of online therapy, the agoraphobia disappeared, and the client acquired a healthier repertoire of alternative responses to threats of abandonment. Finally, the client shall be able to benefit from a longer online or offline therapy, but the help of the few exchanges offered becomes clear, and the therapist was able to provide sufficient closure even within the short time-frame.

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