In-Person vs Online Therapy

Many people considering therapy wonder whether to meet their therapist in person or online. When it comes to in-person vs online therapy, the more useful question is often not which format is better, but which one will support your process, your privacy and your ability to keep coming. In my practice, I offer both: sessions in a room in Łódź and sessions online.

What in-person therapy offers

Meeting in the same room has a quality that is hard to replace. There is a space that exists only for this work, separate from your home, your desk and your phone. The journey there and back becomes a natural transition: time to arrive before the session and time to let things settle afterwards.

Being physically present also offers more information. I can see your whole posture, small movements of your hands or feet and the way your breathing changes – details that matter in body-oriented work. When feelings are intense, the steadiness of a shared room can give a sense of containment that many people find supportive.

In-person sessions may suit you if you live in or near Łódź, if your home is not a private place to talk, or if you simply want therapy to have its own physical place in your week. Someone might find that the walk home after a session is where much of the reflection happens.

What online therapy offers

Online therapy can make consistency possible when life is busy or mobile. If you travel for work, live outside Łódź, have a demanding schedule or care for small children, a session from home may be the difference between regular therapy and postponing it once again.

For some people, beginning from a familiar environment feels safer. Being in your own space, in your own chair, with your own cup of tea, can make it easier to speak openly, especially at the start. Online sessions also remove the commute, which matters when you are already stretched.

In my experience, online work can be focused, relational and personal when the setting is prepared thoughtfully. For many people it is not a compromise, but simply the format that makes therapy possible.

Can body-oriented therapy work online?

This is a common doubt, especially among people interested in Somatic Experiencing®, an approach that works with the nervous system through sensation. In my experience, it can – with some adjustments. Much of the work, such as noticing sensations, grounding, orienting to the space around you and slowing down, happens through your own attention, and that travels well through a screen.

For example, I might invite you to feel your feet on the floor, or to let your eyes wander slowly around the room you are sitting in, and then notice what happens to your breathing. Gestalt therapy, which focuses on awareness and contact in the here and now, also works online: contact happens through voice, eye contact, pauses and what we notice together.

The limitation is real, though. A camera shows only part of the body, and subtle cues are easier to miss, so online I may ask a little more often what you are noticing. You can read more on the Somatic Experiencing page.

Preparing for an online session

A little preparation can help an online session feel like a protected space:

• Privacy. Choose a place where you cannot be overheard. Some people use a bedroom, a parked car or a friend’s empty flat.
• Technology. A stable connection, a charged device at eye level and headphones help you stay present rather than distracted.
• Quiet. Close email and messages so that nothing pulls you back into work.
• Time around the session. Try not to jump straight from a meeting into therapy, or from therapy straight back into a call. Even ten minutes can help.
• A plan for interruptions. Agree in advance what happens if the connection drops.

Online therapy is not the right setting for every situation, and in an acute crisis more immediate support may be needed. Therapy is not an emergency service; if you are in danger, call 112.

How to choose between in-person and online therapy

There is no universal right answer, but a few questions can help. Where do you feel most able to speak freely, and which format could you realistically keep up for months rather than weeks? Would travelling to a room give you a helpful transition, or become one more obstacle? And is your home private enough to talk openly?

It can also help to consider what you are bringing. If you often feel overwhelmed or disconnected, the physical presence of a room may offer extra support. If your main challenge is finding time and continuity, online sessions may serve you better.

The right format is the one that lets you keep showing up – honestly, and often enough for something to change.

You don’t have to choose forever

The format can stay flexible. Some people begin online and later meet in person; others meet in Łódź and switch to online sessions during travel or intense periods at work. What matters most is continuity and a setting in which you can be honest.

In my practice, sessions last 60 minutes in both formats, and I work in English and Polish. We can talk about the format in the first session and adjust it as your life changes. If you would like to know more, see therapy in Łódź and online therapy.