Online Counselling or In-Person Counselling...

Prior to the global pandemic many companies required employees to travel and work in-person, many types of appointments such as those from health centres, including counselling where predominately in-person. This mode of delivery was previously very commonplace and why wouldn't it be - it was something considered very normal, and we were conditioned to know it as this. When the pandemic was announced, we were suddenly confined to our homes, and this occurred over a considerable amount of time. Since then, many companies have adopted remote work and embraced working online. Regarding online counselling, this now appears to be a favoured option by those seeking support.

Although, both differ in relation to delivery methods, both online and in-person counselling do provide similar benefits.

So, what are the benefits and challenges regarding in-person counselling?

As relational beings, there is importance in acknowledging the interconnectedness that exists between us, as well as the key role relationships play in our lives.

As the conventional method of counselling, some would give preference for this mode of delivery.

The counsellor is often able to pick up on non-verbal cues, the location is neutral which has been said to increase the clients comfort level, and some modalities work better when used in in-person sessions such as forms of art therapy.

The challenges would include that if the client leads a busy life - they have to make time to be able to attend sessions, depending on the location - you may have to travel some distance for sessions, there may be limited counsellors in your area that specialise in a specific area or approach you require, and availability for in-person sessions are at times difficult to secure.

What about the benefits and challenges of online counselling?

Again, preference matters. Some people prefer online counselling because they may not want to be seen attending a counselling centre/counselling office due to the stigma that is often attached to mental health.

Those seeking support may also find it easier to attend sessions online as this often takes away the stress of having to make time to physically travel to in-person sessions.

Some people find comfort attending sessions from home or another safe space as its familiar to them and again comfort and be found in familiar surroundings.

Attending sessions virtually can also lower anxieties for some people that would otherwise feel unease in physically sharing a space with others.

Those with physical limitations or disabilities may find online counselling better for them, such as those with chronic pain conditions as they can attend sessions from home without the need to travel in person and potentially exacerbate pain.

Online counselling can also benefit those that live in rural and remote areas where access to such services would otherwise be impossible.

The challenges can include being heavily reliant on technology - understanding how to attend sessions. Some people can initially find it difficult navigating online sessions, particularly if they aren't too familiar with technology.

Also relying on a good internet connection and perhaps having a plan regarding what the next steps would be if the internet connection is lost.

Non-verbal cues are limited - the use of online platforms means that the counsellor is only able to see a part of a person, which can mean missing out on certain non-verbal cues from clients.

Some more serious mental health conditions and those in crisis may also require in-person rather than online session's, particularly if immediate intervention is required.

So which mode is better?

While both modes of counselling offer benefits, it comes down to personal preference from the individual as well as factors such as location, whether you have physical limitations and if you are comfortable using technology. While some may have concerns regarding which mode is better, some may think that in-person counselling would be better while others would lean towards online counselling instead. With many recent studies demonstrating either in-person being more beneficial as well as online being more beneficial - both modes appear to have benefits. It's what the individual prefers that matters.