Is Virtual Therapy Different Than In-Person Therapy?

Originally published May 6, 2021 | Updated for 2025

Short answer? Yes - and also, not really.

Let’s start with the obvious: virtual therapy is different in some ways. You’re not physically walking into a therapy office. We might miss out on certain body language cues or the ritual of arriving in person and settling into the room together.

But here’s the thing I didn’t expect when I first started doing teletherapy: the work still works.

You still get a real human sitting across from you (okay, across a screen) who is fully there for you. You still get a space to slow down, tune in, and show up more honestly than you might in most areas of your life. And in some ways, virtual therapy actually adds something special:

• You can be in your comfiest clothes.

• You can have your dog on your lap or your favorite mug in hand.

• You don’t have to commute or rearrange your whole day.

• You can join from home, work, or even while traveling (as long as you’re still in the state your therapist is licensed in).

All of that adds up to more consistency, more comfort, and more access. Which makes it easier to actually keep going.

Before 2020, I was pretty skeptical. I didn’t think teletherapy would feel real or effective. I worried it would feel distant or disconnected. And honestly? I was wrong. Even over Zoom, I’ve witnessed people come home to themselves. I’ve sat with laughter, tears, deep healing, and real change - all through a screen.

Do I know how tall you are? Not usually.

Do I know what shoes you’re wearing? Definitely not.

Do I still get to be with you in the hard, meaningful stuff? 100%.

So if you’re unsure about virtual therapy, you’re not alone. But I’d encourage you to give it a try. Reach out. Ask questions. Have one session and see how it feels. That’s what therapy is really about anyway - being curious and open enough to just begin.