Quality Control: Whether seeking services F2F or by remote, it is important to verify the credentials and

experience of the provider you plan to see. Licensed mental health providers who charge fees for services

are usually required to post their credentials in the office where they see patients. Virtually all states

regulate the practice of psychology, counseling and social work and require that providers be licensed

within the state in order to offer services within the state. Oversight of therapy services provided by

out-of-state providers has become increasingly difficult due to the thousands of providers now offering

services (often illegally) across state lines. It is often more difficult to verify credentials for remote providers who may or may not be licensed by the appropriate licensing board to provide healthcare services. Some individuals offering “telehealth” are not actually licensed healthcare providers but may be “life coaches” (no credentials required to advertise or operate as such). And there is a recent rise in online chat “therapy” sites that use AI to provide “therapy” responses to unwitting individuals who believe they are communicating with an actual person!  Visiting a provider in their office provides opportunities to view posted credentials and to ask questions about the qualifications, experience and training advertised by a provider. Details such as décor, organization, volume of patient traffic, cleanliness, comfort level and atmosphere offer important clues about the overall quality of services and effort expended by a provider to create a professional, welcoming, and attractive space for their clients/patients. 

Relationship:   With remote therapy, the absence of in-person engagement and technology constraints can make it much more difficult to establish rapport with an online provider and can make sessions seem impersonal and clinical. In F2F therapy, it is easier for the therapist to make accurate and comprehensive assessment of the patient’s needs, status and level of functioning. Patients are more likely to disclose and trust when they are able to form direct impressions of the provider and feel some level of control over the process. Providers reveal important aspects of themselves in the safe spaces they provide to patients, allowing for the formation of rapport when patients are made to feel comfortable, safe and welcome in providers’ office spaces. The quality of the therapeutic relationship continues to be the single strongest predictor of client success in treatment according to research. In-person therapy facilitates formation of that relationship in natural, organic and fluid ways that feel safe. It also allows for more personal and effective intervention if session content becomes emotionally intense or distressing.

Effective Outcomes: Participating in F2F therapy requires a high level of investment from both the provider and patient--one that typically results in more effective and longer -lasting outcomes than telehealth may be able to offer in some circumstances. Research indicates that patients who invest more time and effort in the therapy process achieve goals more readily than patients who do not. Traveling to and from sessions, engaging in intensive interactions in the office sessions, and being held accountable for homework outside of sessions all contribute to increased goal attainment. Disastrous outcomes of virtual learning for school children during the COVID pandemic attest to the poor applicability of remote methods for certain endeavors that are best suited for F2F interactions and more personalized support. Intensive clinical issues such as resolution of trauma and abuse require a level of rapport, trust and intimacy between the provider and patient that may not be achievable via a device screen. Personal connection and ability to respond to subtle nuances and changes in patient states that may not be detectable electronically are vital to effective therapy.

Why Choose In-Person Therapy Over Telehealth?

Five Great Reasons to Give Face-to-Face (F2F) Therapy a Try!

Feel inclined to give face-to-face therapy a try? I’d love to hear from you!

Alicia Chinlund, owner, Wellspring Center

Environmental Management:  In F2F therapy, in an office setting, the provider is able to manage time, space and conditions effectively to maintain flow of the session, manage emotional tensions (especially between partners in couples therapy), prevent external distractions, and maintain participants’ attention/engagement level in ways that are not always possible with online therapy. Effective management of therapy conditions facilitates emotional safety and more effective resolution of issues, builds trust and rapport, and results in improved therapy outcomes overall. With online therapy, those factors are often beyond the control of the provider who is still required by ethics to ensure privacy of the session, effective time management, well-being of the participants and absence of intrusions (unwelcome noise or passersby) into the sensitive space of therapy.

Face-to-face (F2F) therapy has been the professional standard for over a hundred years and only recently has been supplanted in many instances by virtual or remote therapy.  The primary benefit of remote therapy, or telehealth, is convenience; many individuals would find it very difficult or even impossible to obtain necessary psychotherapy or counseling if telehealth were not an option. For most individuals, however, it is a choice. Knowing some advantages and disadvantages of each can inform that choice. While telehealth is here to stay and a welcome alternative to face-to-face (F2F) sessions for those who require or prefer it, in-person therapy offers a great many benefits for those who desire a warm, personal, intimate connection with their provider as a basis for an effective and positive therapy experience. Many of my clients have reported that F2F services are the reason they chose me as their provider and that they have not regretted their decision. I hope that you’ll consider the reasons below to be some good ones for giving in-person therapy a try! 

Privacy:  Patients assume that health-related data is always protected by privacy

regulations such as HIPAA but that is not necessarily the case with online data

provided to telehealth companies that act as middlemen connecting patients to

affiliated providers. While licensed providers are bound by HIPAA regulations to

safeguard patient information, the agencies offering direct-to-consumer

telehealth services may not be similarly bound. Risk for violations to privacy may

be obscured by a promise of security that may not exist. A pandemic-driven

boom in virtual care has resulted in billions in profits for companies that may

also be selling your data to advertisers who then target specific patient groups for their products and services based upon information they have purchased or accessed directly from patient data stored on the site. Privacy regulations like HIPAA were not designed with telehealth in mind, leaving loopholes that allow for legal sharing of health-related data to third parties without patients’ knowledge or consent.

F2F therapy provides opportunities to vet your provider and observe/inquire about how data is collected, maintained and protected. Licensed mental health providers are bound by professional ethics, state laws and federal regulations to protect patient confidentiality and are held accountable by state licensing boards that exist for protection of the public.