--- title: "In Person or Telehealth Therapy? | Ubuntu Counseling" url: https://ubuntucounselingeugene.com/in-person-or-telehealth-therapy description: "How to choose between in-person therapy at the downtown Eugene office and telehealth anywhere in Oregon with Heather Swaney, MA, LPC. Switching is fine." lang: en --- Services: https://ubuntucounselingeugene.com/services # In Person or Telehealth: How to Choose Both formats are real therapy. The right one depends on your life, your body, your home and who is coming, and you can change your mind. ## Two Ways to Meet I see people in person at my office in downtown Eugene, at 132 E Broadway Suite 303, and by telehealth for people located anywhere in Oregon. Neither format is the lesser version. The relationship, the approaches and the care are the same. What changes is the room you are sitting in. This guide walks through what to think about when you choose. If you are still unsure after reading it, that is what the free 30-minute call is for. ## The Office in Eugene The office is set up with nervous systems in mind. In my words: a low arousal environment with natural lighting and low noise, and fidget and low stim toys are provided. Alternative seating is available: couch, chair, spinning chair, big pillows and blankets. Coming in person gives you a space that is separate from the rest of your life. For some people that separation is the whole point. You leave home, come into a room that exists only for this, and then leave the work there when you go. You can see more on my office page (https://ubuntucounselingeugene.com/office) and my Eugene therapist page (https://ubuntucounselingeugene.com/eugene-therapist). ## Telehealth Anywhere in Oregon Telehealth sessions happen over secure video. Because I am licensed in Oregon only, you must be physically located in Oregon at the time of each session. That means a session from your home in Bend or your office in Portland is fine, and a session from a hotel out of state is not. If you know you will be traveling, tell me and we will plan around it. Telehealth removes the drive, the parking and the waiting room. It can make therapy possible when distance, health, caregiving or transportation would otherwise get in the way. My Oregon telehealth page (https://ubuntucounselingeugene.com/oregon-telehealth) has more detail. ## Young Children With young children, and I see children as young as four, in person usually works best. Play is how young children communicate, and the room, the toys and the seating options give them a lot to work with. Holding a young child's attention through a screen can be hard for everyone. Telehealth can still be useful for parent sessions, where I meet with parents on their own to talk about what is happening at home and practice ways to respond. ## Teens Teens often have a clear preference, and it is worth asking. Some find a screen easier, because it feels less intense and more familiar. Others want to get out of the house and away from family. Privacy is the key question for a teen on telehealth: a room with a closed door, headphones, and confidence that nobody is listening on the other side. ## Couples and Families Couples and family sessions can work in either format. In person, everyone is in the same room with the same cues, which can make it easier to notice what is happening between people. On telehealth, it helps if everyone is in the same place on one screen rather than joining separately, though separate joins can work when people live apart. For families with young children, the office usually gives more room for everyone, literally and otherwise. ## Autistic People and Sensory Needs For autistic people and anyone with sensory needs, the choice can go either way, and your own experience is the best guide. The office was designed to be low arousal, with natural light, low noise and alternative seating, so it may be an easier environment than most clinical spaces. Telehealth offers something the office cannot: your own space, your own lighting, your own sounds and objects, and no travel or unfamiliar waiting room. Camera off for part of the session, looking away from the screen, stimming, lying down: all of that is welcome. We can adjust as we go. ## Privacy at Home Telehealth only works well if you can talk freely. Before choosing it, think about whether there is a place you can be alone and not overheard. Options include a car parked somewhere quiet, a bedroom with a fan running outside the door, or headphones in a room nobody else will enter. If home is not a private or safe place to talk, the office is likely the better choice. ## Travel, Weather and Everyday Life Practical things matter. Distance from downtown Eugene, parking, work schedules, caregiving, winter weather, smoke days and illness can all make getting to the office harder some weeks. Weekend appointments are available, which can help with scheduling either format. Telehealth can also be the bridge that keeps therapy going through a hard stretch, rather than canceling. ## Switching Between Formats You do not have to choose once and forever. You can start on telehealth and move to the office later, or come in person most of the time and use telehealth when the roads are bad or a child is home sick. As long as you are in Oregon, switching is fine, and we can talk about it at any point. ## Deciding on the Free 30-Minute Call If you are unsure, bring the question to the free 30-minute call. We can talk through who is coming, what you want to work on, and what might get in the way, and decide together. My guide to what to expect in your first session (https://ubuntucounselingeugene.com/what-to-expect-in-your-first-session) covers what happens next. ## Questions About This Approach Is telehealth as good as in-person therapy? It is a real form of therapy, not a lesser one. Which fits better depends on your needs, your home and who is coming. We can decide together on the free 30-minute call. Can I have a telehealth session while I am traveling? Only if you are in Oregon at the time. I am licensed in Oregon only, so sessions from outside the state are not possible. See my Oregon telehealth page (https://ubuntucounselingeugene.com/oregon-telehealth). Can I switch between in person and telehealth? Yes. Mixing both is fine, for example in person most weeks and telehealth when weather or illness gets in the way. Where is the office? 132 E Broadway Suite 303, Eugene, OR 97401, in downtown Eugene. My office page (https://ubuntucounselingeugene.com/office) describes the room. Quick Comparison - In person: a low arousal room at 132 E Broadway Suite 303, Eugene - Telehealth: secure video, anywhere in Oregon - You must be located in Oregon at the time of every session - Young children usually do best in person - Telehealth needs a private place to talk - Weekend appointments are available - Switching between formats is always an option Next Step ## Start With a Free 30-Minute Call A short conversation so I can hear what is going on and we can decide together whether this is the right room for it. Get in touch: https://ubuntucounselingeugene.com/contact (458) 215-1465: +14582151465 Related Reading ### The Office The low arousal room in Eugene. https://ubuntucounselingeugene.com/office ### Oregon Telehealth Sessions anywhere in Oregon. https://ubuntucounselingeugene.com/oregon-telehealth ### What to Expect Your first session, step by step. https://ubuntucounselingeugene.com/what-to-expect-in-your-first-session ## Structured data ```json [ [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "MedicalWebPage", "name": "In Person or Telehealth: How to Choose", "description": "How to choose between in-person therapy at the downtown Eugene office and telehealth anywhere in Oregon with Heather Swaney, MA, LPC. 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