The Beauty of Together
The importance of face-to-face therapy in an era when technology is king.
Recently I saw a commercial which featured famed Olympic athlete Michael Phelps talking about his transformative experience in counseling. It’s truly a remarkable plug for therapy coming from such a prominent figure. He states something to the effect of: his success wasn’t enough. He was unhappy. He needed to get out of his own head and learn to truly connect with those around him. Beautiful. Awesome. I love this message so much!
The commercial was actually for an app-based therapy service where you can pay a flat fee per week and instantly have access to a licensed therapist at your finger tips through messages or video. (And for the record, Mr. Phelps didn't say whether he used this method of therapy vs. a traditional therapy model.)
You’re never going to hear me discourage anyone from getting the help they need, by whatever form they have access to. I’m sure for some, an app-based therapy service is a wonderful means for therapeutic support. But I think we need to be careful when considering options that further encourage our connection to the outside world to be primarily through our smart phones.
The research is clear that our connection with our smart phones and particularly our connections with each other through social media lead to increased symptoms of anxiety and depression. It's this simple: unfettered access to unlimited people on our electronic devices is not the answer to our deepest needs for connection and closeness. What we all need to feel truly known and connected is to put down our phones and connect with those around us.Therapy is no different. There is no substitute for a face-to-face connection in therapy.
Here are seven truths worth considering when it comes to face-to-face therapy:
The relationship itself is healing.Despite what therapy model a therapist uses (and I have written about my preferred models here) a degree of healing, freedom, and forward progress comes through your connection with your therapist. This is why I always say in intake sessions, "sometimes finding the right therapist for you can feel a bit like test-driving cars. If, after this session, for whatever reason you feel like you're ready for therapy but you're not sure if I'm the right fit for you, then I'll work with you to find someone who would better meet your needs." The quality of the connection between you and your therapist goes a long way to foster health and healing in the therapy process.
When you’re really upset, you are probably going to want someone in the room.One thing that’s unusual about being a therapist is that people cry with me...a lot. Having someone stay present with you in your pain can be really validating. Someone else is seeing first hand the hurt you've experienced. It’s remarkable what healing a silent presence can bring to deep sorrow. And I’m not talking about the silence of your phone between text alerts.
Many issues aren't safe to handle over the phone. For therapists, the safety of the people we work with is priority. The reality is that safety issues regarding mental health and physical health may need to be addressed with some clients. There are certain safety precautions that simply can not be provided when you're not in the same room as someone.
A therapist models healthy interaction with others. A common reason people present for counseling is anxiety, specifically social anxiety. While doing the work of therapy, a good therapist will be demonstrating first hand what healthy and proper connection with others looks like: listening skills, attunement cues, body language, proper question asking, and more. To experience a reduction in anxiety while in the presence of another live human goes a long way in overcoming social anxiety. The same can be said for depression. The therapy room functions as a safe place to try new things socially which can result in a boost of confidence as well as a reduction of symptoms.
There is value in actually getting dressed and having some place to be.While having a therapy session in your pj's may sound inviting to some, for those struggling with depression for instance, there is intrinsic value in having something to do that will get you outside of our isolation, even if just for an hour.
A lot goes on in the therapy room that can be missed on the screen.Body language, quick glances to others, etc. as well as physical signs of health or lifestyle. If you're a hundred pounds over weight, this is an important thing for your therapist to know and see. Does a client appear bored in session? Is the client subtly laughing at something they said to the therapist? Turning red? Breathing quickly like they're starting to get nervous? I need to observe that and respond accordingly. You can't always trust people to report that accurately or even to know that type of physiological or non-verbal sign needs to be reported to a therapist.
Your story deserves to be experienced, not just read or heard through a medium.Our wounds occur in relationships. Our healing comes through relationships as well. And our deep hurts and negative experiences deserve more than a technology-based therapy process. They deserve face to face, eyeball to eyeball, soul to soul care and connection.
As stated above, my intention is never to discourage anyone from getting the help that they have access to. If you live in a remote location or have some sort of extenuating circumstance, a media-based therapy relationship may best fit your needs. But for the rest of us, there is no substitute for face-to-face connection. We don't need more media based relationships through our phones. We are all desiring and deserving to be known in person!
If you're ready for a face-to-face therapeutic relationship, contact me today! Offices in Walker, Louisiana and Baton Rouge.