COUNSELING
IN THE DIGITAL AGE –
the good, the bad,
and the ugly
Dr. Archibald Hart
2 TIMOTHY 3: 1 – 4
But mark this: There will be terrible times
in the last days. People will be lovers of
themselves, lovers of money, boastful
…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of
God – having a form of godliness but
denying its power.
Have nothing to do with them
Introduction
Digital technology is expanding AND
changing life and many professions
Counselors and mental health professionals
need to stay informed about the health and
emotional risks of digital/technological world
Problem: Counseling and coaching is also
going digital – using internet, cell phone,
special “APPS”, Facebook, eCounseling etc
Counselors on line profiles aren’t private
Change is coming not just to HOW we
counsel, but WHAT and WHO we counsel
How is God’s world changing?
A BRAVE NEW WORLD? Huxley’s novel 1932
portraying a Utopian new world of
technology controlling every aspect - trying
to predict where the world was going
1959 he wrote “Brave New World Revisited”
“It has happened faster than I predicted”
He never anticipated the effect the
“Digital Revolution” would have on
accelerating change in our “not so brave
new world”
FCC Heralds A New Era of Super Wi –Fi
CNN Headlines 9/19/2010
Technology problems
Center for Internet and Technology
Addiction: ”Internet and portable devices
have a healthy role to play in our
information age. However, the very
nature of the internet also lends itself to
overuse and abuse, encouraging
behaviors that are counter productive,
isolating and disruptive to ourselves, our
families, and community”
Etiology of new psychopathologies
Mark Bauerlein. Emory University
The Dumbest Generation
The arrival of instant gratification go-go-go
digital age has resulted in a collective loss
of context and history, a neglect of
‘enduring ideas’ – a brazen disregard of
books and reading
Instead of using the Web to learn about the
wide world, the young use it to gossip
about each other and follow pop culture
2/3 of US undergrads now score 30% higher
on the Narcissistic Personality Inventory
Nicholas Carr
The Shallows
Harvard
After assessing many psychological,
behavioral, and neurological studies of
internet use: “internet over-use is making us
shallow thinkers”
“When we dip in and out of emails, text
messages, Google Alerts, Facebook, Twitter
and other fast-information sources we
understand less than those who focus and
concentrate for longer periods of time …
we may feel we are performing better, but
are often less creative and less productive”
Digital Technology Myths
Myth 1: We are designed for multitasking
Myth 2: The faster the brain works,
the better
Myth 3: We can use drugs to speed up
the brain (overuse of Adderal and other
ADHD stimulants) and chemically
engineer happier brains
Important Issues
What effect is digital/technology
having on people, values and
relationships – good and bad?
What new challenges, problems, and
psychopathologies are now
emerging?
Counselors, coaches and pastors
need to be aware and proactive
regarding these new challenges
WHAT NEW PSYCHOPATHOLOGIES
ARE EMERGING?
Computer technology has good to offer
But scientists universally agree: “A relentless
digital world is Re-wiring our brains”
Nicholas Carr. The Shallows
Dramatic changes in brain function will
impact Christian Counseling – for the good
and for the bad!
THE MULTITASKING GENERATION
Humans can attend to several things at
once. Driving & listening to music. Cooking
& talking on phone. This is not multitasking
Fred Harburg (Air Force instructor pilot):
“Good pilots are NOT multitaskers.” NASA
scientists concluded that attempting to split
attention is deadly for a pilot – good at
sequencing, not splitting attention
WHY DO WE THINK IT’S GOOD?
(Overcomes boredom)
Digital Nation video
GROWING NEW ADDICTIONS
Internet gaming addiction
Compulsive gambling (online)
Pornography (soft and virtual)
“Virtual” world games (parents raised a
virtual baby, while neglecting real child)
Constant stimulation addiction (texting)
Social networking addiction
TECHNOLOGY ADDICTION LEADS TO
SLEEP LOSS
Kids sneak comps and phones into bed –
still active 3 or 4 a.m.
Overuse of internet has addictive quality,
feeding compulsive or impulsive disorders
Need at least 9 and1/2 hours sleep –
getting 5 or 6
Obsession extends into college, adult year
Need for digital management
Digital Management
Dr. Sylvia Hart Frejd
Digital Natives
Born after 1980
Grown up
immersed in the
digital world
Brain has been
rewired not the
same as Digital
Immigrant
Digital Immigrants
Born before
1980
The brain of
the Digital
Native has
been re-wired
not the same
as Digital
Immigrant
Digital Immigrants
Digital Natives
Prefer to talk on
phone or in person
Prefer to text, chat or
Facebook
Text sparingly
Text more than call
Like manuals with
clear steps
Like to figure it out
intuitively
Work their way up the
ladder
Many careers. Want
balance with friends,
family and activities
Digital Immigrants
Digital Natives
Value proper English
Use texting and I.M.
shorthand (lol, omg)
Tell friends about a
trip on phone, or with
in person slideshow
Tell friends about a
trip by posting an
album online
Use internet to gather
information
Use web to socialize,
play, watch videos
Think young people
waste their lives online
Many aspect of life
are happening only
online
Digital Immigrants
Digital Natives
Think of the internet as
not “real life”
Internet is as real, and
often more
pleasurable than
offline life
One task or pleasure
at a time
Several tasks or
recreation at a time:
Watch TV, text, study
Safety concerns:
Physical kidnapping,
assault, robbery
Safety concerns:
Sexting, inappropriate
pictures online, cyber
stalking, privacy
Digital Management
Impact of Digital World on
Family
Kids from 8-18 spend 7 hrs 38 mins a day using
entertainment media
Kaiser Family Foundation
53 hours a week. More than a full-time work week
Don’t get enough sleep
 “We need to understand that when children
spend this much time on media it will affect them
– for good or bad.”
President of Kaiser Family
 We need to give childhood back to children.
Dr Phil Video
Intentional Digital Living
Managing your technology so it doesn’t
manage you
ARE you ready to:
A – Awaken
R – Reclaim
E - Engage
Digital Diet
 Awaken - Assess your relationship with
technology
What is your ‘overuse’ medium of choice?
How much time? Use a journal.
How do you feel before and after?
 Balanced diet of time online and offline
What We Do Online
E-Mail
Entertainment
Web Stuff
Communications,
Cell Phone Use
Social Media
The Digital Diet Pyramid
Social
Media
Playing Games,
Videos, Music
T.V. Radio, Books
Work and School
Communications:
Web Searches, Emails, Cell Phone
Unplugged Life
Reclaim – What technology has
stolen
Practice Digital Detox
University of Maryland Study
24 Hours unplugged
Engage with Real Connections
Un - social network?
Keeping up the Facebook façade “image
management” “persona”
Facebook feeds self promotion, narcissism,
comparing, contrasting, competing,
depression
Successes feel diminished, failures amplified
Face to face connection is missing
Digital Damage to Spiritual Health
Brain health is crucial to spiritual health
Technology and the digital world is
creating a brain that affects the prefrontal cortex, limiting reflection,
contemplation and meditation
 Protect and develop the health of the
pre-frontal cortex to have the mind of
Christ and healthy spirituality
Making Space for God
Spiritual practices that foster the mind’s
development and an integrated prefrontal cortex
 Silence
 Letting go of our inner distractions
 Solitude
 Letting go of our outer distractions
 Surrender
 To receive God’s best for your life
USE DIGITAL FORMS OF
COUNSELING RESPONSIBLY
Secular counseling identifies emerging
issues that will shape future counselor
training. (e.g. Wesley Erwin of Minnesota
State University)
 59% college students are internet
addicted
 55% been victims of internet sexual
predator
 Worsening of interpersonal skills
Question and Answer