Pros and cons of online therapy verses in office therapy (in person therapy).
Prior to COVID, I would have never thought to do online therapy. I assumed it would be impersonal and that disconnect would cause therapy to take longer or be less effective. Then COVID hit! And boy did all of us need to get out of our comfort zone. After 2 years of doing online therapy, I surveyed all of my clients to see who wanted to go back to the office to meet for in-person therapy in Long Beach. Out of my full caseload of clients, only one wanted to go back to the office. So not only do my current clients like online therapy, but I like it as a therapist also.
What people like about online therapy:
These are statements I was told by multiple clients who wanted to continue with online therapy, even though they live near our office building at Long Beach Therapy:
- Online is more convenient because my 45-minute therapy session now takes me 45 minutes. Before COVID, I would drive 10 minutes each way and spend 5 minutes finding parking and then leaving 10 minutes extra because I don’t want to be late. A 45-minute therapy session soon becomes an hour and a half commitment every time I go to therapy.
- I don’t have to cancel my appointment every time someone in my house is sick. I can always leave my 14-year-old at home alone, but when they are sick, it is nice knowing I am just in the other room.
- I don’t want to wear a mask (it is still a requirement of therapists in California that we all wear a mask in the therapy office) because crying with a mask on is uncomfortable.
- I read that therapy is just as effective online, so why leave the house when I finally got home at the end of the day.
- I want to stick with online therapy because I get to cuddle with my cat while I talk about stressful things. This makes me feel safe.
- It’s easier to find a therapy appointment at lunchtime rather than find a therapy appointment after work because therapists are often booked after 5pm. To find a therapist near me with late appointments is near impossible anyways. With online therapy, Since I have more options, I can talk to my therapist at a convenient time for me (like a lunch break from work).
- (This one is from me, and not what I heard from clients): When you do online therapy, you aren’t stuck with finding a therapist near you. If the perfect therapist for you isn’t within driving distance, you can still see that therapist. You are more likely to find a therapist who specializes in what you are looking for because distance isn’t an issue. You are also more likely to find a therapist with good reviews on yelp or google because you aren’t confined to find a therapist nearby. The only restriction is that a licensed therapist can only see clients who live in the state they are licensed. At Long Beach Therapy, we are limited to seeing only clients who live in California.
Wanting in-person therapy:
These are statements I get from new clients who have never had therapy before (including online therapy) and say they want “in person therapy near me”:
- I’ve never done therapy before and I think I can read the therapist’s energy better in person.
- I don’t have a private place to talk at home and don’t want people hearing me.
- I don’t have stable Wi-Fi.
- I don’t feel computer savvy enough to figure out how to turn on zoom.
- I work from home and it’s just nice to get out of the house.
Regardless if you decide that in-person therapy or online therapy is right for you, call Long Beach Therapy to schedule an appointment. We have both options available for you and can help you figure out if you would prefer in person therapy near you or an online appointment.
Since we believe the best therapist is the one who you feel safest with, we have options of different therapists so that you can get the one you feel the most safe/comfortable with to start your journey of healing. Because of this, we have several options of different therapists for you to choose from. To take the first step, call Long Beach Therapy to schedule an appointment.