Telehealth vs In-person therapy

The pandemic has accelerated the shift toward Telehealth when years ago that was an approach only used in very specific cases and settings. Some people had difficulties adjusting to the new way of providing and receiving therapy. Many wondered if the quality of the service would be affected by practicing it online.

It is indeed a matter of preference since there are advantages and disadvantages of each choice. While in-person therapy provides you the safety and privacy of a confidential office, it doesn’t have the flexibility of schedule that Telehealth has, and it requires you to drive back and forth to the site.

On the other hand, while Telehealth gives you more choices since you can see any therapist in your state, no matter their location, and you can squeeze appointments in just one-hour lunch breaks, sometimes it’s difficult to avoid the occasional walk-in ‘oops’ of a kid or a partner while you are in the session or conduct confidential sessions without sound-proofing walls.

Nevertheless, if you are able to set up a quiet, private environment for your therapeutic sessions (using earbuds or headphones and finding a place where you won’t be disturbed), you will find Telehealth to be a much more convenient option, specially if you have requested individual therapy. Couples, families, and younger children may be better suited for in-person sessions.

No matter what method you pick, it won’t affect the quality of the service. A good, qualified, and experienced provider will get the results you are searching, whether is in-person or via Telehealth. Choose what feels most comfortable to you.