Online therapy may be a good choice for you
for you
if you meet some of the following criteria:

• You are comfortable on the Internet--use email and chat regularly or want to increase your time online

• You use the keyboard more or less as fast as you think or speak--spelling is less important (or you have voice activation software, so you can transmit without typing)

• You like expressing yourself through the written word

Online therapy may also be a good choice
if you fall into one or more of the following categories:

• You have difficulty leaving your home due to disability, caregiving responsibilities, or some other reason

• You live in an area where there are few or no licensed or certified helping professionals such as social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists available to do psychotherapy

• You live in a community or work in a field in which it may be important not to reveal that you are in therapy or the issues that you need to talk about

• You are too busy to spend time commuting to a therapist's office

• Your schedule varies from week to week so that you need scheduling flexibility in order to commit to therapy

• You are deaf or hard-of-hearing and typing with your therapist is the most direct method for getting therapy

• You are blind or have low vision and face-to-face contact with a therapist is not important to you

• You are uncomfortable around people, but think you might be able to open up in a chat room with a caring therapist

• You are in the military and want safe and confidential access to support with stresses and family issues

• You and your spouse or partner want to work as a couple on your marriage or relationship, but you are currently located in different communities, states, or countries.

Can we work together by email?
You may email me without charge at counseling_solutions@msn.com to schedule or reschedule a session, for more information about my services, or briefly with concerns that come up between sessions. You may also engage in online counseling via email.See below for the fee for one substantive reply to your counseling email. Chat and email are both effective ways of getting professional help, so choose the one that feels most comfortable for you, or both. 

* Once you have determined how you would like to proceed, you may send me an email with a the type of service you are interested in, and if it is an online chat, then choose a day and time that works for you and and I will try to accomodate. Once we agree on a date and time for our chat, and you have signed the informed consent, and paid for your services, We will enter the secure chat room link/private chat for our online counseling session.

How do I pay?
Payment is made in advance for each session through paypal (see links at bottom of this page), which is a secure online payment service that many millions of Internet users find reliable and easy to use. Payments should be directed to Paula Ehrmantraut. 

•                                             50 Minute Chat     $90.00
•                                             25 Minute Chat     $45.00
•                                          1 Email Exchange   $50.00

Why do I have to pay?                                                                         

Therapy or counseling by a licensed social worker, psychologist, or counselor is a skilled service like those offered by other professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, and dentists. When you become my client, I make a commitment to you backed not only by my training and experience, but also by my professional ethics. The fee is your part of the bargain. My part includes accepting responsibility for our work together, maintaining confidentiality, behaving professionally toward you at all times, and giving priority to your emotional needs.

Why a professional?
Many visitors who contact me through this site start out by saying they “just need advice” or are “looking for someone to talk to.” So why choose a professional? Real counseling or therapy offers a lot more than just an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on. A professional is more likely to help you get unstuck and make some real changes, in both your life and how you feel. Maybe you are afraid that there is “something wrong with you.” A helping professional in a recognized discipline like social work or psychology is trained to know the difference and help effectively whether your trouble is mild or severe, either through “talk therapy” (online or face to face) or by referring you to a qualified professional whose help will match your issue. Finally, do you really want a stranger who doesn’t know you and whose qualifications are unknown to make the major decisions in your life? If you click on a site where someone will tell you instantly whether to leave your spouse, quit your job, or skip the operation, who will have to live with the consequences if it doesn’t turn out the way you hope? Not that stranger in cyberspace, but you. Counseling or therapy is a process in which, over time, the therapist gets to know you, helps you make the most of your strengths, and empowers you to make the choices that only you can make.

What about confidentiality?
As your therapist, I am bound by professional ethics to consider the confidentiality of our work a sacred trust, just as I would in office practice. While nothing on the Internet is hacker proof, records are kept only in secure archives. If you choose to keep your own record of a session, you may do so by printing or copying and pasting the text immediately after the session. If you choose, you may log your session by cutting and pasting or printing the text when it ends. No transcript is stored on any server or computer. The confidentiality of electronic and printed records created and maintained by you is your sole responsibility.

If you decide to have one or more sessions with me, you must read and agree to a statement on Informed Consent.

How long does online therapy last?
Like face to face therapy, how long online counseling or therapy lasts depends on your issues and your willingness to work on them. I do not offer "advice" or a quick solution to your problem. My job is to empower you to make life decisions that are right for you and to give you some tools for doing so. What often happens is that we meet a few times so that you can see whether you feel comfortable working online and how you like working with me. If it seems like a good fit, I’ll encourage you to "contract" with me, ie make a commitment, for a period of time that feels comfortable for you. At the end of that time, we will evaluate our progress, and you will decide if you want to continue.