Bridging In-Person and Virtual Clinical Presence

Prompt: Consider the differences in how you connect and support clients in person versus virtually. Now ask yourself: How do I align the two mediums?

This module explores how the core presence of the therapist—warmth, attunement, containment—can shift across platforms. Participants are invited to examine subtle behavioral differences and how those might affect trust, flow, and clinical outcomes.

Exercise: Virtual vs. In-Person Behavior Mapping

Create two columns labeled “In Person” and “Virtual.”


List clinical behaviors or habits under each—for example:

In Person

  1. Walks client to door

  2. Maintains soft eye contact

  3. Uses gentle vocal pacing

  4. Shares tissue or grounding object

Virtual

  1. Offers a transitional “Digital Door” opening

  2. Looks into camera lens to simulate eye contact

  3. Pauses intentionally to compensate for lag

  4. Offers sensory regulation tip or visualization

Best Practices:

  • Virtual Mirroring: Practice verbal mirroring more frequently to convey empathy—e.g., “You look like something just shifted—what’s coming up for you?”

  • Micro-Attunement Repair: Acknowledge even small tech delays or emotional flatness: “I noticed we just had a glitch—can we go back for a moment?”

  • Intentional Tone Modulation: Be more deliberate in modulating your tone to convey presence, especially in sessions where nonverbal cues are limited.

Icebreaker Tip for Training or Supervision Groups:

Ask: “What’s one thing you do naturally in person that you’ve struggled to replicate online?”
Then invite the group to brainstorm adaptive strategies or equivalents.