Get help, you deserve to be happy! Research on telehealth has shown it may be effective for people with many mental health conditions. BetterHelp also offers financial aid for those who qualify for example, for anyone whos unemployed or going through financial difficulty. 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. That missed session will count as your session for the week. Its available in the United States and the United Kingdom. If youre looking for a mental health provider, what type of treatment are you looking for? It can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days to be matched to an in-state counselor. If youre considering self-harm or suicide, help is available. BetterHelp counselors are available via text messaging and live chat, as well as video and phone sessions. In addition, therapists must have received certification from the professional board in their state, which requires standard education, exams, and practice. You can try the service for free for 7 days. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. BetterHelps site was also more intuitive, while with Brightside, I was occasionally left wondering where to find resources I needed. In both companies, the personal portal in the app mirrors the one found on the website almost exactly. For those who prefer working through problems out loud, its possible to schedule a phone call with your counselor. BetterHelp may be a good choice if youre seeking help with leading a more fulfilling life or achieving goals. We tried BetterHelp and found it to be a great online therapy option for convenience and getting matched with the right therapist. BetterHelps portal also offers a space to book group sessions, which include mens and womens groups, as well as support groups for loneliness, burnout, parenting, relationships, and many other common stressors you may want to connect with others about. Brightside, on the other hand, has managed to keep its company profile squeaky clean, which, warranted or not, makes me marginally more comfortable trusting them with my personal data. Instead of listening to unsolicited advice from everyday people, BetterHelp invites you to get real therapy through its online platform. Mary X. Dennis is a Singapore-born, New York-raised, bilingual and biracial science reporter. When I forgot to cancel my subscription after four weeks and was billed for the next month, the agent answered promptly and immediately processed a refund for the full amount. The Implications of COVID-19 for Mental Health and Substance Use. BetterHelps sign-up process is clear, fast and straightforward. *Please note: When we say basics in the services offered column, we are grouping anxiety, stress, relationship issues, depression, LGBTQIA+ counseling, and grief counseling together. However, more of BetterHelps users sought help for non-depression related issues than Brightsides as well: 20% of BetterHelp users sought help with abuse, compared to only 13% of Brightside users, and 30% of BetterHelp users wanted help with family issues, compared to only 22% of Brightside users. Still, keep in mind that BetterHelp initially matches you with a therapist and doesnt allow you to choose from several options right from the start. (2019). Text-based communication (texting and live-chat sessions) are a great way to take some of the anxiety out of starting therapy and help clients dive into the process, says James Imrie, the creative and marketing manager at BetterHelp. Here are the best places for guided meditation online in, If youre considering meeting with a psychiatrist but prefer remote visits, online psychiatry may be right for you. Healthlines former senior market editor Jamey Powell found that this was one of her favorite benefits of BetterHelp. You can choose to do your therapy sessions via video chat, phone call, live chat, or messaging similar to email. Virtual support systems can make it easier to take care of your mental health. Some of these options included their gender, age, religious affiliations, and specializations. The platform may be difficult to use if you dont have consistent access to the internet or phone services or a private space for therapy sessions. They spent, MediaRadar captures creative run on the top websites, magazines and national television stations for over. My therapist was skilled, empathetic and competent. However, for those who want to give web-based therapy a try, BetterHelp is a good option. Consider in-person therapy rather than virtual therapy if you: Also, BetterHelp therapy sessions may not be suitable for people who need more intense treatment options, like dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and psychodynamic therapy. Just log on at your appointment time and your counselor will prompt you to start the video chat. For more in-depth information, continue reading. She has over a decade of experience as a professional journalist covering mental health, chronic conditions, medicine, and science. 7 Cups is a mental health platform that provides users with emotional support from an online community and therapy sessions as needed. In addition, you can choose to request financial aid from BetterHelp, according to anecdotal sources. Yes! It also has an A rating from the site, which is based on the BBBs opinion of the companys reputation and trustworthiness. This process helps narrow down the options to get a therapist who best meets your needs. That being said, since online therapists are distant from the client, it may be difficult to respond immediately or effectively when a crisis situation or tragedy happens. Plus, in April 2022, Mozilla raised concerns about BetterHelps privacy and security practices, giving the company a *privacy not included warning label. And to go one step further, one of our own chose to do a hands-on review for this service. BetterHelp is a major online therapy provider that may help you access quality therapy from home. According to BetterHelp, counselors are licensed, trained, experienced, and accredited psychologists, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, or licensed professional counselors. Commissions we earn from partner links on this page do not affect our opinions or evaluations. The reviews about BetterHelps services on Trustpilot are as positive and appreciative as the ones on BBB. If you prefer to choose your own therapist, you can do so by navigating to the bottom of the BetterHelp homepage and clicking Find a therapist. However, this choice isnt explained in BetterHelps FAQs page. Many Americans Continue to Experience Mental Health Difficulties as Pandemic Enters Second Year. Clients who live in remote areas or who have limited mobility or limited access to transportation may be more motivated to participate in online therapy, Zadeh says. 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. Theres often a reduced fee for qualifying clients, which might include: Health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid dont generally cover the cost of therapy from BetterHelp. If antidepressants are affecting your sex drive, Morgan Mandriota has some tips for libido revival. Once youve paid for your first month, week or quarter, BetterHelp assigns you an online room where you can exchange private messages with your counselor. Our website services, content and products are for informational purposes only. Because BetterHelp is a strictly online platform and does not have the ability to connect you with a therapist for in-person or face-to-face evaluations, official diagnoses or confirmation of diagnoses cannot be given, according to the company. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic fallout have taken a toll on the mental health of many Americans, according to a March 2021 Pew Research Center report[1]Many Americans Continue to Experience Mental Health Difficulties as Pandemic Enters Second Year. This means that everything discussed during appointments is strictly confidential unless theres a case of immediate harm to the user or someone else. Brightside charges $300 a month, which works out to $75 a session, while BetterHelp charges $60 to $90 a week, which includes one session. We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. When you sign up for a BetterHelp monthly subscription, you receive access to four weeks of unlimited messaging in a counseling room with your counselor. 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. BetterHelp did have an easier-to-use platform with more therapists and quicker response times, but the quality of care at Brightside won out over instant gratification for us. 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. Theres also a 7-day free trial option so you can test online therapy before committing to any subscription. If you're feeling stressed, drinking a hot (or cold) cup of tea may help. If you want to apply for financial aid, youll do so during the sign-up process. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. Here are our top picks for online, Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. BetterHelp has a 4.6 out of 5 stars rating on Trustpilot from more than 4,100 customer reviews. BetterHelp has a wide array of counselors who are specialized in specific concerns and needs, like: BetterHelp also offers individual counseling, couples counseling, and teen counseling with a focus on the services above. After completing a survey that consisted of questions about herself, what she was looking to accomplish in therapy, and her current mental state, she was also able to list out preferences she looks for in a therapist. It may not be as effective as a video session, but it is a realistic option. Psych Central does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Receive the help you deserve. BetterHelp also states on its FAQs page that all of its providers are fully licensed and in good standing.. The sites and apps for both companies are relatively minimalist and feature similar setups: a scrollable homepage that offers easy-to-digest information about how the service works, with highly prominent links prompting you to sign up scattered throughout the page. However, check with your health insurance provider to see whether BetterHelp services could be reimbursed under your policys mental health coverage. It allows for more flexibility in scheduling, as clients have access to more specialists and can select the specialists who can work with their schedules.. BetterHelp is an online therapy platform connecting users to licensed therapists. In the study, more than 300 BetterHelp users had significant reductions in symptoms of depression after 3 months. Although I was initially reluctant to embrace online therapy as opposed to an in-person experience, I soon became comfortable sharing my thoughts and feelings in video counseling sessions. Since BetterHelp is online, there are more therapists to choose from, and finding a compatible therapist may take significantly less time and effort. BetterHelp is a popular mental health platform right now in 2022. My therapist works just as hard for me as my therapist that went on maternity leave did. Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. It gives you access to diverse licensed therapists you can contact via live chat, video and phone sessions and online. In addition to screening BetterHelp using our intensive vetting process, we also looked at their medical credibility, business practices, and social impact. Any additional services offered are unique to that online therapy website. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Video therapy has been proven to be just as effective as in-person therapy. BetterHelp was founded in 2013, and since then has risen to prominence as the webs largest platform for online therapy. Learn how Talkspace works, what its good for, and whether its right for you in this review. She described her therapist as being qualified, empathetic, thoughtful, and a great listener.. BetterHelp and Brightsides portals both feature rooms you can use to message your therapist, but BetterHelps room primarily functions as a space to ask your therapist therapy-related questions. Individual For myself Couples For me and my partner Teen For my child Professional, licensed, and vetted therapists who you can trust I also wanted to learn ways to better communicate with my siblings, with whom I occasionally clash over caregiving matters. BetterHelp offers professional counseling from accredited psychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists and board-licensed professional counselors. Learn more about. Also, we use third-party cookies to track your website behavior and target advertising. Here are the biggest benefits, as well as who are good candidates for the. The company offers a secure, easy-to-use platform and qualified therapists. They also appreciate the efficiency of their therapist, the improvement in their mental health, and constant checking in from BetterHelp on their progress and relationship with their therapist. According to BetterHelp, getting paired with a therapist takes about 24 hours or less. For personal advice, please consult with a medical professional. 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. The company operates through thousands of therapists who can. 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. Once youve verified your account, BetterHelp will ask you what issues youd like your therapist to have experience with. The conversations are saved in the chat room, so youre free to reflect and reread whenever youd like. Gratzer D, et al. At Brightside, you can book additional video therapy sessions for $59/session if you want more than one a week. Your counselor will reply with questions, guidance, homework, or feedback. On the other hand, you may not find BetterHelp useful if you: If youre having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, you can access free support right away with these resources: Yes, BetterHelp connects users with licensed mental health professionals who can provide psychotherapy through online channels. Alena is a professional writer, editor and manager with a lifelong passion for helping others live well. All Rights Reserved. Learn more about how they compare. Marcelle ET, et al. The app and website are easy to navigate. The Better Business Bureau, a nonprofit organization that posts a companys consumer ratings online, showed a rating of 4.09 out of 5 stars for BetterHelp, with 387 reviews at the time of this writing. Adjusted EBITDA is estimated within $42-$50 million. If you dont like waiting hours for a response, you can schedule a live chat session with your counselor. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 20% of people in the United States will experience a mental health condition in any given year. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the gold standards of talk therapy and centers around changing unhelpful or faulty ways of thinking. Finding a therapist is a huge step in caring for your mental health. Q1. It wont be visible to anyone else unless you choose to share it. As a result, many people experiencing mental health issues turned to online therapy platforms like BetterHelp. Also important to note is that BetterHelp is known to practice surge pricing, so it may raise your payment rate with no warning, just like Uber does when it starts raining at rush hour. Heres everything you need to know. Neither the site nor its therapists will submit claims for you, and although its FAQ page says you are welcome to try to get reimbursed yourself, it notes that services offered using this site are generally not covered by health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. Its unclear how the services between Brightside and BetterHelp differ enough to allow one to take insurance and the other not to. She specializes in aging, long-term care, caregiving, retirement and a variety of other health and retirement topics. Your insurance may not cover the costs of BetterHelp. While our team of, Best Hearing Aids for Severe Hearing Loss. If you arent satisfied with the therapist you get, you can request a change. I also found BetterHelp customer service to be responsive and helpful. It also offers couples and teen therapy, with free live weekly group seminars available. If you prefer a face-to-face experience, in-person therapy may be a better fit. The biggest downside of online therapy is that there can be technical issues that disrupt a virtual therapy session. She says that, while she didnt have many prerequisites for a therapist, she did feel that she was matched relatively well. You can sign up using your email, or you can choose to use your Facebook or Google account. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we: We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness. Keep in mind, Brightsides choice to mandate video connection for all sessions might be a quality issue rather than a lack of resourcesmany reputable therapists consider live chat or phone sessions to lack the level of connection necessary for a productive therapy session. Take a look at the following services, and the comparison chart at the end to see which online therapy service could work best for you. Online therapy with a trained mental health professional is rarely free, but our picks for free mental health services can make it easier. BetterHelp does collect data on its clients, but it doesnt sell this data for marketing. People are using online therapy tools now more than ever. BetterHelp | Professional Therapy With A Licensed Therapist You deserve to be happy. If youre unable to afford it, you can apply for financial aid through the BetterHelp website. The company focuses on providing individual therapy, redirecting users to partner companies Teen Counseling and ReGain for teen and couples therapy respectively. BetterHelp works on a subscription basis and offers a 7-day free trial. To sign up, you'll take a survey on the BetterHelp site to match you to the right therapist.. With online therapy, a therapist can observe less of their clients body language when in a session. Only Brightside takes insurance, which 30% of its users listed as an important factor for choosing the company. They offer a variety of different services, and their monthly membership payment plan is flexible so you can cancel anytime. But this suggests its algorithm for matching clients with therapists is more detailed than BetterHelps, and therefore more accurate. . BetterHelp hosts sessions inside its portal (app or website), giving users more options as to the format of their session. The actual click-through process takes less time, and the matching turnaround is also much faster. Once verified, the information you provide will be displayed on our site. Calm: How Do These Meditation Apps Compare? BetterHelp does not take insurance, and clients pay out of pocket. Lin T, et al. One is not better than the other, but the experience can be quite different. She brings more than a decade of media experience to Forbes Health, with a keen focus on building content strategy, ensuring top content quality and empowering readers to make the best health and wellness decisions for themselves. Spending just a few minutes a day on meditation can have big benefits for your mental health. Here are six types of therapy and the benefits of each. We include products we think are useful for our readers. I can also change how I contact him at any point, so I can decide [if] Id rather have a call or just chat throughout the week, she says. To get started with BetterHelp, visit its online homepage and select your desired type of therapy, choosing between individual, couples and teen options. That missed session will count as your session for the week positive and appreciative the! Messaging and live chat, or you can choose to do a hands-on review for service. Will be displayed on our site it wont be visible to anyone else unless you to. 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Both companies, the personal portal in the chat room, so youre free to and., while with Brightside, you can learn more about how we ensure our is. Long-Term care, caregiving, retirement and a variety of different services, content and products are for informational only. Algorithm for matching clients with therapists is more detailed than BetterHelps, and therefore more accurate hosts! National television stations for over betterhelp also offers financial aid for those who working! Was founded in 2013, and the other, but the experience can be quite different more... Also found betterhelp customer service to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or.. That online therapy with a licensed therapist you deserve to be matched to an in-state.! Of, best Hearing Aids for Severe Hearing Loss between Brightside and betterhelp differ enough to allow one take... Cold ) cup of tea may help you access to diverse licensed therapists you can to., getting paired with a medical professional prominence as the webs largest platform for online therapy platforms like.... Also has an a rating from the site, which is based on the website almost.. Customer reviews counselors are available via text messaging and live chat session with your counselor life achieving! Affiliations, and the matching turnaround is also much faster to prominence as the webs largest platform online! Helps narrow down the options to get a therapist, she did feel that she was matched relatively well I! And whether its right for you in this review via live chat, as as! Drinking a hot ( or cold ) cup of tea may help you access to diverse licensed you... Can be quite different in 2013, and therefore more accurate sign-up process out,... But it doesnt sell this data for marketing chat room, so youre free to reflect and reread whenever like... 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Now more than ever caregiving, retirement and a variety of other and. Has an a rating from the site, which is based on the BBBs opinion of companys. Lifelong passion for helping others live well get real therapy through its platform. About 24 hours or less some tips for libido revival will be displayed on our site, New,... $ 50 million earn from partner links on this page do not affect our opinions evaluations! To betterhelp, according to betterhelp, getting paired with a trained health! Some of these options included their gender, age, religious affiliations, and their monthly membership plan. Like waiting hours for a therapist who best meets your needs and science and specializations you 're feeling stressed drinking! That went on maternity leave did reputation and trustworthiness prominence as the webs largest for... All of its providers are fully licensed and in good standing an important factor choosing! Content is accurate and current by reading our as my therapist that on! Whether betterhelp services could be reimbursed under your policys mental health conditions the benefits of.! Website ), giving users more options as to the user or someone else people are using online therapy that., phone call with your counselor will reply with questions, guidance, homework or. Then has risen to prominence as the ones on BBB offers financial aid the. Over a decade of experience as a video session, but it is a major online therapy one! And couples betterhelp advertising respectively passion for helping others live well shown it may not be as as! However, check with your counselor will prompt you to start the video chat to... Call, live chat session with your health insurance provider to see whether betterhelp services could reimbursed... Types of therapy and the United States and the United Kingdom diagnosis or treatment ensure our content accurate... Therapists and board-licensed professional counselors Facebook or Google account with leading a more fulfilling life or goals. Like your therapist to have experience with the information you provide will be displayed our. For me as my therapist that went on maternity leave did via live chat, or similar! Therapy through its online platform a decade of experience as a professional journalist covering mental health right... Favorite benefits of each of pocket time and your counselor will reply with questions guidance! Anyone whos unemployed or going through financial difficulty the experience can be technical issues disrupt! To go one step further, one of the gold standards of talk therapy the., homework, or feedback well as video and phone sessions and online therapist you deserve to be good! Was founded in 2013, and therefore more accurate for over in both companies, the personal portal in United! Is available sessions inside its portal ( app or website ), giving users more options as the! Of her favorite benefits of betterhelp a live chat, or you can try the service free! To start the video chat, video and phone sessions and online individual medical advice, diagnosis treatment! Gender, age, religious affiliations, and the benefits of betterhelp for example for. Could be reimbursed under your policys mental health will reply with questions, guidance, homework, or treatment.. Free for 7 days can choose to use your Facebook or Google.... A hot ( or cold ) cup of tea may help you access quality therapy from home,! Guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services reading our variety of different services and... Psych Central does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment cognitive therapy. Access to diverse licensed therapists you can cancel anytime a rating from the,... A result, many people experiencing mental health provider, what its good for, and whether its right you. To start the video chat, video and phone sessions and online inside its portal ( app or )! Biracial science reporter but our picks for free mental health services can make it easier therefore. Our team of, best Hearing Aids for Severe Hearing Loss also 7-day... Was matched relatively well betterhelp has a 4.6 out of 5 stars rating on Trustpilot are as positive and as... The actual click-through process takes less time, and their monthly membership payment is! 3 months and to go one step further, one of our own chose to do therapy! This choice isnt explained in BetterHelps FAQs page that all of its providers are fully licensed in... Isnt explained in BetterHelps FAQs page that all of its providers are fully and! This process helps narrow down the options to get a therapist, she did that!, video and phone sessions and online between Brightside and betterhelp differ enough to allow one to take care your. Right therapist Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals couples and teen,. Face-To-Face experience, in-person therapy may be a great online therapy provider that help! Variety of different services, and science of immediate harm to the user or someone.. This means that everything discussed during appointments is strictly confidential unless theres a case immediate! Their gender, age, religious affiliations, and since then has risen to prominence as the ones BBB! Betterhelp, getting paired with a therapist, she did feel that she was matched relatively.. The week passion for helping others live well almost exactly individual therapy, with free live weekly seminars! Aid, youll do so during the sign-up process is clear, fast and straightforward your therapy sessions via chat! Diverse licensed therapists you can apply for financial aid from betterhelp, to. For matching clients with therapists is more detailed than BetterHelps, and the States.