In a world where almost everything can be done online, why do so many people still choose to sit face-to-face with their therapist? As technology continues to revolutionize how we live and connect, virtual therapy has become a go-to option for many. Despite the conveniences that come with online treatment, a significant number of people still prefer to seek in-person therapy for mental health.
The reason for this can be different for each individual. Some find themselves feeling more engaged and attentive, while others find a deeper sense of relational connection. In this post, we’ll explore the unique benefits of personal counseling for mental health in-person and why it continues to be a valuable option. Whether you’re new to therapy or considering a switch from virtual to in-person, understanding the nuanced differences between the two formats can help clarify your path forward.
The Power of Human Connection in Therapy
A key ingredient of every successful therapy journey is connection. While techniques, diagnoses, and treatment plans all play important roles, it is the therapeutic relationship, or the bond between client and therapist, that often determines therapy progress.
Body Language and Nonverbal Cues
To cultivate this connection, therapists make an intentional effort to actively listen to your story and attune to your experience. This means not only listening to the words you say, but also observing your body language and other nonverbal cues. A slight shift in posture, a tapping foot, or a quick glance away can convey a message about how you are feeling, even beyond the words you speak.
Attending therapy in person can help facilitate this type of observation and allows for your therapist to have a more nuanced understanding of what you might be experiencing at any given moment. This enhanced awareness helps the therapist offer more targeted support, leading to deeper introspection and richer therapeutic conversations.
Feeling Truly “Seen”
There is something profoundly validating about sitting across from someone who is fully present with you. This aspect of connection is difficult to describe and is more of a felt sense. If you can think back to the COVID-19 pandemic, try to recall how speaking to loved ones over video call simply did not feel the same as being with them in person. For some, being physically present with another person allows them to feel more at ease and better understood.
For clients with backgrounds involving trauma, invalidation, or neglect, this part of therapy can be particularly important. In-person therapy for mental health creates the conditions for deep relational trust to form, as the client experiences another person’s undivided attention and freedom from judgment. The physical presence of another human being who is grounded and compassionate can be a powerful source of emotional safety.
A Structured, Distraction-Free Environment
Your environment matters. Regardless of how focused you believe yourself to be, your mind is constantly taking in environmental cues and stimuli that influence how you feel and think. With this in mind, the therapy room is not just a neutral space. It is a container that can actively contribute to your journey of growth.
Therapy rooms are often designed to encourage focus and calm. Most therapists take effort to ensure the seats are comfortable, the environment is tidy, and the space is quiet. These elements create an atmosphere that helps clients ease into the introspective headspace is conducive to thoughtful therapy discussions
In-person therapy also guarantees a private, distraction-free environment to help you fully immerse yourself in the session. It can be difficult to create this type of space at home, with family members walking in without knocking or work notifications popping up on your computer screen. There are so many factors that can divert your attention. In-person sessions reduce the likelihood of these interruptions.
Attending therapy at a physical office always involves a degree of planning and routine. Having this ritual before therapy can create a mental separation for you to release the stressors of the day and fully attend to the present. Unlike a virtual session squeezed in between work meetings or errands, in-person therapy offers a clear boundary: this time and space is meant for you.
Enhanced Depth and Presence in Sessions
Effective therapy requires being emotionally available and engaged throughout the therapeutic process. In-person individual therapy for mental health helps to nurture that presence in several ways:
- Encouraging openness: Sitting across from your therapist can help you feel more comfortable and willing to share. Removing physical barriers can make you feel directly supported in a shared space.
- Staying grounded: When we take calls on our computers or phones, we are more likely to dissociate or “zone out” of the present moment. Being in a therapy office can allow us to feel more tethered and foster a stronger sense of immediacy.
- Real-time support: To help clients with emotion regulation, therapists can offer grounding exercises, breathing techniques, or body-based interventions that are easier to provide in person.
Access to Specialized Therapeutic Modalities
While online therapy works well for talk-based approaches, certain therapeutic modalities and interventions are better delivered in person. Experiential therapies, like EMDR and art therapy, are significantly more effective when they take place in a physical space. Since EMDR typically involves tracking physical movement or tapping parts of the body, it can be easier for the therapist to guide this process directly. In art therapy, interventions typically involve using various art mediums to explore complex emotions. Being in person gives clients access to the art materials and table space needed to express themselves.
Additionally, certain interventions are better delivered in person. For example, the empty chair technique is a common therapy tool that involves having the client speak to an imaginary person or part of themselves sitting in an empty chair. It can be easier for clients to imagine this figure within a physical space.
In-person therapy can also allow therapists to make personalized adjustments to treatment. They can reach for a physical object to help demonstrate a complex therapy concept. Or, they can guide you through a physical movement that may help you connect with your body. These changes would be challenging to facilitate in a virtual session.
Building Consistency and Accountability
Ensuring that therapy progress involves long-term change requires consistency and personal accountability. While virtual therapy can be flexible, that same flexibility sometimes makes it easier to skip or reschedule sessions. In-person therapy for mental health builds structure in several ways:
- Building routine: Routines help anchor us and give us structure, especially during times of stress or instability. Showing up to consistent, regularly scheduled sessions helps you build therapeutic momentum. This predictability allows your mind and body to instinctively transition into “therapy mode” each week.
- Increased follow-through: Since going into the therapy office often requires more commitment and intentional planning, you’re more likely to keep up with therapy attendance. Cancellations tend to decrease with in-person sessions, which means clients are able to make steadier progress over time.
- Therapeutic alliance: Having therapy sessions more regularly allows for a stronger bond between you and your therapist to develop. The more often you meet, the more trust can build, and the easier it becomes to share openly. Research consistently shows that the therapeutic alliance is one of the best predictors of successful outcomes in therapy.
Who Benefits Most from In-Person Therapy?
While anyone can benefit from in-person individual therapy for mental health, some clients find it particularly supportive in their healing journey:
- Clients who need grounding support: Clients who cope with severe anxiety, depression, or trauma may need additional support in helping them ground and be present during therapy sessions. Feelings of distress can lead people to dissociate or spiral. In-person therapists can help clients focus on the present and regulate intense emotions.
- Clients who feel isolated and disconnected: Clients who struggle with feelings of loneliness can benefit from the genuine human connection that is possible with in-person therapy. Through experiencing that connection in session, they may become better prepared to seek out similar relationships in their personal lives.
- Clients who find technology draining: For some, technology can be difficult to use and distracting, which are not things that you want associated with your therapy sessions. In-person sessions can be a great alternative!
- Clients who are interested in experiential therapy modalities: Approaches such as EMDR, somatic therapy, or art therapy are easier to deliver face-to-face and can be limited in scope when delivered virtually.
A Balanced Perspective
It’s important to note that online therapy is not an inferior option. Clients who can’t commute to a therapy office in their area can access mental health treatment online. Others who have a fully booked schedule can only squeeze therapy into brief breaks throughout their day. For many, online therapy is the only way they can commit to consistent care.
There is no one universal right answer when it comes to the “best” format for therapy. However, there is an option that works best for you, based on your specific needs. Take some time to reflect on what type of environment makes you feel the safest, most supported, and will allow you to commit to pursuing personal growth.
Choosing the Path That’s Right for You
In-person therapy provides a treatment option that speaks to something deeply human. Feeling connected, fully present, and being accountable to another person are all therapeutic factors that support lasting, meaningful change. Reflecting on your unique needs and preferences can guide you in choosing between in-person and virtual therapy.
At Humantold, our compassionate therapists offer personal counseling for mental health NYC with both in-person and virtual options. Whether you value the energy of face-to-face connection or the flexibility of online care, our team is committed to giving you the freedom to choose the format that best supports your healing journey.