I vividly remember our first few days with Covid-19. New York City specifically had a cloud of tension and stress. We were suddenly a little more nervous when someone sneezed and even more aware of the lack of personal space on trains and elevators. Businesses began switching to work from home with a “We’ll be back in a couple of weeks” message and it felt appropriate for me to do so as well because I obviously wanted to keep myself and my clients safe.
It was a Wednesday evening, like so many I’d had before, and I made my clients aware that we’d be switching to virtual therapy for the time being. Even though I said things like, “until further notice” and “I’m hoping it’ll only be two weeks,” part of me knew it would be longer than I hoped. I hugged some clients (a questionable choice, in retrospect, because it was a virus we were nervous about) and went home to an apartment that I’d work from for months and eventually years.
Fast forward to today. As much as I miss seeing my clients in person and wish I could meet my newer clients face to face, teletherapy seems to work surprisingly well for both myself and clients! Dare I say, I love teletherapy and am exclusively a teletherapist. Below are reasons why it works for me and why I think it’ll work for you as well:
Comfort. You’re able to do teletherapy from wherever as long as you’re in a private space where no one can hear your sessions, unless of course you’re not shy and don’t mind roommates or family members super close by. I’m also more comfortable because I have my husband and dog only a few feet away that I can squeeze and kiss between sessions and a kitchen that allows me to actually take an hour-long lunch break. I once did a session with a client who was sitting on the beach-- the limit doesn’t exist.
Scheduling Availability. I can see more clients from my home office than I was able to in the past because I have more time and energy to see folks. Cutting out commute time and effort makes a massive difference and I now fit about five more clients into my weeks than when I worked in person. Helping more people makes me so happy.
Client Satisfaction. My clients report enjoying teletherapy just as much and sometimes even more than in person because they feel less pressure to be in midtown by a specific time and more free and open in the comfort of their own spaces. While I strive to make sessions feel safe and secure, there’s an extra layer when it feels like the sessions are more within your control as the client.
Last, but not least-- therapist satisfaction. I’m a native Midwesterner that transplanted to New York and working in an office kept me away from loved ones for the majority of the year. In addition to that, like many of you, I love to travel, but most of my vacations were centered around seeing loved ones rather than taking more personal trips because I had to spend my free time away from the office strategically. Since doing teletherapy, I’ve seen loved ones and visited the mountains more than I’ve ever been able to.
Ultimately, I truly believe that teletherapy is a fantastic and effective option that leaves both myself as the therapist and clients more satisfied. There are specific cases that might benefit more with face to face sessions and if that’s the case, I’d love to help you find someone perfect for you, but if you’re hoping to have a flexible and extremely comfortable therapy experience, I suggest giving teletherapy a try!
With love,
Bri
P.S. That's an actual picture of me hugging my dog that was taken between sessions. :)