The 7 Best Online Therapy Providers 2022: For One-on-One, Teenagers, & Couples With or Without Insurance [The News & Observer (Raleigh)]

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More and more, people are realizing how important mental health is. However, with today’s busy schedules, it’s often hard to get out and go to a therapist’s office. The solution is the best online therapy services we review in this guide.

If you’re a bottom-line person, our number one pick is BetterHealth. Our second choice is TalkSpace, which is the best online therapy group you can use your health insurance with.

The Top 7 Best Online Therapy Providers to Begin Your Mental Health Journey

1. BetterHelp — Best Overall Online Therapy

Pros of BetterHelp Online Therapy:

Cons of BetterHelp Online Therapy:

BetterHelp boasts of nearly 25,000 therapists who have helped more than 2.8 million people. All of its therapists are credentialed and certified as doctors of psychology, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, or licensed professional counselors.

It’s easy to sign up for an account on BetterHelp. After you fill out the questionnaire, you’ll be matched with a therapist; if that person turns out not to be a great fit for you, you can switch therapists as often as needed to find the right one for you. Therapy is available via messages, live chat, phone calls, or video chats.

However, there are a few drawbacks. If you’re experiencing a crisis or emergency, BetterHelp is not for you. It’s also not for you if you’re a minor or someone who’s in another person’s legal custody. While there is a means for you to explore therapists on your own, it’s hidden in the footer.

Ease of Getting Started with BetterHelp Online Therapy: 5/5

Signing up for BetterHelp is simple; all you have to do is fill out the questionnaire and pay your subscription fee.

Matching with a BetterHelp Online Therapist: 5/5

BetterHelp’s questionnaire is thorough and matches you with a therapist who specializes in helping people with the issues you’re experiencing. There are 20 categories you can choose from.

Convenience of Use of BetterHelp Online Counseling: 5/5

BetterHelp lets you use chat, phone, video, and messaging on your computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Pricing of BetterHelp Online Counseling Services: 4/5

BetterHelp costs anywhere from $60 to $90 per week, billed every four weeks, for a total of between $240 and $360. Your price depends on where you live, what your stated issues are, and the availability of the therapist you’re working with.

Overall Score of BetterHelp Online Therapy: 4.9/5

Check out what BetterHelp can do for you.

2. TalkSpace — Best Online Therapy that Takes Insurance

Pros of TalkSpace Online Therapy:

Cons of TalkSpace Online Therapy:

TalkSpace is unique in that it accepts insurance. Its licensed therapists provide services to individuals, couples, and teens, and you get to pick your therapist from the results provided after you fill out a brief assessment about your preferences. Medication management is available through its psychiatry arm.

Unfortunately, that psychiatric care can quickly become costly. Choosing your therapist could be hit-or-miss since there are no therapist bios available on the site. Some of the subscription plans are not enough to help if you have serious mental health issues.

Ease of Getting Started with TalkSpace Online Therapy: 4/5

Getting started with TalkSpace isn’t as simple as you may like. You have to begin your sign-up process on the website, then download the app, then complete your sign-up on either the app or the website.

Matching With a TalkSpace Online Therapist: 3/5

After you fill out the initial assessment, TalkSpace provides a list of recommended therapists. However, with no therapist bios, your first choice may not be the right one. One survey showed that 43% of users saw two different therapists, 29% saw three therapists, and 12% saw four or more therapists before finding the right match.

Convenience of Use of TalkSpace Online Counseling: 5/5

Between messaging, live chat, video, and phone calls available on your computer or phone, using TalkSpace is highly accessible.

Pricing of TalkSpace Online Counseling Services: 4/5

For weekly talk therapy, TalkSpace charges between $270 and $330 per month.

Overall Score of TalkSpace Online Therapy: 4.75

Start healing with TalkSpace!

3. ReGain — Best Online Therapy for Couples

Pros of ReGain Online Therapy:

Cons of ReGain Online Therapy:

ReGain’s only focus is on relationship therapy. Its platform is straightforward and easy to use. Its website has an extensive blog that gives advice on a wide range of couples’ issues and a comprehensive FAQ.

On the downside, if your relationship is abusive, ReGain won’t help you. There aren’t any therapist bios on the website. There’s no method for you to choose your own therapist; ReGain’s algorithms do that for you.

Ease of Getting Started with ReGain Online Therapy: 5/5

Simply click the “Get Started” button on the home page and you’re on your way. You can choose individual therapy or couples’ therapy, or indicate if you’re not sure which is best for you. You can opt to invite your partner down the road.

Matching With a ReGain Online Therapist: 4/5

The algorithm picks your therapist for you, but you can give it preferences, such as whether you want a male or female therapist, a younger or older therapist, or a religious or nonreligious therapist.

Convenience of Use of ReGain Online Counseling: 5/5

Once you’ve created your account and been matched with a therapist, you’ll have access to your online portal. Everything happens through the portal, making it handy.

Pricing of ReGain Online Counseling Services: 4/5

Couples’ therapy with ReGain runs anywhere from $60 to $90 per week, billed every four weeks, for a total of between $240 and $320.

Overall Score of ReGain Online Therapy: 4.7

Check out ReGain can do for your relationship.

4. PrideCounseling — Best Online Therapy for People Who Are LGBTQIA+

Pros of PrideCounseling Online Therapy:

Cons of PrideCounseling Online Therapy:

While PrideCounseling serves the LGBTQIA+ community in both the U.S. and the U.K., it welcomes people of all identities. Some insurance companies offer partial reimbursement for therapy obtained through PrideCounseling. You have three easy ways to communicate with your therapist: phone call, video call, live chat, or messaging.

There are some downsides, though. Not every counselor belongs to the LGBTQIA+ community. Therapists are assigned according to the company’s matching algorithm, and if you don’t feel like your therapist is a good fit, it takes longer to switch therapists than with most competitors. There are also no therapist bios on the site to give you an idea of who you’ll be working with.

Ease of Getting Started with PrideCounseling Online Therapy: 4/5

Once you click the “Get Started” button, you’ll be prompted to answer a great many questions about your gender and identity and your mental health concerns before you’re emailed a verification code to log in to your portal. Once you’ve entered the code, there are two checklists of issues you may be experiencing.

Matching With a PrideCounseling Online Therapist: 4/5

PrideCounseling’s algorithm matches you with a therapist based on your answers on the checklists but does not guarantee that the therapist provided will be an expert in all the areas you’re concerned about.

Convenience of Use of PrideCounseling Online Counseling Services: 5/5

You can use the website or the Android or iOS app to access PrideCounseling.

Pricing of PrideCounseling Online Counseling Services: 3/5

The cost displayed in the site’s FAQ changes based on your location. One reviewer found that users in Seattle were shown prices that were twice the price listed for users in Florida and New York. Prices run from roughly $240 to $480 per month, depending on where you are.

Overall Score of PrideCounseling Online Therapy: 4.6

Check out PrideCounseling.

5. TeenCounseling.com — Best Online Therapy for Teenagers

Pros of TeenCounseling.com Online Therapy:

Cons of TeenCounseling.com Online Therapy:

TeenCounseling.com offers therapy for teens aged 13 to 19. Therapy for parents in need of parenting help is also available. When the parent and teen are both involved in therapy, they have separate dedicated rooms with their therapist. TeenCounseling.com offers phone, live chat, and video appointments in its subscription.

However, the pricing structure is less than transparent. Prices shown on the website vary depending on where you’re located, and they also vary by therapist. Since TeenCounseling.com’s algorithm chooses your therapist for you, it’s effectively deciding how much you have to pay.

While it’s nice that there are separate FAQs for parents and teens, they’re confusing when it comes to the sign-up process.

Ease of Getting Started with TeenCounseling.com Online Therapy: 3/5

It’s unclear from the FAQs when teens, who can begin sign-up on their own, need parental consent to continue. It’s also unclear when parents signing up their children for therapy have to invite their teens to participate.

Matching With a TeenCounseling.com Online Therapist: 3/5

The algorithm that matches you with a therapist also chooses how much you must pay for therapy. One reviewer found that only 7% of TeenCounseling.com users stayed with the first therapist they were matched with. 33% of users saw two therapists, another 33% saw three, and 26% had worked with four or more.

Convenience of Use of TeenCounseling.com Online Counseling Services: 5/5

Teens and parents have separate portals with their joint therapist, and no information is shared between the two unless there’s an emergency. Weekly appointments can be done via live chat, phone, or video.

Pricing of TeenCounseling.com Online Counseling Services: 3/5

Depending on your location and the therapist the algorithm matches you with, you could pay anywhere from $240 to $600 per month for therapy for both the teen and the parent who needs parenting help.

Overall Score of TeenCounseling.com Online Therapy: 4.3

Find out how TeenCounseling.com can help your family.

6. Online-Therapy.com — Best Online CBT Therapy

Pros of Online-Therapy.com Online Therapy:

Cons of Online-Therapy.com Online Therapy:

Online-Therapy.com has more affordable than average subscription prices and offers a large selection of additional resources, such as worksheets and videos in its toolbox, a self-improvement program that’s designed to supplement your therapy.

Every therapist has a bio available on the website so you can see who you’re working with. There are currently therapists in 27 states and the U.K., Canada, Ireland, and Australia.

There are some shortcomings. Online-Therapy.com doesn’t take any insurance. It doesn’t provide couples’ therapy, group counseling, or therapy for teens.

Ease of Getting Started with Online-Therapy.com Online Therapy: 4/5

The sign-up process is simple and straightforward. Answer questions about your mental health and your preferences for a therapist, pick your therapist, and you’re done.

Matching With an Online-Therapy.com Online Therapist: 4/5

The algorithm presents you with a panel of therapists it recommends as good matches for you. You can read the therapists’ bios and choose which one you’d like to work with.

Convenience of Use of Online-Therapy.com Online Counseling Services: 4/5

Therapy is easily accessible through Online-Therapy.com. Your user portal gives you access to messaging, scheduling capabilities, and the toolbox.

Pricing of Online-Therapy.com Online Counseling Services: 5/5

There are three subscription levels. At the basic level, you pay $160 for daily messages from your therapist on weekdays. You get access to parts of the toolbox. The standard level is $240 and adds on weekly appointments with your therapist and any time messaging. The premium plan runs $320 and adds another weekly appointment with your therapist and guaranteed express replies to messages.

Overall Score of Online-Therapy.com Online Therapy: 4.25

Compare Online-Therapy.com.

7. Calmerry — Best Online Therapy App

Pros of Calmerry Online Therapy:

Cons of Calmerry Online Therapy:

Calmerry offers multiple subscription plans and support via multiple channels: private portal messaging, phone, and email. It doesn’t use algorithms to match you with therapists, instead using its staff to make the matches. It offers a discount on the first month’s subscription.

There are some concerns, however. You don’t get the option to choose your therapist. Live sessions are shorter than competitors’ offerings. To see pricing options, you have to create an account first. Calmerry only provides individual therapy.

Ease of Getting Started with Calmerry Online Therapy: 4/5

To get started, create an account and answer the questionnaire about your mental health concerns and what you want to get out of therapy. After that, you pick your subscription plan and gain access to your private portal.

Matching With a Calmerry Online Therapist: 5/5

Calmerry staff matches you with a therapist instead of relying on computer algorithms.

Convenience of Use of Calmerry Online Counseling: 4/5

Your online portal is where you go for everything: messaging your therapist, setting up live appointments if they’re available on your plan, and seeing the effectiveness of your therapy.

Pricing of Calmerry Online Counseling Services: 3/5

Only after you create an account can you see Calmerry’s subscription prices. The Messaging Plan costs $167.96 for the first month and $227.96 per month after that. It includes unlimited messaging with your therapist, who will reply on weekdays.

The Messaging + One Live Video plan adds one live video session with your therapist per week, portal resources, and unlimited messaging. It costs $207.96 for the first month and $299.96 per month starting in your second month.

The Messaging + Four Live Video Plan adds three more live video appointments with your therapist per week and a personalized therapy plan. It runs $269.96 for the first month and $359.96 per month after your discounted month.

Overall Score of Calmerry Online Therapy: 4.2

Check out Calmerry!

How We Arrived at Our Ranking of the Best Online Therapy Providers

We looked at a variety of choices to determine the best online therapy. We carefully considered the ease of getting started, the way patients are matched with therapists, how convenient it is to use the service, and the price of therapy with each provider.

We rated each data point on a scale of one to five, with one being the lowest possible score and five the highest. We then weighed the services against each other and gave an overall score. Comparing scores gave us this list of the best online therapy providers.

FAQs About the Best Online Therapy Options

What Is Online Therapy and What Does It Treat??

Online therapy is a relatively new way of obtaining help for mental health issues. You connect with a therapist over the internet or phone for a weekly appointment. You can also, depending on the service you choose, message your therapist any time between appointments and get responses within a day or two.

Not all providers treat more serious mental illnesses, and not all services allow their therapists to make diagnoses. If that’s what you’re seeking therapy for, make sure you choose a service that caters to your needs. For example, TalkSpace has a psychiatry option that can help you with your diagnosis and prescribe appropriate medication.

Why Should I Choose the Best Online Therapy Over In-Person Therapy?

Online therapy has a number of advantages over in-person therapy. It’s more convenient, sliding easily into your schedule without the necessity of making time for a drive to your therapist’s office.

You don’t need to sit in a waiting room full of people. If you’re embarrassed about receiving therapy, you don’t have to worry about anybody recognizing you on your way into the office.

Online therapy is generally less expensive than traditional therapy. In most parts of the country, you can expect to pay between $100 and $200 for one session. With online therapy, your cost may be as low as $60 per week, which includes messaging and an appointment.

Some online therapy options have a set of resources to help you between therapy sessions. For example, Online-Therapy.com has its toolbox containing worksheets, yoga videos, and meditation videos to promote self-improvement to supplement your therapy.

What Questions Should I Ask To Make Sure My Therapist Is a Good Fit?

You’re allowed to ask your therapist anything you want, but they may not answer every question you ask.

Common questions to ask your therapist include the following:

What Questions Will My Therapist Ask Me?

Therapists differ in their approaches to therapy, so the questions they’ll ask you may vary. However, some basic questions may include what your goals in therapy are and what outcome you’re looking for; what your thoughts and/or feelings about various topics are; and what’s going on with you in school, at work, at home, in your relationship, or with your health.

How Will I Know if Online Therapy Is Working?

Therapy is highly subjective, but it’s critical that you feel like you’re making progress and growing through the progress. Common ways to know if therapy is working for you include:

How Do I Choose the Best Online Therapy Provider for Me?

While we recommend BetterHelp as our top pick for the best online therapy provider, we recognize that it may not be the best fit for everyone. Do your homework and carefully research the online therapy services you’re considering using.

Take into account the ease of getting started, the way you get matched with a therapist, how convenient it is to use the service, and the price before you decide.

Comparing the Top 7 Best Online Therapy Services

BetterHelp

TalkSpace

ReGain

Pride Counseling

TeenCounseling.com

Online-Therapy.com

Calmerry

The Final Word on the Best Online Therapy Choices

While we believe BetterHelp is the best choice for online therapy, we recognize that it may not be the best for everyone out there. That’s why we put together this guide for you. Your situation is unique; your online therapy choice should be, too. We’re confident that this guide will help you on your way to living a happier, more mentally healthy life.

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