Should Linden Lab require certification for these SL 'Therapists'?

I see a few posts in services for therapists of every kind - and group therapy activities. Should these folks be allowed to claim any credentials they want or should the service provider require proof of their real life education and training?

Anyone who Linden Lab gives a discount to as a representative of a school must submit real life info to get the discount, so this is not an outrageous idea.

Perhaps LL should have a search category entitled 'certified professionals' for those that want the stamp of approval. Discuss.


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I think the customers should ask for proof of certification.

I'm not keen on our service provider getting involved, because I think that would add one more unnecessary leak for resident cash somehow. Either to the certifiers, or to those needing to be verified or... something.

Since LL isn't offering any discounts to them, I'd say no, personally.

However, I feel that if they are not certified, they need let their clients know, else they are very much liable for a wide range of lawsuits.

If they are certified, then I don't doubt that they would have a scanned copy of their certification, and would proudly display this within SL. Again, if someone is untruthful in this, and has a false certificate displayed, then they are likely more than eligible to be persecuted

I think anyone who goes to a therapist in SL needs to have their head examined.

BINGO! We have a Winner!!!

I'm all for "support groups" but therapy? No. Some things cant be doe thru a 3D avatar.

if sl were to get into the business of regulating licenses, then they would also need to confirm accountants, lawyers, etc in sl. i dont think it is a path sl needs to go down.

could not have said it better myself

If one feels the need to seek "professional" help in SL, I suggest they seek that help in RL, where they know who they are talking to, and they also will have the reassurance of dr/patient confidentiality (of which there is no guarantee in SL, anyone can claim to be a "professional" and then take everything you say and use it however they see fit, as long as it is taken out of SL, they are not held to the TOS.)

Buyer beware.

I suppose if the therapy is in-world roleplay it's OK, like avatar therapy sort of thing.
Giving people a bit of advice or moral support to do with their RL problems is fine too.
If someone is given silly advice, they would realise and see it for what it is.

To do with real therapy, then I think it is important that people know they are dealing with someone sound and knowledgeable.

As an aside, my home and shop is called the Egotherapy Centre. That's just a name I made up but, if it means anything at all, it just means feeling good about yourself in Second Life.

Anyone who would rely on an SL resident for services that are regulated and licensed in real life as if the SL resident were the real deal without compelling proof, i.e. 100% transparency as to RL identity, business location and licensing, is a fool.

That being said, I think Linden Lab has made its stance clear that it wont get involved unless and until harm to the SL community has reached a certain point. In other words a large amount of SL residents must be stupid enough to rely on such professional services to their detriment. Just look at how long it took to react regarding SL "Banks".

I don't know the situation in other countries, but in the UK anybody can set themselves up as a "therapist" in RL.

There are some real-world clinical programs that use SL as part of their clients' clinical experience, for example: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/OnCall/Story?id=4133184

Personally, I think that anyone engaging in an SL therapeutic relationship should find out the practitioner's RL credentials.
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... and should be aware that the word "therapist" (as opposed to psychologist or psychiatrist for example) is not a regulated term (well at least not in the US). ie anyone can use it, and there is no legal ramification for use of the term.

All SL therapists should be certified and verified. And sent to their own continent.

A better requirement would be a basic internet safety test to be passed before allowing entry into Second Life. Anyone not knowing basic safety on the internet does not belong in this game (dammit, I did it again.........I mean, platform).

But I think maybe this thread was started as joke or for the OP's entertainment to read all the responses. Maybe hoping someone would pop in with some experience of actually having such therapy.

Oh, and should LL require proof of such a license? No.........they should require some level of maturity though.

No Peggy I didn't. I do not have a forum sense of humor. I did post the lyrics to 'detachable penis' once p but it was on-topic.

I really did want to explore this topic since there are many of these self-proclaimed therapists on the grid. And I agree, buyer beware. But I am just waiting for the first virtual malpractice case to hit the blogs.


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I never knew this
so any joe blow off the street can set up a therapy clinic and call themselves a therapist?

Would a nice informative letter to Linden Lab pershaps be a better way to show your concern for LL's well being?

A thread in the forums is more fun, though, isn't it?

My kids write letters to Santa and I put a stamp on them and mail then to the North Pole. But we adults know that no one is going to read them.

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Got a phone?

And I bet the emails are read. The rants are probably thrown out.......as are the accusatory ones. But a serious, reasonably well written email (or even a snail mail) would get read.............and possibly acted upon. Surely, it's worth a few minutes of your time. That is, if you are truly as worried as you want me to believe you are.

One thing everyone here can attest to is that Linden Lab seldom come to the forums.......and when they do, they almost never respond. You are going on nothing but hearsay about LL not reading mail. I've had great responses from them when I contact them directly. Email and phone.

It's the same in the U.S. If they are simply using the term therapist then there is nothing to check. If they claim they are a psychologist or psychiatrist then that is a different matter.

Yes

This is RESIDENT answers. The Linden threads are orange. I posted to discuss with the people. No one is saying the sky is falling - yet. Just a conversation between the customers. I do not need Linden Lab to post in orange for me to discuss a topic that concerns me.

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same here.

also one has to wonder why anyone would worry about this subject.
So what if someone is in SL pretending to be a therapist?

If someone trusts that person enough to tell them their live woes, then whose business is it other than the two involved.

That would be like saying that people can not pretend to be ministers and such and pretend to marry people.

IF you got burned, then whose fault is it?
LL for allowing someone to use their imagination?
Or yours for believing the person to be everything they say they are, and then spilling everything?

sad, but true.
therapist is a generic catch all term, used to describe anyone that provides any type of therapy (or claims to)

for reference, I've held a legitimate title of therapist at two different jobs (one a summer job at a referral agency) with absolutely no related degree or license.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychologist#Professional_licensing_and_regulation_for_practitioners
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychiatrist#Professional_requirements
you won't find a listing for therapist, or requirements, because it's a non-regulated title.