The Benefits Of Seeing Your Counselor In-Person
Due to the changes brought on by the pandemic, a lot more patients than ever before are using virtual appointments. Luckily, with the help of vaccines, the risk factor is much lower than it was at the height of the pandemic. This makes it a lot safer to resume normal daily activities.
While you may be used to virtual appointments by now, there are plenty of benefits that you can only get from an in-person visit. In this article, you will learn about some of the benefits that you can get from seeing your counselor in person.
Benefits Of Seeing Your Counselor In Person:
1. Fewer Distractions
One of the good things about an in-person visit has to do with there being limited distractions for both the counselor and the client. When you are in an online session, you could have plenty of things tugging at your attention. Having a singular focus on your therapy session can improve the results of it.
While you can still get effective virtual sessions, you will always have the advantage of putting yourself in an environment with fewer distractions when you are in the office. You don't have to worry about having pop-ups on the device you are using, phone notifications, or even other people talking in your household.
2. Remove Yourself From a Stressful Environment
Whether you are going for individual or family counseling, you may live in an environment that is stress-inducing. It can be difficult to speak out about these things when you are in the environment. Whether it's because you are uncomfortable speaking out about personal things in a less private setting or otherwise - it can be much more effective to remove yourself from it.
When you get into an office with your counselor, it's easier to feel more at peace and safe. The feeling of safety can help you open up which can make your visits much more effective.
3. Personal Relationships
Meeting and discussing something face to face is always going to be inherently more personal than doing so through a screen. While there is plenty of research that shows online and virtual counseling and therapy are equally as effective, there is something about being in the same room as someone [1]. It helps both the counselor and the client develop a much more personal relationship that can strengthen the quality of counseling provided.
4. Non-Verbal Cues
One of the things mental health professionals must learn to do is read their clients. They need to be able to see them and pick up on non-verbal cues when they are talking and responding to questions. These cues can tell a counselor a lot about a patient.
After all, as many as 60 to 65 percent of interpersonal communication is conveyed [through] nonverbal behaviors [2]. When you are operating in a virtual setting, it's increasingly difficult for healthcare professionals to pick up on all of the nonverbal behaviors and cues being displayed by the client.
There are pros and cons to both in-person and online therapy. The most important thing is seeing your counselor and being willing to open up about issues you're facing. Virtual counseling will always be better than no counseling.
However, now that the risk of COVID has decreased, it may be worth switching your virtual visits to in-person therapy to experience some of the benefits listed above. Here at Reframe Counseling, we encourage either option. Call us today to schedule your next counseling appointment.
References:
[1] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15228830802094429
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2898840/