Is online therapy better than In person therapy?
What Is Traditional In-Person Therapy?
In-person therapy refers to the typical form of therapy, which includes face-to-face interaction between the client and licensed therapist at either a treatment center or private office. The professional therapist leads them in conversation; he or she helps clients analyze feelings, problems, and personal growth. Considerations may be invested in these rooms, such as the color used for the wall, lighting, and furniture for a sense of protection, good distraction, and a soothing ambiance. In recent years, online therapy has become an increasingly popular alternative to traditional in-person sessions.
Sessions occur a week or every two weeks if a crisis situation is involved. Sessions for individuals may last 40-60 minutes and can last up to 90 minutes for group settings.
Pros of In-Person Therapy
1. Nonverbal Communication
Sessions with therapists in person can read nonverbal cues that complement verbal communication. Nonverbal information may better understand your needs.
However, nonverbal information is not completely lost in video format. Seeing a client’s environment with video can also offer additional nonverbal insights, but a phone session would not have this advantage.
2. Neutral Location
Sessions that take place in a therapist’s office can provide a space away from your everyday life. A location that feels neutral can increase your comfort when sharing private information.
3. Intensive Support
Some mental health needs require direct, in-person therapeutic support. Art, music, and play therapy can provide effective support when used in person.
Drawbacks of Face-to-Face Therapy
1. Limited Therapist Choices
The number of therapists that specialize in a particular area or technique that you need or prefer may be limited based on where you live. It may become more challenging to find the right therapist as a result.
2. Accessibility
Access to and from appointments might be difficult for some individuals. Time traveling, sitting in traffic, and issues related to public transportation add up. Especially, if a client is elderly, young with children, or low-income. In-person therapy also might not be accessible at the required time of work or other commitments.
3. Timing
Waiting for long times of unavailability or conflicting schedules may delay the start of sessions with a new therapist.
What is Online Therapy?
This type of treatment can be carried out distantly between a client and a therapist in any place with access to the internet. You have to schedule an appointment and make use of the communication platform on any internet-accessible device that meets the requirements of the software to meet by video conference. Typically, text therapy occurs over a set amount of time.
Online counseling shares the same schedule as in-office therapy. You have weekly sessions that last anywhere from forty to sixty minutes.
Benefits of Online Counseling
1. Cost
When booking multiple sessions at once, therapists that join virtual therapy networks may offer lower monthly fees. Prices may increase later, although the business may promise better access to a therapist at reduced weekly or monthly charges.
2. Convenience
This can communicate to any therapist whenever possible and even from anywhere on the planet. Online services would also enable instant access to professional help in an easier and speedier way using methods like email and texting.
3. Simple Access
Many people are inconvenienced by the distance they need to travel for appointments in a more traditional therapy. Such people will get easier access if they opt for virtual solutions that also reduce the stress of sharing some physical settings.
4. Decreased Stigma
A few of the unpleasant feelings associated with visiting an in-person therapy session can be reduced through online counselling options. Online therapy sessions allow you to limit your interaction by establishing and maintaining appointments from the comfort of your home.
Disadvantages of Online Counseling:
1. Technology Dependent
The extra stress of video conferencing is that you and your therapist have to have an internet connection. You may not be able to connect when you want or need to because one or both of you may lose service. Discuss with your therapist how you will manage this in case you lose internet service.
2. Confinement to care
There are limitations to the online possibility of successful care, such as the necessity of in-person sessions for severe mental health issues. Also, there is the potential for burning out, which can be catastrophic in lower-quality care, from people who join virtual therapy networks to supplement their income.
3. Communication Barriers
Emails and text messages may limit the level of understanding that you can have with your therapist. Communication feels restrained in the absence of the nonverbal cues and body language.
4. Privacy and confidentiality issues
Privacy and confidentiality often are major issues with teletherapy. Because you are dealing with protected health information, you may be at risk when malware, email phishing, or cyber intrusions exist. Moreover, performing therapy sessions via virtual means in a public environment or at home may put you at risk of other people listening to your private discussions.
Online therapy became one of the trendy ways to get mental health care after the COVID-19 pandemic, as it is a rather practical and occasionally less expensive way. One online therapy study showed that internet counseling was indeed helpful for patients and mental health providers. Indeed, attendance rates for virtual appointments were higher than those for in-person meetings. However, virtual behavioral health entails inherent hazards concerning private health information. Virtual visits are not as intimate and private as in-person visits.
Is in-person therapy superior to online therapy? Both kinds of therapy can provide effective mental health care. Patients, as well as mental health professionals, view telehealth positively. It is all up to your needs and preferences.
At Happy Lab We offer both in person sessions for those seeking solace in our therapy room and online sessions to reach out globally as well.
Source: https://www.psychology.org/resources/virtual-therapy-vs-in-person/
