Virtual Therapy vs. In-Person Therapy
Are you curious about online vs. in-person therapy? Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.
- Online therapy is convenient and accessible, but risks include overreliance, privacy concerns, and limitations for more severe mental health conditions.
- In-person therapy offers a deeper connection and crisis support but faces accessibility barriers and higher potential costs.
- Online therapy reduces stigma and improves access, while in-person therapy provides more privacy and a stronger therapeutic rapport.
According to the American Psychological Association, 96% of psychologists offered online therapy in 2022. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual therapy has maintained a strong foothold in mental healthcare. This guide explains the functions and explores the pros and cons of online therapy vs. in-person counseling. Find out which method best suits your needs.
What Is Traditional In-Person Therapy?
Traditional in-person therapy involves face-to-face sessions with a licensed therapist. Depending on the type of help you need, you might meet with your therapist individually or with your partner or family members. Sessions typically happen once a week at a treatment center or a therapist’s private office. You can expect the setting to provide a private and calming environment, free of distractions.
In-person therapy includes therapist-facilitated conversations that delve into your emotional and mental health, any difficulties or issues you’re experiencing, and your development and progress. Therapists typically schedule individual sessions once a week for 40 or 60-minute time blocks. If you are experiencing a crisis, you may see your therapist twice a week or more. Groups may meet for up to 90 minutes.
Pros of In-Person Therapy
- Nonverbal Communication: In-person sessions allow therapists to read nonverbal cues that support verbal communication. Nonverbal information can help a therapist 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.
- Neutral Location: Sessions in a therapist’s office provide a space away from your everyday life. A neutral location can increase your comfort when sharing private information. Being away from home also reduces distractions, such as chores or work that need attention and interruptions from family members and pets.
- Intensive Support: Some mental health needs require direct, in-person therapeutic support. Human interaction with a therapist is particularly important for suicidal and acutely psychotic patients and those experiencing crises or severe mental health difficulties. Art, music, and play therapy can provide effective support when used in person.
Cons of In-Person Therapy
- Limited Therapist Options: Depending on your location, there may be a limited selection of therapists who specialize in a specific area or approach you need or prefer. This can make it more challenging to find the right therapist.
- Accessibility: Getting to and from therapy sessions is a significant challenge for some people. Traffic, public transit, and commuting add up, particularly for clients with young children, people with lower incomes or disabilities and older adults. Taking time away from work or other priorities can also limit access to in-person therapy. Patients in underserved communities can often find online therapy services more readily available.
- Timing: Long waiting periods due to a lack of therapist availability or differing schedules might force a delay in beginning sessions with a new therapist.
What Is Online Therapy?
During online therapy sessions, you meet with your therapist remotely. Also referred to as telepsychology or teletherapy, these online sessions mimic in-person therapy, except you won’t travel to your therapist’s office. Online therapy does not mean that you’ll receive counseling via artificial intelligence. You will meet with a trained professional, just as you would in person.
Online therapy can take place in any location with internet access remotely. To meet over a video call, you need to schedule an appointment and access the communication platform on any internet-connected device that meets the software requirements. Text therapy typically occurs within a specific time frame. Counseling online adheres to the same scheduling formats as traditional therapy. You regularly attend appointments that last about 40-60 minutes.
Pros of Online Therapy
- Cost: Therapists who join virtual therapy networks might offer cheaper monthly rates when booking multiple sessions at a time. However, while the company might promise increased access to a therapist at lower, weekly or monthly rates, prices can increase later on. Another consideration is to check with your insurance for coverage of online sessions.
- Convenience: With virtual options like texting and emailing, you can connect with a therapist from virtually anywhere at any time. Online services provide access to therapeutic support quickly and with minimal hassle.
- Easy Access: Online options provide easier access to therapeutic support for those with difficulties commuting to in-person therapy sessions or finding childcare. One study found that connecting virtually can also lower social anxieties associated with sharing physical spaces with others.
- Reduced Stigma: Online therapy options can reduce some of the negative feelings associated with attending an in-person therapy session. Online therapy sessions allow you to limit interactions by scheduling and attending appointments from the privacy of your home.
- Effective care: Online therapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy, has been shown to be as effective as in-person therapy.
Cons of Online Therapy
- Reliant on Technology: Video conferencing requires you and your therapist to rely on an internet connection. One or both of you may lose service, interfering with your ability to connect when desired or needed. Discuss this issue with your therapist so that you understand how it will be handled if internet service is lost.
- Limits to Care: Some more serious mental health conditions may require in-person sessions, which limit effective care options online. In addition, therapists who supplement their income by joining a virtual therapy network can become burned out, leading to lower quality of care.
- Communication Restrictions: Text and email communications can inhibit the depth of understanding between you and your therapist. Without body language and nonverbal cues, communication can feel limited. Also, patients should not assume a therapist is available 24/7 virtually.
- Privacy and Confidentiality Concerns: Confidentiality and privacy can be critical concerns when it comes to teletherapy. Cyber breaches, email phishing, and malware could put your personal health information at risk. Furthermore, attending a virtual therapy session at home or in a public space can open up the possibility of others overhearing your private conversations.
In-Person vs. Online Therapy
Teletherapy became significantly more popular post-pandemic as a convenient — and sometimes cheaper — format to receive mental health help. According to a study on teletherapy, patients and mental health professionals found counseling online effective. In fact, virtual appointments had higher attendance rates compared to in-person visits. However, virtual behavioral health poses inherent risks to private healthcare information. In-person visits offer a sense of privacy and intimacy not available virtually.
Another factor is rapidly changing the therapy landscape as well; artificial intelligence (AI) continues to emerge as a mental healthcare tool. AI can access a wide range of data for coping with mental health issues. What it cannot offer is the critical personal relationship between patient and therapist.
Is in-person therapy better than online? Both modes of therapy can offer effective mental health care. Patients and mental health professionals view telehealth positively, according to one study. The choice comes down to your preferences and needs.
How to Find Help
Your mental health needs guide your selection of therapy options. Consider making your own list of pros and cons to help organize your thinking. Explore the resources below to find the right therapist for your needs.
Resources for Finding Therapy
- Open Path Collective: This site offers in-person and online therapy options for those needing financial support.
- GoodTherapy: Find therapists, mental health centers, and other treatment options through a directory of licensed professionals.
- NeedyMeds Low-Cost Mental Health Clinics: Search for free, low-cost, and sliding-scale medical clinics with therapists who support individuals with mental health, substance use, and other healthcare needs.
- Better Help Online Therapy Network: Licensed therapists are available for virtual therapy mental health support.
- Give an Hour: Volunteer mental health professionals offer free services to military veterans, people affected by natural disasters, and those affected by COVID-19.
- FindTreatment.gov: Search this U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ database of mental health providers treating substance use issues and mental health needs.
- Find a Health Center: Government-funded health centers provide low-cost therapy options for patients with and without insurance.
- Allwell Behavioral Health Services: Telehealth options are available for emergency care, ongoing therapy, and additional support services.
- Psychology Today Therapist Search: Find a therapist offering online and in-person therapeutic support across the country.
- Growtherapy: Use this site to find vetted online and in-person therapists who accept most major insurance plans.
- Therapy.com: Search for therapists by geographic location, types of therapy offered, specialization areas, and specific conditions.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Access counseling help 24/7 by phone, text, or chat, including services for deaf or hard-of-hearing patients and Spanish speakers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Studies have found that online therapy is just as effective as in-person therapy. Limitations include a reduction in nonverbal cues and the lack of a personal, emotional connection between client and therapist.
