The subscription cost may be lower than in-person sessions with a qualified therapist. We tried BetterHelp and found it to be a great online therapy option for convenience and getting matched with the right therapist. At this writing, the platform says it has more than 24,000 licensed therapists and has hosted more than 202 million messages, live chats, phone calls, and video sessions. Affordable, Private Therapy Anytime, Anywhere. A 2018 review study suggests that therapy sessions by phone or video were equally as effective for treating depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorder as in-person therapy. She is also a registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and a functional medicine certified health coach. Since theres no commuting for online therapy, it tends to be easier to fit into clients schedules than in-person therapy. BetterHelp is part of Teladoc Health Inc.. That missed session will count as your session for the week. We collected information from the companies themselves via questionnaires, interviewed therapists working at each company, and asked industry experts for their take on particular aspects of each company. While traditional therapy offers the quiet comfort of facial expressions and affirmations, in todays tech-centric world, even that can be closely mimicked through BetterHelps live video sessions. Also, Brightside has a medication plan that is affordable and reputable, and specializes in depression meds. In addition to screening BetterHelp using our intensive vetting process, we also looked at their medical credibility, business practices, and social impact. We can help! BetterHelp is rated as a top teletherapy platform for a variety of mental health concerns. BetterHelp is one of the largest providers of online counseling services. Plus 13 Best Services for 2023, 7 Tips for Finding a Culturally Competent Therapist from Someone Who's Been There, 10 Best Places for Guided Meditation Online, The Top 9 Online Psychiatry Services for 2023, people without insurance (or who dont have mental health coverage) who are looking for an affordable way to access 24/7 mental health care, people looking for a per-appointment (not subscription) virtual service, $65$129 per week for therapy; $249 for initial psychiatry and $125 for follow-up sessions, people looking for 24/7 counseling that might be covered by insurance and that you can access via video, phone, or chat, insurance accepted, but limited mental health professionals, people who prefer to chat with a therapist only through text, anxiety, stress, relationship issues, depression, LGBTQIA+ counseling, and grief counseling, your eating habits, including alcohol consumption, how you prefer to communicate with your therapist. We reached our decision by looking at the companies reputation among therapists and users, the ease of use of the platform, accessibility, additional resources offered, level of care, and professional and ethical integrity. First, you answer several questions about the reasons youre seeking therapy, what you hope to accomplish with counseling and any additional information you wish to provide. BetterHelp is a popular mental health platform right now in 2022. BetterHelp is also not appropriate if youve been diagnosed with a severe mental illness, are seeking therapy under a court order or dont have a reliable internet connection. Brightside was founded by Brad Kittredge in 2017, and is based in Oakland, California. Overall, we preferred Brightside for its consistent, highly specific care from a team of well-qualified therapists. Your insurance may not cover the costs of BetterHelp. We also reviewed results from a survey of 105 users across 55 online therapy companies, including BetterHelp and Brightside. My therapist was skilled, empathetic and competent. While our team of, Best Hearing Aids for Severe Hearing Loss. Headspace vs. Here are the 10 best teas for stress in 2022. We dont publish any health content until our. (2016). Read more about BetterHelp insurance coverage. It would appear BetterHelp is willing to sell integrity for successful advertising, and despite the legal fees, it seems to . Brightsides therapy sessions run just 30 minutes long, and all use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as the main therapeutic technique. We include products we think are useful for our readers. Learn more about. They spent over $100 million on advertising in digital, print, and national TV in the last year. Marcelle ET, et al. Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. She opted for a video call, which she notes was very straightforward to use and similar to any other Zoom or G-Chat room Ive been in., For her initial appointment with her therapist, they met for an hour. Knowing hes there is really comforting.. Similarly, a 2017 review of studies by the Department of Veterans Affairs found that therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was just as effective via videoconference as in person. To help get you started, heres a list of affordable mental health care options. Note that an online counselor will not be able to make any official diagnoses, fulfill any court orders, or prescribe medication. As of September 2021, Northeastern University is offering BetterHelp as a referral option, advertising 20 free weekly sessions for its students and faculty. Sign up with BetterHelp and get matched to a therapist in less than 48 hours. Headquartered in California, BetterHelp has treated nearly 3.2 million people since its founding. BetterHelp makes professional therapy available anywhere through a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Commissions we earn from partner links on this page do not affect our opinions or evaluations. With Brightside, you know what you are getting, while with BetterHelp, there is much larger variety in techniques and experience levels. Once verified, the information you provide will be displayed on our site. All rights reserved. You can choose to do your therapy sessions via video chat, phone call, live chat, or messaging similar to email. The Forbes Health editorial team is independent and objective. Accessed 6/29/2021. The service is generally more affordable than in-person therapy. Also, the platform will request emergency contact information from you, which your therapist will use only if they think you or someone else may be in danger. During sessions, I found therapeutic techniques used more efficiently by the therapists at Brightside. Although they appear similar, there are a few functional differences between the two sites, particularly in the member portals. Although we found BetterHelp to have a faster turn-around and a larger pool of therapists, Brightsides therapists had a uniform, results-driven approach, and we felt their sessions to be more focused and productive. Therapy can be intimidating, especially for a lot of first-time clients. Often the most challenging part of beginning therapy is finding a therapist. BetterHelp is known to have unscrupulous advertising techniques, and is also currently in hot water for intentionally duping investors about its financial situation. According to a 2019 study, online therapy can be effective for depression. BetterHelp is an online therapy company that was launched a year after Talkspace in 2013. We also included our editors assessment of BetterHelp and her personal experience with this online service. Amwell is a telehealth company that connects people with healthcare professionals through a virtual care platform. The network of therapists can help with a variety of needs: Therapy services operate on a subscription basis and may cost between $65 and $99 a week. While other online therapy platforms may have more options for insurance coverage or allow you to pick your own therapist, BetterHelp allows users to message their therapist at any time through communication modes such as chat, phone, video and text message. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved. In general, BetterHelp says its services can work well for people looking to improve their quality of life. However, in case an emergency arises during sessions, you will be required to give your contact details when you start therapy. Can BetterHelp Diagnose Mental Health Conditions? 2005-2023 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. This way, you can refresh your memory about any advice or insights youve discussed. I didnt use messaging, live chat or phone sessions for counseling, but my therapist advised me during each session that those options were available and encouraged me to use them. Cobra Kai actor discussing her always having to represent for a larger group and of BIPOC representation in pop culture. (2019). In the event of a mental health emergency if youre thinking about harming yourself or someone else call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Its also hard for an online therapist to pick up on certain facial expressions, body language, or vocal signals that may occur in real-world interactions. BetterHelps sign-up process is clear, fast and straightforward. Frequently asked questions about BetterHelp, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7829321/, journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1357633X17730443. The system does not share your personal phone number with the counselor everything is done through the BetterHelp app. The platform does not accept insurance. Even once you subscribe to a plan, you can cancel your membership at any time if youre unsatisfied. MediaRadar calculates estimated spend for the digital, print and national television campaigns that we identify using proprietary algorithms based on medium and advertisement type. You can also schedule video, phone or live chat sessions and access counseling services using four methods: BetterHelp counselors do not make official diagnoses or prescribe medications. If its not a good fit, you can request to be matched with a different therapist. An algorithm will pair you with a licensed therapist based on your answers. Overall, both services provided high-quality therapists that fit my needs very well: both were women of color who were fully licensed, and both had over 10 years of experience. To get you started, BetterHelp asks you to complete a questionnaire about why youre seeking therapy, as well as information about the conditions or issues youre living with, plus your preferences regarding a therapist (i.e., age, gender, religion, language). Insurance covers both its therapy and psychiatry services. My counselor made suggestions without pushing me to follow them and offered ways I could cope with anxiety, such as breathing exercises and journaling techniques for perceiving fears or worries in a more realistic and logical way. Effectiveness of a multimodal digital psychotherapy platform for adult depression: A naturalistic feasibility study. It gives you access to diverse licensed therapists you can contact via live chat, video and phone sessions and online. Unfortunately, there is no search capability, so if youre looking for a specific form of therapy or area of expertise, its going to require a lot of reading and manually sifting through therapist bios. According to the company website, BetterHelp operates a secure system that keeps user information strictly confidential and compliant with patient data protection laws. Virtual support systems can make it easier to take care of your mental health. A subscription to BetterHelp ranges from $60 to $90 a week. Therapy sessions at BetterHelp are typically 30 minutes, though some therapists may allow for longer sessions upon request. Our editorial content is based on thorough research and guidance from the, Partner Offers feature brands who paid Forbes Health to appear at the top of our list. See which other premium units they bought. Therapists often rely on their clients body language to assess their emotions. BetterHelp also offers financial aid for those who qualify for example, for anyone whos unemployed or going through financial difficulty. 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