Nervous About Going to Therapy in Person? Read This First
Whether therapy is done online or in-person, the benefits impact every part of your life. So, is it worth it to seek out in-person therapy options near campus? Probably! You may have some hesitation about commuting, privacy, and how much time it will take out of your busy schedule. Those are all perfectly valid things to consider. There are also the benefits of connecting with a real person, which can help students feel more grounded and capable for the rest of their day and week. Face-to-face support can help college students manage anxiety, burnout, and stress more effectively. You might be used to pushing through mental health struggles, but what if you didn’t have to?
You will probably have a lot of different and conflicting feelings about walking into a therapy office for the first time. That is completely normal, and even good. We often get nervous or excited about things we care about, things that matter to us. Taking your mental health seriously is a great way to support yourself and your busy schedule as a college student. ALL IN has two locations in both Edina and Golden Valley that are both convenient and accessible for U of M students.
Why In-Person Therapy Feels Different
In-person therapy has some advantages over virtual therapy options. One of them is body regulation. Therapy is a great place to get more in touch with your physical body and how it reacts to different situations. Having an expert in the room with you to help you pay more attention and learn more about your body is incredibly supportive. Learning how your body responds and how it acts in general can help you better regulate and understand your own body better. This is a skill that takes time and practice. Learning and paying attention all on your own is difficult, but having an in-person mental health support professional with you will help you grow these skills better and faster.
Eye contact and connection just isn’t the same through a screen. In-person therapy options near the University of Minnesota allow students to get the human connection that we all need to be happy and healthy. Having a person in the room with you to practice making strong and meaningful connections is helpful. So much of socializing revolves around eye contact and subtle body language movements that get lost in virtual situations. That human connection can help make therapy more impactful and beneficial for students.
In-person therapy also feels different than virtual therapy because you are stepping out of your usual environment. Going through the routine of commuting and traveling to a therapy session can actually have some benefits. By breaking up your regular routine and taking the time and energy to support yourself, you are sending your body and mind a powerful message. You matter. Mental health support is important! It is easy to get stuck in a rut, especially when your schedule feels too busy or overwhelming. So taking the time to step out of your environment and go somewhere healing can really make in-person therapy feel like the right choice.
Common Fears About Going In-Person
One common fear about going to therapy in-person is that it will be awkward. Pretty much all humans share this fear. Meeting somebody new is always going to be a bit awkward, but that shouldn’t stop us from doing new things. Pushing through that initial awkwardness is a skill that can be worked on and improved. Therapy is a great place to work on that.
“I don’t have time,” is another common fear that can get in the way of receiving the support we need. College is a busy time, students have to juggle all sorts of new responsibilities. In-person therapy for college students in Minneapolis is worth the time spent commuting. Prioritizing your mental health impacts every part of your life. Supporting yourself is a great use of your time!
Many people fear being seen at therapy. Therapy can be seen as a private matter, and fear of people you know seeing you going to or from therapy can scare some away from going in the first place. This is a fear that we don’t need to feed. Therapy is self-care. It is support for yourself. Going to therapy isn’t a weakness or something to be ashamed of, instead it should be seen as a sign of strength. You are valuing yourself enough to work on being better.
What an In-Person Session Actually Looks Like
In-person mental health support near the U of M from ALL IN will look the same whether you go to our convenient Edina or Golden Valley location. College student counseling near campus always starts with a warm welcome. ALL IN values real human connection, and that starts right away with a warm greeting. In-person therapy at ALL IN won’t be clinical or cold (unlike Minnesota). Therapy for college students in Minneapolis works by making human connection a priority. Meeting in person helps make sure things don’t feel too cold or clinical too.
In-person therapy is conversational. Therapy is a great place to talk and even vent, but listening is just as important. College therapy aims at being collaborative, so each session will be different based on what you bring with you and how the conversation goes. It isn’t like a classroom with a set syllabus and a professor lecturing you. College student counseling works with real human connections. Conversations can be about anything and nothing. You and your therapist will collaborate on goals and strategies to work on together.
Why Many Students Choose Off-Campus Therapy
Many college students in Minnesota choose off-campus therapy options for better privacy. Some people are nervous about running into people they know. We have convenient options in both Edina and Golden Valley that should work for college students in Minneapolis and the rest of the metro.
Off-campus therapy will often have short wait times. Being able to just stroll in right on time without having to wait can make off-campus therapy feel like a breeze. Along with short wait times, off-campus therapy allows for more personalized care. Shopping around to find the perfect fit for you might mean going to a different location than you want. You might have better or different options in-person compared with online therapy options. ALL IN is committed to providing personalized mental health support for U of M students and all college students in Minneapolis.
The Bottomline
If leaving your dorm for an hour could help you feel steadier, it might be worth it. In-person therapy can help college students feel more grounded. Face-to-face support that isn’t cold or clinical can help students manage stress, anxiety, and burnout. ALL IN has two convenient locations in Edina and Golden Valley. In-person mental health support is available for any college student in Minneapolis or near the University of Minnesota. Reach out today for college student counseling near (but not on) campus.
FAQs (People Also Ask)
Is in-person therapy better than virtual therapy?
It depends on the person. In-person therapy has some advantages like having a closer human connection.
How do I fit therapy into my class schedule?
By making it a priority. Just one hour a week to help you perform your best is worth making time for.
Is therapy near campus confidential?
Absolutely. ALL IN prioritizes your safety and privacy. Therapy is confidential and HIPAA compliant.
What if I feel awkward walking into an office?
That is completely normal! Dealing with things that feel awkward often makes us better. Therapy is one of the safest places to practice handling that awkward feeling.
Resources
Fordham, B., Sugavanam, T., Edwards, K., Stallard, P., Howard, R., das Nair, R., Copsey, B., Lee, H., Howick, J., Hemming, K., & Lamb, S. E. (2021). The evidence for cognitive behavioural therapy in any condition, population or context: a meta-review of systematic reviews and panoramic meta-analysis. Psychological medicine, 51(1), 21–29. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720005292
Ward, M. M., Carter, K. D., Bhagianadh, D., Ullrich, F., Merchant, K. A. S., Marcin, J. P., Law, K. B., McCord, C., Neufeld, J., Nelson, E. L., & Shane, D. M. (2023). Comparison of Telehealth and In-Person Behavioral Health Services and Payment in a Large Rural Multisite Usual Care Study. Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association, 29(11), 1613–1623. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2022.0445
Vizza, J., Riahi, S., Jackson, O., Potvin, C., & Rudoler, D. (2025). Therapy in the digital age: exploring in-person and virtual cognitive behavioural therapy. BMC psychiatry, 25(1), 615. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07063-0
