What is the Difference Between In-Person Sex Therapy and Online Sex Therapy?
From Respark
As technology continues to advance, the sex therapy profession develops new ways to utilize the latest advances. For decades, going to see a sex therapist at their office was your only option. Rarely, you may have been able to have a therapist come to your home for a home visit, and both of these were in-person. While in-person sex therapy is very effective, having it as the only option can put up barriers for those looking for individual or couples sex therapy. While the actual content of the sex therapy session is the same, there are other logistical differences. Let’s answer some important questions about in-person and online sex therapy.
- What is in-person sex therapy?
- What is online sex therapy?
- Online vs in-person sex therapy: The benefits and challenges
- Is online sex therapy as effective as in-person sex therapy? Looking at sex therapy data
The Details of In-Person Sex Therapy
What is in-person sex therapy? When you hear the term “in-person sex therapy”, it means visiting with a sex therapist face to face. It’s what many people think of when considering traditional therapy. The sex therapy session might take place at the therapist’s office, an alternative location, or even at the client’s home.
For a long time, visiting with an in-person sex therapist was the only option for sex therapy clients. Although in-person sex therapy is a valuable resource, there can be barriers to accessing in-person sex therapy services.
- Transportation barriers: finding transportation to and from the appointment, money and time for transportation
- Child care barriers: finding and paying for childcare services
- Daily living barriers: having clean clothes, taking a shower, getting dressed for the day, these can be incredibly challenging for those with depression or executive functioning challenges
- Physical ability barriers: energy to attend the appointment, accessible transportation, accessible office space for the session
- Time barriers: the time it takes to drive to and from the appointment, plus the actual session time, securing time away from work and household tasks can be challenging
In an article from Respark Therapy about both in-person and online therapy, they write, “For those with physical disabilities, commuting to a physical space may be more difficult than arranging a Zoom or phone session. Certain clients may also have disabilities that prevent them from accessing or fully benefiting from the services of sex therapy. Those with physical and mental limitations may benefit more from online therapy, which removes some of the barriers to entry. Some clients may experience anxiety, and discussing private issues such as sexuality may add to this anxiety, which is why being in the safety of their own space may feel more relaxed.”
Research Data about the Pros and Cons of Online Therapy
Online therapy is still relatively new, and both therapists and clients are discovering the challenges and benefits. A qualitative study published by the National Library of Medicine looks at Therapist’s Experiences in Online Therapy. The researchers discuss several limitations to online therapy.
- Online therapy may make it more challenging for therapists to identify and repair alliance ruptures or cultivate a therapeutic presence with clients
- One of the most obvious challenges is the lack of non-verbal or behavioural cues.
- Issues of therapist privacy (clients frequently search for therapist/counsellor personal information online, which inevitably impacts the therapeutic dynamic), virtual impingements (through which online discoveries alter the physical therapeutic relationship) and a desire to internalise digital versions of the therapist or digital communications (e.g., developing transference through email exchanges).
Even though there are limitations, online therapy is still beneficial to clients. For exaple, this excerpt from the research study mentioned above discussed how one client may have stopped therapy altogether if not for an online therapy option.
“Online therapy is the only option for some clients due to geographical limitations (e.g., lack of available counsellors and therapists or time spent travelling) or other circumstances (such as illness or caretaking/parenting responsibilities). These aspects are particularly important for clients in employment who, in the past, did not have time or lacked geographical proximity to attend face-to-face therapy:
Participant 7: [My patient] was living across the bay from me, and she’s a mom also, so with traffic and parking and everything, it was taking her between 60 and 80 min to get here. So, for her it was really just like, “I can’t do this for therapy”. I think if she hasn’t had the online therapy, she would have probably stopped working with me.”
While the research shows there are some challenges and limitations to online therapy, there are also a great number of benefits. Since online therapy is becoming more popular, we now have the chance to identify more limitations and work to develop solutions for both therapists and clients.
Online vs in-person therapy: There is little difference in the session content
There are many benefits to online therapy, and some will say that online sex therapy works better than in-person therapy. While the content of the session remains the same, many of the barriers to therapy are removed. Clients still get the same important session content with a therapist, with less hurdles to overcome. Licensed psychotherapist and certified sex therapist Kim Atwood, MA, LPC, CST, gives seven benefits of online sex therapy.
- Accessibility
- Privacy
- Waiting Areas
- Ease of Talking
- Convenience
- A window into your world
- Increasing therapeutic opportunities
These benefits can provide life-changing access to sex therapy for both individuals and couples. Someone with accessibility needs doesn’t need to worry about office accessibility. A person with neurodivergence or anxiety can avoid the waiting room full of people, smells, and sounds. During the pandemic, online sex therapy was a way to access treatment when it otherwise would have been inaccessible to everyone.
Online therapy removes some of the barriers to sex therapy, without removing the benefit of the session content. This is one of the reasons why online sex therapy is so successful. An experienced sex therapist can help the client reach desired outcomes in person at an office or online over a Zoom call.
At Respark Online Sex Therapy, you’ll be welcomed with the same feeling of openness, safety, and security as you would in an in person session. Other than using our screens to communicate, your therapy journey will not differ from in-person therapy. All sessions with a Respark therapist, regardless of location, are for you and your current needs. Security is our biggest concern, which is why we have taken every step to ensure our connections and conversations are digitally secure. Just as we use industrial locked boxes for our physical files, so will we with all digital files.
Is Online Sex Therapy as Effective as In-Person Sex Therapy?
People often wonder if the same results can be achieved in online sex therapy as in-person sex therapy. A study published by the Journal of Technology in Human Services reports there is no difference in effectiveness between online and in person therapy.
“A comparison between face-to-face and Internet intervention as reported on in 14 of the studies revealed no differences in effectiveness. The findings of this meta-analysis, and review of additional Internet therapy studies not included in the meta-analysis, provide strong support for the adoption of online psychological interventions as a legitimate therapeutic activity and suggest several insights in regard to its application.” (A Comprehensive Review and a Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Internet-Based Psychotherapeutic Interventions)
This particular study looked at general mental health therapy. So what about online sex therapy? Here is what we know about the prefernce of online sex therapy.
“Within the spheres of both individual therapy and couples counseling is the growing field of sex therapy. Currently, online sex therapy is the option preferred by most couples as nearly 84.7% of therapy have transitioned to pandemic-safe, widely available online sessions with a sex therapist certified through the American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT).”
Based on this information we can infer these two conclusions:
- Online therapy is as effective as in person therapy
- Online sex therapy is the option preferred by most couples
Sex therapy is becoming more accessible than ever before. Clients are now given more options when it comes to online therapy. As noted above, many couples are choosing online sex therapy sessions over in person sessions. As any busy parent or professional will tell you, saving time on commuting to an in person appointment can be the difference between going to therapy or putting it on the backburner. Since online therapy is just as effective as in person therapy, and the session content is the same as in person sex therapy, it is an excellent choice for many couples and individuals.