--- title: "Online vs. In-Person Therapy | The Solace Space" url: https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/resources/online-vs-in-person-therapy description: "Compare online and in-person therapy in Georgia: commute, privacy, exposure practice, teens, couples and what a video session needs." lang: en --- # Online or _in person_: which is right for you? (can i really do this from my kitchen table?) There is no prize for choosing the harder commute. There is also no rule that online is automatically more convenient. The better question is where you can be present, speak privately, and actually do the work between sessions. The format is a practical choice, not a measure of how serious you are about therapy. I offer in-person appointments at the only office, 290 S Main St, Suite 200 in Alpharetta, and secure telehealth while you are anywhere in Georgia. It is the same therapist and the same skills-based approach in either format. The details of your home, schedule, and goals can make one option easier to use right now. ## Start with the commute If your drive to Alpharetta would take the time you meant to spend in the session, online may be the practical choice. Traffic can turn a manageable appointment into a complicated afternoon. If you live or work nearby, an office visit may give you a useful transition between the rest of your day and a private conversation. Neither choice says anything about your commitment. Think about the actual Tuesday when you would meet. Is there travel time you can reliably protect? Is there a quiet hour at home instead? The service areas (https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/service-areas) page explains where the office is and where telehealth is offered. There is no second office in another city. For virtual appointments, you must be physically in Georgia during the session. ## Privacy is more than a login link Telehealth needs a private place, a device you can use comfortably, and a stable connection. If someone at home can overhear you, that matters. Headphones may help, but they cannot create privacy if people are walking through the room. You can think ahead about a door you can close, notifications you can silence, and a place where you will not be interrupted. An office offers a different kind of boundary. You leave home, have the conversation, and leave the space behind afterward. That may make it easier to speak openly. On the other hand, a familiar room at home may feel simpler when your week is crowded. You can ask about either format on the consult without needing to justify your preference. ## Can exposure work happen online? Sometimes real-life settings are the point of the practice. If you are working on an anxious habit around messages, a household routine, or a route you avoid, your everyday setting gives us useful detail. A video session can help us plan what you will try there. Between-session work is part of the approach whether the conversation happens through a screen or at the office. Online does not mean you will be asked to do a risky exercise alone. We talk about safety, choose a step together, and review what happened. For exposure therapy (https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/exposure-therapy), the aim is not a dramatic demonstration. It is gradual, deliberate practice that makes sense for the specific fear. For OCD, ERP (https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/erp-ocd-therapy) also looks at the rituals that happen outside the appointment. ## For teens and couples A teen ages 13 to 17 may have strong opinions about where they can talk without being overheard. A parent can help find privacy without insisting on sitting in the room. If you are considering teen therapy (https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/teentherapy), ask how parent involvement and the session format would work. The answer depends on the family and the issue, not only on the device. For couples, the practical question is whether both people can attend from a setting that allows an honest conversation. If you are joining online, agree ahead of time on a private space and a time when you will not be multitasking. EFT couples therapy (https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/eft-couples-therapy) is not a video shortcut around difficult conversations; it is still a conversation both people need room to join. ## Same work, different setting In either format, we look at the pattern that brought you in and make a specific plan. You can still talk about anxiety, OCD, panic, phobias, relationship issues, or stress and burnout. You can still ask what a suggestion is for, disagree with a step, or tell me it did not fit. A screen does not remove your say in the work. The location of the session may change what examples you notice. At home, you may be right next to a trigger you want to discuss. At the office, distance from the rest of your day may help you reflect. Both can be useful. Choose the setting that lets you participate, not the one that sounds like the 'proper' version of therapy. ## Questions to bring to the consult Ask yourself: Can I protect a private hour at home? Would the drive make an appointment hard to keep? Does being in another space help me focus? If your first preference is unavailable on a particular day, ask whether the format can be discussed. What matters is keeping the plan realistic for your situation and your Georgia location. The free 15-minute consult is a place to ask how the work would look for you. You do not have to make a forever decision about online versus in person before the first conversation. Read more about online therapy in Georgia (https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/online-therapy-georgia), or ask about the Alpharetta office. We can talk about what makes a private, useful session possible. If you are switching between home and office days, picture the moments around the appointment as well as the conversation itself. Would you need to race from one meeting into a video call with no privacy? Would an office trip give you a welcome pause, or leave you watching the clock on the drive back? Neither scenario is a clinical verdict. It is a scheduling reality you can talk about. If a teen is involved, make room for their preference about where it feels easier to speak. If both partners are attending, agree on a place where neither person is trying to answer work messages at the same time. A useful format is the one that gives the conversation enough attention, not the one that looks most convenient on paper. Common questions ## Quick answers. Is telehealth available outside Georgia? No. Colleen is licensed in Georgia only, and you must be physically in Georgia during a telehealth session. Where is the in-person office? The only office is at 290 S Main St, Suite 200 in Alpharetta, Georgia. Do online sessions use a different approach? No. The same therapist and practical work are available by secure telehealth or in person. Keep reading - Online Therapy in Georgia: https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/online-therapy-georgia - Service Areas: https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/service-areas - First Therapy Session: https://thesolacespacetherapy.com/resources/first-therapy-session ## Want help with _yours_? A free 15-minute call. You tell me what's going on. I tell you honestly whether I'm the right fit. 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