Addressing the "I.P.", The I.P. Address or Dealing with The Identified Patient

by Stephen B.Chadwick, MA Counselling Psychology.
www.cowichancounselling.ca

In common computer lingo, an "I.P." or "I.P." address is a term used to describe your "internet protocol" address, so I am told. For anybody with a computer it identifies and pinpoints where you personally  are within the world and on the web or internet.  This quirky series of numbers basically identifies you and your location geographically on the globe.

Moreover, information that you send out or receive can be identified or traced back to that spot or that computer from where or to where the information was transmitted.

"I.P.'s" for counsellors or psychotherapist though have a totally different meaning but curiously, a metaphor for one can be seen for the other. I.P.'s  are the "identified patient". Now, you're probably asking yourself: "What does that mean?" or even "Wow, that sounds a bit clinical and maybe even a bit scary!"  -- Don't worry. It's not.