During the pandemic, most of us turned to doing therapy virtually-either through Zoom, Skype, Facetime or sometimes by phone.

While there were certainly challenges, mostly having to do with poor internet connections, virtual therapy turned out to be highly effective. 

A certain intimacy is developed when you see people in their homes, whether it be a living room, bedroom or even a closet. (Yes, people did do sessions from their closets for privacy). 

While an argument has been made that it is difficult to read non-verbal cues virtually, I haven’t found it to be a problem. As people became more comfortable with the platform, they also became more expressive and relaxed.

I got to meet family members and pets…lots of pets. (Cats seem to love being involved in the therapeutic process.) It gave me more insight into my client’s world. 

As we started to come out of the pandemic and things were getting back to normal, the expectation was that people would be eager to get back to in-person sessions. They were at first, but then many clients found they missed the ease of virtual therapy. No rushing back to the office or the fear of getting stuck in traffic. No worries about finding a babysitter.

Many of my clients have chosen to do a combination of in-person and virtual. Why? It’s easy and it’s effective.

Earlier today I had a session with a client with her newborn baby in her lap. She needed her session but didn’t want to leave her baby. Also, if half of the couple is traveling, they can log in from different locations without missing a beat. And, with today’s high gas prices it also makes financial sense.

So, if the thought of coming to the office is overwhelming, give it a try.