Online counseling is not new. Other terms for online counseling include etherapy, online therapy, cybertherapy, and internet counseling. Nearly 10 years have passed since I first offered online counseling. Professionals worried that online counselors were trying to replace traditional face-to-face psychotherapy. Now many psychotherapists offer online counseling or at least use technology to enhance relationships with existing clients.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to obtain counseling without scheduling hassles or the commute? Many people are finding that engaging in online counseling is easier, more convenient, and more cost effective. The idea of logging on from home or most anywhere with the convenience of wireless internet and a laptop is quite attractive.

So how is online counseling conducted? Email, chat and webcam are the most common methods of delivery. Some therapists are offering counseling in virtual worlds such as Second Life. But mostly, online counseling is text-based, meaning that the usual cues of hearing and seeing are not available. Some describe email therapy much like exchanging letters. Chat therapy is conversational in style and compares more readily to the process of traditional psychotherapy. With technological advances, webcams are offer more resolute images than just a few years ago. Webcams introduce the audio and visual components back into the process. Any of these delivery methods can be used singularly or in conjunction with one another.

If you are interested in online counseling, be sure you choose a therapist who understands the importance of confidentiality and offers an alternative to traditional chat and email. Ideally, your communication should be secure and encrypted and a variety of free encryption options are available that are very user-friendly. Many therapists who practice online have additional education that ideally indicates a certain level of proficiency. Therapists who have received additional training will usually indicate the training on their website. Therapists may opt to become certified as a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). This designation suggests a basic level of expertise and the certification is offered by through the Center for Credentialing Education and the National Board of Certified Counselors. In addition, you should be able to verify a therapist’s other credentials. At a minimum, expect your therapist to be able to practice independently. In the United States, this is usually indicated by a state license.

Herbs have been around for thousands of years and were used by the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Minoans and other ancient cultures to help improve individual health. Most of the uses of herbal health remedies were discovered by trial and error. In today’s time, more accurate research is being done on the effectiveness of various herbs. Medications we use today in some cases came from herbs. For example, aspirin initially came from willow tree bark that was chewed by people to relieve pain and fever. Even stronger drugs like morphine were created from plants, such as opium flowers. Heart medications, such as digoxin (foxglove) and atropine (belladonna) have strong herbal roots.

Some people choose to take medications as prescribed by a doctor while others include herbal health as part of their daily maintenance or when they get sick. In prescribing to herbal health, the herbs can be gathered by the individual or a practitioner of herbal health. Herbs can be brewed in teas and the liquid can be drunk. Some people go to health food stores or on the internet to buy extracts of herbs packaged in capsules they take instead of chewing the herb or drinking the tea.

So what are the most important benefits of herbal health? Herbs can be taken without a doctors prescription and tend to be cheaper than prescription medications. There are herbalists you can consult about which are the best herbs to take but they are usually cheaper to see than the doctor. Herbalists have years of experience in knowing which herbs are good for you and which ones you will tolerate the best. Herbalists know about side effects of herbs, if any.

There are usually few side effects when taking herbs for herbal health. These are usually natural products that are of low to moderate potency and therefore are easier for your body to handle. Herbs work with your body to heal what ails you and to maintain your otherwise good health. The strength of herbal products tend to be mild so that your body tolerates them better.

Different herbs can be taken together for good herbal health. Herbalists know what combinations of herbs act synergistically with others and they are often combined in the same supplement. For example, valerian root is often mixed with passion flower to maximize the ability of both herbs to help you sleep better.

Herbs come in a variety of ways so that you can choose which way to take them. There is herbal aromatherapy used for various reasons, flower waters and aroma sprays, herbal teas, shampoos containing herbs, essential oils extracted from herbs, salves for skin problems or to absorb into the system from the skin, gel caps and capsules. You can choose from a number of ways to take the herbs-whichever is convenient for you.

With herbal health, you have the benefit of thousands of years of herbal experience so you know you are getting a quality product. While the US government prevents herbalists from putting the diseases that the herbs treat on the bottle of the herb, the herbalist isn’t prevented from telling you what herbs you can use to treat a specific illness and you can get the right product. Perhaps, as herbs become more popular and more research is done on them, the government will recognize herbal health as a viable way to treat disease and more people will benefit from herbs to maintain health and treat illness.

People take herbal health food for various reasons but the misguided notion about medicinal value is gradually being corrected. For whatever reasons people take herbal products and supplements, the guidelines prescribed through federal legislation provides that herbs cannot allege that these can prevent, detect or treat any ailment or disease.

The “health factor” was born out of the claims regarding positive effects of herbs on certain body functions or structures and the general welfare of those who consume these so-called natural products. However, this explanation is disputable and gives weight to ambiguous health claims. While legal stipulations have come out, consumers are still responsible for verifying their legitimacy and actual effects. The bottom line is to stay away from products with questionable claims despite all the hype about them.

What medical and fitness professionals maintain is that the best remedy for disease prevention is a healthy lifestyle. This consists of a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits and low in cholesterol. At the same time, physical exercises also play a vital role. Yet, workouts should be regulated. There is no available data suggesting that herbs are more useful than prescription drugs for curing illnesses.

Herbs have always been advertised as natural so millions of people believe that these are completely safe. Nevertheless, this is not always true. While many of these botanicals are considered safe, some have harmful side effects. There have already been several deaths because of the improper use of herbal products. In certain instances, even minimal amounts of herbs, have produced had injurious effects.

For the benefits of consumers, some of these products that have been mentioned by medical research and journals include the following:
• Ephedra allegedly for hypertension, strokes and seizures
• Chapparal for kidney and liver troubles
• Comfrey for liver poisoning
• Lobelia for breathing difficulty
• Wormwood for kidney ailments

Physicians recommend to their patients and the public in general that consuming herbal health food should only be for limited duration. It is still uncertain if temporary benefits that could lead to long-term use will be damaging to people’s health. You have to follow instructions printed on labels strictly and discontinue use in case of abnormal side effects. Medical practitioners do not prescribe herbs for medical remedies of chronic maladies like grave depression, diabetes, hypertension and heart ailments. Herbs are not recommended for kids under six years old; pregnant women; individuals with HIV; and, people affected by kidney and liver diseases.

Herbal vitamins and are classified by the United States Food and Drug Administration as mere dietary supplements and not as drugs. Henceforth, these are not tested for safety. Herbal commodities can be sold any time even without scientific research and approval from regulatory government agencies. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical firms are mandated to conduct clinical research to establish the usefulness of prescription medicine, probable interaction with other substances and proper dosages.

Consumers need to be well-informed for their own welfare especially at this time when the herbal industry continues to flourish. Research continues if only to determine the real causes and effects of herbal health food.