In the last few years, I’ve noticed more and more therapists offering virtual therapy and teleheath. But will virtual therapy be as helpful as in-person therapy?
The therapists and coaches at Capital Crescent Collective hear this question often. This is a very common question! For years, tools did not exist to provide reliable telehealth services, so therapy happened in-person the vast majority of the time. As any new technology develops and becomes more accessible, it is normal for people to question whether a tool is helpful or not. During this time, myths began to form suggesting that virtual therapy was inherently less effective in some way, and those myths have persisted in many minds.
So what does the research say about telehealth?
Many studies across a wide range of disciplines, including psychology, have compared telehealth to in-person services. These studies found that, in most cases, telehealth is as effective as in-person healthcare. And, in some situations telehealth has been slightly more effective than in-person healthcare [1]. This is true not just for individual therapy, but also for family therapy with both children and adults facing a variety of stressors [2] and for evaluations for Autism [3]. Many families also benefit from and enjoy telehealth therapy.
So which form of therapy is right for you?
Rather than saying one is always better than the other, it can help to consider your situation. For example, in-person therapy may be more helpful to people who have easy access to a provider close to them. Other people who do not have any privacy or do not feel safe at home and would like to talk in a safer space also choose in-person. Sometimes, people simply prefer being out and about.
Virtual therapy can be more accessible for many reasons. Those coping with fatigue or pain would not have to expend extra energy or endure more symptoms to come in an office in person. Families who are intensely scheduled or people with executive functioning differences will avoid long or multi-step commutes. They can log on to telehealth software in an instant, even if the day did not go as planned. Families who are not always in the same location will have more options for scheduling. Anyone who does not have access to reliable transportation or has trouble finding a specialist near them can still access quality care through virtual therapy. And all along the way, you can have access to your favorite comfort objects and routines in your home while we do hard work together, and any strategies you would like to have in your home can be set up in real time during sessions.
While it is normal to feel uncomfortable trying out an unfamiliar kind of healthcare, we have found that many families enjoy telehealth much more than they expected. If you are feeling curious about trying a more accessible form of support, we are here to answer any questions you might have and help you get started.
Want to learn more about how virtual therapy can help repair and enrich your life and relationships? Contact Capital Crescent Collective today to schedule a consultation.
This post was written by Anna White, an experienced, neurodiversity-affirming independent therapist at Capital Crescent Collective in Bethesda, MD. Anna offers virtual therapy to clients in Maryland and Virginia.
[1] Snoswell CL, Chelberg G, De Guzman KR, et al. The clinical effectiveness of telehealth: A systematic review of meta-analyses from 2010 to 2019. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare. 2023;29(9):669-684. doi:10.1177/1357633X211022907
[2] McLean SA, Booth AT, Schnabel A, Wright BJ, Painter FL, McIntosh JE. Exploring the efficacy of telehealth for family therapy through systematic, meta-analytic, and qualitative evidence. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev. 2021 Jun;24(2):244-266. doi:10.1007/s10567-020-00340-2.
[3] Stavropoulos KK, Bolourian Y, Blacher J. A scoping review of telehealth diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. PLoS One. 2022 Feb 10;17(2):e0263062. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0263062