In Person Therapy: The Most Proven Path to Mental Wellness (3 of 3)

Facilitates Crisis Intervention and Safety Monitoring

When a patient suffers from acute distress, has thoughts of suicide, or is experiencing a severe mental health crisis, in person treatment offers a bunch of crucial advantages. While sitting in the same room, therapists can immediately assess the client’s physical and emotional state, identify warning signs, and take quick action if necessary. They can keep an eye out for self-harm behaviors, extreme agitation, or signs of substance abuse, which are less evident during remote sessions. In-person settings also provide therapists with better control over, say, safety protocols. For example, if a client exhibits signs of imminent danger, the therapist can coordinate emergency interventions then and there. While there is a protocol for handling crises in virtual therapy, it can become complicated because the measures often rely on third-party assistance. The help is often slower or less effective than immediate in-person responses.

Encourages Commitment and Accountability

When you’re physically attending in person treatment sessions, that alone demonstrates that you’re buying into the idea of therapy. It is reinforcing the importance of the work being done. After all, there are hoops you have to jump through. You’re getting into your car and enduring a potentially lengthy drive to get there; you’re adhering to scheduled appointments even when it means putting aside the other things you might otherwise be doing; you’re showing a willingness to engage in face-to-face dialogue over difficult, personal matters. Clearly, getting help is a top priority in this scenario. But virtual sessions can potentially be seen as less serious. Heck, you might be doing your office work or checking text messages/emails while half-heartedly paying attention to what the therapist is saying. There is less consistency and accountability, and therefore less effectiveness in terms of mental health outcomes versus in person treatment.