Last September, the Networker published an issue called “Life After 2.0,” devoted to exploring whether we’ve crossed a threshold in our relationship to technology--even therapists like me, a committed technophobe. As we explored the social and clinical impact of the ever-more-advanced communication technologies, I got more and more curious about what I was missing out on. Finally, I took the plunge and bought an iPod, and my life hasn’t been the same since.

Through the endless feast of free podcasts that I soon discovered on iTunes, it was as if I was on personal terms with the best talkers and smartest minds in the world, who were magically available to me in my car, on walks through my neighborhood, even in my jogs on the treadmill in my gym, whenever I wished. Ever since, my iPod has become a constant companion--I probably spend more time with it than I do to just about anybody else in my life, besides my wife--although sometimes she might even disagree with that.

The pervasive impact of technology, both inside and outside the consulting room, will be an important theme of this year’s Symposium, “Braving New Worlds.” In particular, I’d call your attention to “Cyber Intimacy and Cyber Solitude,” the opening keynote by MIT professor Sherry Turkle, author of the just-published Alone Together, who’ll offer a fascinating look at how the blurring of boundaries between ourselves and computers is affecting the way all of us think, feel, and interact. Also, don’t miss Don Meichenbaum’s luncheon address on Technology and the Future of Psychotherapy--as well as a dozen other workshops exploring the applications of technology in practice, including Future of Practice Workshops and The Business of Therapy Workshops.

What impact has technology had on your world, both good and ill? Has it changed how you practice and communicate with clients? Has it raised ethical or clinical questions you’d like to share? We invite you to tell us about your experiences and ask any questions you may have.

Rich Simon