Is Online Therapy As Effective As Traditional In-Person Therapy?
Published March 6th, 2025
3.5 min read
Online therapy is convenient, doesn’t require sitting around in a waiting room, and is just as effective as traditional in-person therapy.
Written by Simon Spichak
Online therapy, also called teletherapy, is a popular alternative to in-person appointments. Many therapy clinics now have online and phone options. While more convenient, some people are concerned that they may not get quality care through online appointments. However, research has found that online therapy can be just as effective as the traditional option.
Effectiveness of Online vs. Traditional Therapy
Researchers have conducted many clinical trials comparing online therapy with face-to-face therapy. The goal of these studies is to understand whether there is any difference in care and satisfaction between these two modalities.
A 2024 study published in the journal Research on Social Work looked at the evidence from 15 high-quality studies. The people who received virtual therapy benefited just as much as those who got traditional face-to-face therapy for their mental health problems. The authors concluded that “both online and face-to-face modalities were beneficial.”
Since many types of therapy are now provided online, the researchers said it is important to conduct more research to understand any potential differences.
Pros of Online Therapy
There are many reasons that people choose teletherapy:
Convenience. You don’t need to drive to an office and sit in a waiting room. Now, you can speak with a therapist from home or while you’re on the run.
Accessibility. You don’t have to take time off from work to travel to the therapist’s office. It makes therapy accessible for people with disabilities as well.
More choice of therapists. Geography limits in-person therapy. There might be a great therapist, but if they live too far away, you won’t be able to see them. With online therapy, you can connect with high-quality therapists in other cities easily.
Reduced wait times. Most virtual clinics have less wait time than an in-person therapist’s office.
Comfort and safety. Some people will feel more at ease speaking about their mental health at home in a familiar environment rather than in a therapist’s office.
No need to show your face. You don’t need to show your face during online therapy. You can turn the video off during the session. This is great for people who find face-to-face interactions exhausting.
Cons of Online Therapy
Some people might prefer in-person therapy for many reasons:
Preference. Some people might not feel as involved without having a face-to-face connection.
Distractions. At home, some people might get distracted by apps and games on their phone or computer.
Technical limitations. Many people don’t have reliable internet access or devices that can handle teletherapy.
No safe spaces at home. Some people don’t feel safe enough at home to talk about their feelings and other vulnerable topics in therapy.
Is Online Therapy Private?
Confidentiality is an essential aspect of therapy. It helps people feel safe enough to share their vulnerable feelings and experiences without the risk of the information being shared elsewhere. Only you and the therapist will be privy to the information in an in-person session.
Resolvve, and many other therapy clinics, use software like Jane App, designed to comply with privacy and security regulations.
Jane App uses 128-bit encryption to send information between your phone or computer and its servers. This is the same level of security that banks use to keep passwords safe when you’re typing them in.
Jane has no access to your information. Only your therapist and administrative staff will have access to patient data.
Other platforms have similar levels of encryption and security to protect your private health information.
How Resolvve Can Help
Resolvve connects you to affordable therapists trained to help with anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, and other mental health conditions. If you’re ready to take the next step toward treatment, you can book a free consultation with one of our therapists. If you’re a college or university student, the entire cost of the therapy session could be covered by insurance.
Please note that this post is written for educational purposes; it is not therapy. If you need to talk to a professional, please book a consultation with a psychotherapist through Resolvve.
