Choosing Teletherapy
As the world went virtual during the Covid-19 pandemic, therapists relied on teletherapy in order to continue seeing patients. This major change allowed researchers the unprecedented ability to compare the outcomes of teletherapy to in-person psychotherapy. They were able to convincingly demonstrate the two therapy formats offer equivalent benefits.
Many clinicians, like myself, have continued to practice video-based teletherapy because of the flexibility and convenience for patients.
Benefits
Recent research continuing to compare the benefits of teletherapy to in-person therapy has shown that both the quality of the patient-therapist relationship and treatment outcomes are equivalent across the two therapy formats.
I have practiced in-person psychotherapy for over 40 years. When psychotherapists turned to teletherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic, I was initially reluctant to use this format. Like many, I assumed it would not be as effective as in-person therapy. To my surprise, I discovered teletherapy allowed me to more effectively focus on my patients’ issues.
While not all therapists prefer this format, many share my enthusiasm for it. Over time I was encouraged to find that research comparing teletherapy to in-person psychotherapy found them equally beneficial. Furthermore, surveys of therapists who have used both formats have found that a substantial percentage of them prefer the teletherapy format.
Research on Teletherapy vs. In-Person Treatment
Learn more about what researchers have found about the efficacy of teletherapy as it compares to in-person treatment.
- Psychology Today • What Works Best: Online or In-Person Therapy? • Tyler Woods
- Newman, M.G., & Hayes, J.A. (2024) The therapy relationship, digital interventions, and their interaction. Psychotherapy Research, 34, 571-573.
- Aafjes-Van Doorn, K., Békés, V., Luo, X., & Hopwood, C.J. (2024) Therapists’ perception of the working alliance, real relationship and therapeutic presence in in-person therapy versus tele-therapy. Psychotherapy Research, 34, 574-588.
- Davis, K.A., Zhao, F., Janis, R., Castonguay, L.G., Hayes, J.A., & Scofield, B.E. (2024). Therapeutic alliance and clinical outcomes in teletherapy and in-person psychotherapy: A noninferiority study during the COVID-19 pandemic Psychotherapy Research, 34, 589-600.
- Schonenenberg, K., & Martin, A. (2024) Empathy, working alliance, treatment expectancy and credibility in video and face-to-face psychotherapeutic first contact. Psychotherapy Research, 34, 626-637.