As the pandemic continues to shift, life opens up, we have more and more choices to make about our daily lives. These changes can be experienced as exciting, overwhelming, or both. The question of, “do I do this from home or do this in person”? is one we are asking ourselves more and more today.
When it comes to therapy, most practices (mine included) are taking a hybrid approach. Some sessions are done in person for those who are wanting to come in and some sessions are done virtually. If you have been going to therapy the last year and half then chances are you experienced a number of online sessions but now and moving forward there are more options for in person work again.
It’s important to be realistic, many of us are struggling with opening back up. If anxiety is keeping you home than that might make you a good candidate for virtual therapy or in person therapy. When we have a chance to look at our fears directly and work with them we can learn a lot about ourselves. You can decide what might be best for you. Perhaps having a reason to leave the house, to see someone supportive like a therapist would be a healthy push right now. If that is not the case then staying home and having a virtual session is also a supportive option.
Questions to ask yourself about what type of therapy might be best right now for you:
- Are you craving in person contact?
- How conformable do you feel about leaving home?
- What level of zoom/computer fatigue are you experiencing?
- Do you get alone time (away from house mates, kids, or family) right now?
- Have you been enjoying online therapy thus far?
- Is there something you can do in the office not online?
If you have a therapist or you are looking for a therapist asking them directly about why it might be helpful to come in for sessions or stay home and do sessions online could be helpful. Think about what you want and what would be best for you and remember that nothing is set in stone. Any plans you make now can likely change in the future if you want them to.
The main reason I hear from people about wanting to stay home and have a virtual session is, “the lack of commute helps me make time for therapy every week”. And the main reasons why people are coming into the office right now for an in person session is, “Because I’m missing being out and about and want to see you and others in person now”.
One reason I like being back in the office two days a week, working with clients in person, is that some therapeutic modalities are not really available online. Sand tray therapy and neurofeedback training are both important pieces of my therapeutic work and doing them in person is key. There are always ways to get creative online, like the virtual sand tray which is fun especially for children clients.
At the end of the day, the decision is yours to make. If in person therapy feels right or if virtual therapy is what you need then chances are there are therapists out there that will work with you in that way.
