Why Virtual Therapy Changed Everything for Me

I used to think virtual therapy couldn’t compare to in-person. As a therapist myself, I’ve always felt the energy in a room matters—that there’s something sacred about sitting across from someone and holding space. I also personally preferred to see my clients in person. Because of that belief, I put off getting help for myself for much longer than I should have.

Even though I advocate for therapy every day, I struggled to take my own advice several years ago. Part of it was that Saint John is small, and many therapists are people I know personally or professionally. I felt exposed before I even started, and the idea of opening up to someone who might also be a peer, acquaintance or potential associate was incredibly uncomfortable.

I kept telling myself I’d look again later, or that maybe things weren’t “bad enough” yet. But the truth was, I needed support. And I was quietly carrying too much on my own.

It reached a point where I knew I needed support to get through a difficult time in my life. I wanted to do deeper work to help change things for my future. I wanted to make long-term changes. 

My first virtual session was in my bedroom, laptop propped up on a laundry basket. By the end of the first session, I felt more seen, more validated, and more hopeful than I had in a long time.

Finding the right therapist made all the difference, and I wouldn't have been able to do it without giving virtual therapy a try. It opened up my options. I wasn’t limited to who was nearby—I could find someone who felt like the right fit, not just the available one. I found a therapist who didn’t know me, who used the therapeutic modality I wanted, and who could meet me exactly where I was.

For the first time, I had a space that was just for me—a place where I could take off the “helper” hat and just be human and work through my own stuff. I will be forever grateful to my therapist for helping me so much more than I'm sure he knows. 

As someone juggling work, family, and all the invisible things in between, I needed support that fit into my reality. Virtual therapy made that possible. I could book sessions between meetings or during quieter pockets in my day, without needing to drive across town or rearrange everything.

That convenience didn’t make it less powerful—it made it doable. And that’s why it stuck.

People often ask, “What’s the best kind of therapy?” And my answer is simple: The kind you’ll actually do—and the kind where you feel safe and seen. 

For me, that was virtual therapy. It broke through the excuses I’d built, gently and quietly, and gave me a lifeline I didn’t know I needed.

So if you’ve been thinking about reaching out but feel unsure where to start—or if you’ve been waiting because nothing felt quite right—this is your nudge. You deserve support that works for you. Whether it’s virtual, in-person, or something in between, don’t wait for the “perfect” time or setting. Just begin. However you can. That first step might change everything.