Chapter 2: Status of Technologies: Digital Tools

Historically, there are numerous examples of how technology can offer new opportunities to psychotherapy and clinical psychology. For instance, as early as the 1940s, the possibility of using magnetic recorders was considered as a means of supporting analysis. If we take into consideration that this field of care is based mostly on communication between patient and clinician, this is exactly the type of field that is most suitable to benefit from new forms of communication that have gradually become available to people: from telephone, email, internet chat to videoconferencing systems (Goss & Anthony, 2003). New technologies have a novelty factor and some evident advantages for a common user, however, from a clinical point of view it is necessary to go beyond and evaluate every implication and potential drawback.