Hi Paul
Good question. I think it comes down to how well a child can relate and also how well the therapist can relate to some of the challenges that come with not physically meeting.
I think a lot depends on the sensitivity of the child. A more sensitive child will perhaps work better with a therapist who's in the room, as opposed to on a screen. Whether the therapist is wearing a peaceful, calming or happy perfume/aftershave a child can feel the effects of or whether they're able to give off a sense of warmth through their nature, which can be felt more so in person, could be a couple of factors. Another could involve how a child perceives or feels sound (especially if they're sensitive to sound). There's more of a kind of 'fullness' to sound in person, compared with simply hearing it through speakers. Being a sensitive kind of gal, I can personally feel the difference between an in person meeting and one on Zoom. I think a great therapist can deliver a sense of warmth, guidance and support through their words, whether they're physically in the room or not. If more therapists are going to come to work online, I believe this is a skill they'll need to develop.
With no chance to meet in person and the only option being online, an online appointment with a brilliant therapist is much better than no appointment/guidance at all. Perhaps, if possible, an in person meeting to begin with would be of some help, so that kids could get a better sense of/feel for who they're working with through a laptop. Who knows, perhaps in the next 30 years or so kids will be interviewing therapists online, for the position of 'best possible guide' (getting a feel for the best one, the best connection). Interviewing 5 in one month, with parental support, would be much better than trialing each out while having to wait months and months in between.
