In-person Therapy vs. Online Therapy
The Benefits and Cons of Each, and My Review of BetterHelp
I started therapy in my late twenties, and have been going on and off ever since. When I first tried it, it was because I was slowly wading through a cycle of depression triggered by a specific situation at work, and I felt desperate for help. I’m very glad I sought it out, because it’s been life-changing.
Traditional (In-Person) Therapy
I began with in-person talk therapy once a week. I had to go through several therapists before I found one that I clicked with (tune into my podcast to learn more about this :)). I found my therapists just by googling “therapists” and “Toronto”, and chose them based on proximity to work or where I lived. I also ensured their licenses were covered by my insurance benefits, and sometimes I would check if they had reviews (but therapy is so subjective, I didn’t really think this was helpful).
Going in person had its benefits:
Non-verbal cues are easier to read
My anxiety manifests itself very physically, and there were a few occasions where I had what I call my “anxiety episodes” (not quite panic attacks, but still debilitating) during therapy sessions. My therapist was able to help me through them very calmly and gave me helpful advice for how to get through them.
I don’t think this would have happened with online therapy, because one of my main triggers is being in a social situation/situation where I feel like I can’t escape. It felt vulnerable to have these episodes so obviously and in such close quarters with another person, but at the same time it was so beneficial to work through them with someone who was there to support me and had seen it all before.
I’m not recommending you try in-person therapy so that you can have panic attacks with your therapist (lol), but it can be helpful for your therapist to read your non-verbal cues and help you through your situation.Privacy and leaving my therapy at the therapist’s office
Another pro is that going to therapy in person ensures that my session will be comfortable and private. When I do virtual therapy at home, I usually have to go for a walk or sit on the floor of my closet to ensure no one can hear me. It’s a trade-off because being at home is obviously very convenient, but I do have to factor in that I live with someone else.
Sometimes therapy can be really heavy, and I’ve found that leaving my therapist’s office was a helpful way to really let go of the emotional turmoil (while still retaining and doing “the work”). Doing therapy at home in my personal environment blurred those lines.
But there were a few downsides:
It’s more expensive than the online therapy I tried
My in-person therapy sessions cost ~$165/50 minute-session. I’ll speak more about the cost of the online therapy I tried below, but this was definitely more expensive!I had to factor in commute time
Even though I chose therapists that were on my way to or from work, I still had to account for the extra time it took to get there (vs. just calling in from home) – it wasn’t always a bad thing, but in the dead of winter, or during a particularly tiring week I would find myself really wanting to cancel.
Online Therapy with BetterHelp
I started using online therapy during the pandemic once going in person wasn’t an option anymore. I had also moved to the United States, so I couldn’t see my therapist in Toronto.
I signed up for BetterHelp after hearing ads for it on several podcasts I’m subscribed to and figured I had nothing to lose. I decided to work with a therapist who had experience with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and this really changed my life. I truly recommend CBT for anyone struggling with their mental health.
How do you get started with BetterHelp?
It’s easy to sign up online, and the website then prompts you to fill out a questionnaire to help match you with a therapist. If you’re not clicking with that therapist, you can easily switch to another.
How does it work?
BetterHelp therapists offer video call sessions, traditional phone calls, and messaging through their app. Video calls would probably be the closest thing to an in-person session, but in the end I found that phone calls actually worked the best for me. I felt myself opening up even more on a regular call than I would have during an in-person or video session.
How much does it cost?
It costs $60 - $90/week billed monthly in the U.S., depending on the services you use. I ended up paying approximately $300/month for four hour-long calls. That worked out cheaper to what I would have paid for my in-person therapy. Financial aid is also available in the U.S.
The benefits I found with online therapy:
I like the flexibility of video calls, phone calls, and messaging/texting
I have found that phone calls work best for me right now - I know this goes against one of the benefits I listed of being face-to-face with someone, but for this stage in my life, it’s what I need! I wouldn’t have even tried out different methods with my in-person therapist, so I am grateful for the flexibility.It’s more convenient and accessible
Yes, there’s a tradeoff with having therapy sessions at home (lack of privacy, not a neutral environment), but unlike in-person therapy where I felt like canceling any time the weather was bad or I was overly tired, I never feel like that with online therapy. It was easier for me to stick with, which I found even more important with CBT.It costs less and there are no wait times
Full disclosure: I have excellent mental health benefits through work, so cost really wasn’t a factor for me when deciding between in-person or online. With that being said, I didn’t notice a difference in quality at all, so the cost of online was much more appealing.
I’ve also never had an issue with finding a therapist who had good appointment availability, but I do have friends that have had a hard time with this. Luckily, that’s not a problem with online therapy services.
I didn’t really experience many downsides when it came to doing virtual therapy. The only one I can think of is that it did take a little longer to develop the connection with my therapist. I’m not sure if that’s a “me” thing, or something everyone would experience (especially the younger generation that grew up online, and is probably excellent at forging relationships without having to be face-to-face)!
BetterHelp worked for me, but committing to an online service may not be what you’re looking for. If that’s the case, and you would still rather do virtual therapy instead of face-to-face, you may want to seek our therapists who offer phone calls and video calls as a service.
I hope this was helpful for anyone considering trying therapy, or making the switch from one type to another! If you have any experiences you’d like to share, please send me a message or drop a comment below xox