Online Therapy vs. In-Person Therapy

As a therapist, I experience virtual therapy as equal in its efficacy to in-person work. I began my clinical work during the pandemic, developing my therapeutic core and style online with my clients. I am the same therapist with clients on screen or over the phone as I am in person. However, there are some frame differences, and I hold that clients may have preferences for one over the other.

If you’re considering a virtual therapy option, perhaps due to accessibility, availability, or convenience, there may be a few pieces to keep in mind. The first being privacy – Can you find a space to set up for sessions where it is less likely you’ll be overheard? Do you have access to a private space where you’re able to speak freely and openly?

Do you have access to technology, or can you access it for your sessions? These are practical questions. However, you might also ask whether you can connect with others freely over the screen or phone, whether there are aspects of yourself you’re more likely to hide virtually that might hinder your progress in therapy, or if a virtual option may pose a challenge to motivation or commitment to therapy.

For some individuals, in-person sessions held at the therapist’s office provide an emotional container for them that may be more difficult to access online or over the phone. They may also be preferable to those who generally lack privacy or a quiet space to land at home. There may however be greater barriers to access in-person options now.

For example, I typically have more availability for online therapy than in-person in a given week; seeing me in-person may demand clients find more flexibility in their schedule to meet me during my office hours, that they book farther in advance of their sessions, or that they book in a set time to ensure it is secured for them on the regular. Considerations related to commuting, the weather, and time commitments may also play a part in deciding whether in-person therapy would be sustainable for clients.

A hybrid approach may be most conducive to pursue with a therapist who has regular access to an office space with the capabilities to support sessions both in-person and virtually. It can be helpful to have when flexibility is needed, such as when an illness or barrier to in-person attendance arises. It can also give clients a chance to experience therapy in multiple forms.

It’d be important to explore with your therapist how a hybrid model may impact your therapy schedule (session time, session day, session availability, and in some cases your fee, for example if you were previously utilizing low-cost availability or sliding scale hours).

I offer online therapy, in-person therapy, and hybrid options for my full fee at Purple Oak Health, as well as virtual and limited in person options on a sliding scale as part of my private practice. Feel free to connect with me via my contact page for information about my current availabilities for sessions.