Stress has been one of the largest reasons that people enter a counseling relationship with a therapist. People have many different reasons for stress, and some will lead to depression if they do not know how to manage their stressful lives. Most anyone can benefit from counseling now and then, even therapists themselves. Some people will benefit from group therapy, but others may not be comfortable disclosing in front of other people. In that case, counseling can be private (Demonti). Therapists help "give hope that there's a light at the end of the tunnel " (Demonti) through discussing problems and advising clients on how to direct their lives towards a more positive outlook. .
In more recent years, counseling seems to have conformed to the fast-paced society we live in today. Technology has become a must in today's world, leaving behind the slower ways of communication and education among most people. This includes the way that therapy can be conducted. Today, therapists are using email, texting, and social media to communicate because there is no time barrier (Suler). People can get back to the person who contacted them whenever they have time; time being the operative word. As technology keeps growing, virtual therapy has become one of the most recent forms of counseling. According to Lizzie Schiffman, there is a facility in Kirksville, Missouri that promotes "avatar therapy, " which is very popular among younger clients. A higher percentage of adolescents are attending virtual sessions compared to in-person therapy (Schiffman). Teenagers have a 90% rate of completion of programs in a virtual world compared to the 30% completion of in-person therapy (J. Morie, et al.). According to Karen Cernich, LeeAnn Pennington is "a counselor with Preferred Family Healthcare in Union, " Missouri, that works with some teens from Franklin County. These teens are provided with a laptop to participate in a supplemental program called, "Virtual World Counseling " (Cernich).