Technology use in counselling practice: An actor-network theory report

Abstract

The purpose of this actor-network theory report on technology use in counselling practice is to present a snapshot of how telecommunications technology is being used in counselling now and to present opportunities for counsellor responses to technology that could benefit clients, counsellors, and counselling practice. Voices of actors in the network were collected from interviews with counselling professionals, documents from organizational actors, and traces of technological actors present throughout the network. Technology use was presented as an integrated, routine, and often invisible component of contemporary counselling practice. Themes of responsibility, trust, and the unreliability of technology were prominent; these areas can be addressed intentionally and proactively to develop technology use in counseling practice.