by Playfuls Staff |
20th March 2007
Kasamba today announced the results of a survey that found 26 percent of its online counseling clients have never before sought in-person counseling. This statistic supports the growing demand for [more] online access to mental health professionals. Kasamba, a Web-based resource for live, immediate one-on-one expert advice, is a leader in the online counseling category, and has recently approached a record number of 500,000 users who have engaged in consultation sessions with its broad range of experts.
Therapy over the Internet is a safe and effective alternative for those that want the added convenience of being at home or are too embarrassed to seek help face-to-face.
In fact, advice seekers enjoy online counseling because professionals are available to provide assistance immediately, at any time -- early morning, late night, or even during holidays.
"Compared to in-person counseling, online counseling offers complete privacy and anonymity, which often appeals to those who might not seek help otherwise," said Barb Nefer, Doctor of Counseling Psychology and Kasamba.com expert. "While not a replacement for face-to-face counseling, online counseling offers an alternative that brings all the benefits of traditional counseling to the user, but in a more secure and convenient environment."
Kasamba's professional counseling category has only continued to gain popularity. With an annual growth rate of over 150 percent for four consecutive years, Kasamba has built a loyal following of customers that rely upon the network's quality experts for advice on all facets of life. From December 2006 to January 2007, Kasamba's professional counseling category saw a 30 percent gain in the number of live sessions.
"We continue to experience strong growth, as we attract more experts and users through viral, word of mouth means," said Erez Perlmutter, Vice President of Business Development at Kasamba.com. "Our goal is to fill the need for convenient, anonymous and constantly accessible counseling that is lacking in traditional therapy practices."
Kasamba has earned the leadership position in online counseling due to its unique offerings, large variety of experts, and top notch user experience. For example, users are able to communicate with various experts for free until they find the one that they are happy with. A star rating system, containing more than one million reviews, can assist users in choosing the right expert for their needs. Kasamba counselors also have detailed profiles available on the Web site, and all professional counseling experts are extensively screened to verify both their education
and credentials.
Kasamba also provides a distinct interface that allows users to reach counselors without the need to download applications. In addition, the Kasamba chat function delivers unique advantages over other chat windows by providing encryption for privacy and message preview abilities.
