AOL study reveals some surprising results about why we blog

I read an interesting short article on Les Bain's Blog site: http://blogging-information.blogspot.com/2005/09/aol-survey-says-people-blog-as-therapy.html about an AOL survey which revealed that most people blog for therapy. It also said that 6 times as many people blog for therapy as seek professional therapy.

I found that to be interesting. Since I am a professional therapist, I'm curious as to why that is. Some possibilities are that it certainly is less expensive, it's easier to get to--no appointments necessary, no waiting--one can get to the therapy right in the moment one needs it. My only question really is, is it therapy?

It is an opportunity to express oneself, no doubt. But is that therapy? I think that what is healing in therapy is the relationship between the client and the therapist. I think that healing happens when the client expresses him/herself and is listened to/witnessed by the therapist in an accepting manner.

I'm not so naive as to think that always happens even in face-to-face therapy. But I'm talking about good therapy. Not advise-giving, or passing judgement. Research indicates that what heals is not the type of therapy (cognitive-behavioral therapy, EMDR, etc.) but the relationship between the client and the therapist that matters.

I think that what this survey does show is that therapists or the therapeutic community needs to re-think new ways to offer therapy so that it is more available to more people. Any ideas? There is online therapy, see http://www.ismho.org/casestudy/myths.htm. Got any other ideas?