Interesting article shows how therapy can be conducted in a "virtual environment" online with the use of ones PC and an avatar

"The use of virtual environments for the treatment of specific phobias  like the fear of heights, flying, and public speaking has been around  for over a decade. Psychotherapists have used different forms of these  virtual spaces to safely expose their patients to their phobias in the  relatively “safe” and controlled environment of a virtual world."