Whether you started seeing a therapist for the first time during the pandemic or you were already meeting with a mental health professional before, there’s a good chance you’ve tried, or at least considered, virtual therapy at some point in the last two years. Many therapists were unable to meet with clients in person due to COVID-related restrictions. And in some cases, offering virtual appointments became a way for mental health professionals to meet the increasing demand for mental health services that therapists experienced since March 2020.

Ninety percent of the 1,320 therapists surveyed by The New York Times in late 2021 say more people were seeking out therapy. “I have seen the need for mental health support in general explode,” agrees therapist Ashley McCullough, LICSW.

But with COVID restrictions lifting across the country, many therapists have begun offering in-person sessions again. For some people, the decision may be clear-cut — they know they want to stick with virtual therapy, or they’ve been dying to go back to in-person sessions forever. But many others aren’t so sure how to proceed. To help the undecided make up their minds, we asked mental health experts about both virtual and in-person therapy and whether one is more effective than the other. Ultimately, they said, that answer is individual. But they did offer up some of the biggest pros and cons of both remote and IRL therapy sessions, which you can weigh when figuring out what works best for you.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Virtual Therapy?

Pros of Virtual Therapy: Accessibility

Not everyone has a huge selection of in-network, available therapists nearby, and issues such as inadequate insurance coverage, a lack of transportation or childcare, an inflexible work schedule, and physical limitations can make in-person therapy inaccessible. Virtual sessions help alleviate some of those issues by giving therapy-seekers a wider range of therapists they could work with (so distance isn’t as much as a consideration) and eliminating the need for travel, as much time off, and as much childcare.

Pros of Virtual Therapy: Comfort

Some clients feel more at ease in the comfort of their own home (or wherever they choose to have their virtual session), McCullough says. Remote meetings may also allow therapists to see a more personal side of their client, because you’re seeing them on their turf, so to speak, which can be useful. And while this isn’t true for everyone, the physical separation can also help some people feel more comfortable getting vulnerable and talking about deeper issues with their therapist, McCullough adds.

Cons of Virtual Therapy: Personal Connection

While some people may feel they’re able to open up more when talking over a screen, there are therapists who find it more difficult to read their client when they’re not in the same room together. “I think there are many subtleties that get missed over a screen, including body language and the exchanging of energy being in an actual space together,” McCullough says. “There’s a sanctity to in-person therapy that is not as easily replicable on Zoom,” agrees psychologist Amy Vigliotti, PhD.

From the therapy-goer’s side, therapist Angela Alston, LADC, LMSW, CCTP, AADC, ICAADC, says she’s found that certain clients are less open remotely. Often, privacy issues are at play: The client may hold back knowing their partner, child, or co-worker is in another room and could possibly overhear or walk in on them. Other times, internet issues or nearby distractions can create frustration.