The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the personal and professional lives of all of us and has laid the bases for a social and cultural change. This article is written as a reflection on the paradoxical effects of the 'viral phenomenon.' We wish to highlight the opportunities and changes that have arisen from the emergency situation, especially through the use of the online setting, both in the clinical work and training activities of systemic therapists. This article is not intended to be a panegyric on the merits of digital sessions, but an appraisal, also through clinical examples, of the contributions that technology may give to our practices. We do not consider technology as a substitute, but as an integration and enrichment of the therapist's and trainer's tools. This tough experience may be transformed into an opportunity for learning new techniques and practices in which the screen becomes a useful support.
Keywords: COVID‐19; online teaching; online therapy; paradoxical effects; systemic practice.
© 2021 Australian Association of Family Therapy (AAFT).