How To Become A BetterHelp Therapist And Provide Online Therapy

How online therapy platforms are changing mental health careers

Online therapy platforms provide remote mental health services, allowing participants to connect with professionals without facing common barriers to treatment. With over 30,000 mental health professionals—including specialists in psychology, clinical mental health counseling, and social work—BetterHelp is the largest online therapy platform. Becoming a BetterHelp therapist involves undergoing a five-step process overseen by BetterHelp’s Therapist Onboarding Team. The team conducts rigorous assessments to ensure that all mental health professionals have not only proper credentials but also a strong record of providing high-quality, evidence-based care to clients. Keep reading to learn how to become a BetterHelp therapist so you can begin providing online care to people in need of support through the BetterHelp platform. 

What BetterHelp offers mental health professionals

For therapists who pass the application process, BetterHelp offers an opportunity to meet the diverse mental health needs of individuals all across the United States. Therapists who specialize in certain mental health conditions or in helping specific communities can find opportunities to connect with these individuals via BetterHelp’s matching process. 

BetterHelp also allows therapists to fill their schedule, which may be especially helpful for many therapists who live in remote areas with fewer people looking for in-person therapy. Keep in mind that BetterHelp is a subscription-based therapy platform and does not provide crisis intervention services. It also does not currently accept insurance, though its costs for clients tend to be lower than those associated with in-person sessions without insurance.

How to become a BetterHelp therapist: educational requirements

All BetterHelp therapists must be fully licensed in their state. Most states’ licensing requirements dictate that therapists obtain at least a master’s degree in mental health counseling, psychology, or a related field, usually along with other forms of education and supervised clinical practice. Following the completion of a graduate program and the requisite hours of clinical supervision, therapists may still have to complete exams, undergo further training, and fulfill other requirements to become licensed. The following are some of the credentials of most therapists on BetterHelp today:

• LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor
• LCPC: Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
• LCMHC: Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor
• LMHC: Licensed Mental Health Counselor
• MFCC: Marriage, Family, and Child Counselor
• LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist 
• LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker 
• PsyD: Doctor of Psychology

Applying to BetterHelp to practice online therapy

BetterHelp is actively recruiting professionals to work online therapy jobs. As a therapist working with BetterHelp, you may be eligible to receive a range of benefits, including a monthly health stipend, a free BetterHelp membership, and continuing education opportunities. If you’re ready to join BetterHelp, you can do so through a five-step application process. 

Some sections, such as message templates, will auto-fill based on information provided by therapists in the Expertise & Preferences portion. A therapist or social worker doesn’t have to fill in the schedule and payment sections until just before approval. If needed, BetterHelp’s Therapist Onboarding Team will contact the therapist for any necessary changes to their application. Once the application has been submitted, qualifying providers can begin the five-step process outlined below.

Step #1: screening

Once a therapist begins the application process, the Therapist Onboarding Team ensures that they have a license accepted by BetterHelp. This process involves checking that:

• The license is not expired
• The license is in an active status
• The license is not an associate or temporary license
• There are no disciplinary actions (DA) against the therapist

Step #2: profile review

The Therapist Onboarding Team then conducts a review of each therapist’s profile. Therapists can begin creating this profile and continue working on it during the onboarding process. Therapists must complete all nine sections of their profile to be considered.

Step #3: interview

BetterHelp also conducts a 15-minute virtual interview, or “Meet & Greet session,” with each prospective therapist. This call provides the opportunity for BetterHelp staff to verify the therapist’s identity, ensure that they have a professional setting for video calls, and answer any questions about the onboarding process. 

Alternatively, some therapists may undergo a technology check. The platform used for this check verifies their identity by checking uploaded ID documents and ensuring that their microphone and speakers work and that they have a stable internet connection.

Step #4: clinical quiz

Every therapist must complete a clinical case study, which is evaluated by a licensed clinician at BetterHelp. While the quiz doesn’t require preparation and only takes about 15 minutes to complete, therapists only have one opportunity to pass. If they fail, they have to wait three months before retaking the assessment. 

Step #5: background check

The background stage consists of three parts:

• A Google search
• The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB)
• A Background check through Checkr

Below is a brief overview of these three stages.

Google search

BetterHelp’s Therapist Onboarding Team first conducts a routine Google search to ensure that there are no obvious red flags about a candidate. Any concerning search results may result in a disqualification. 

NPDB

The next part of the background check is the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) phase. The BetterHelp Therapist Onboarding Team adds therapist candidates to the NPDB to see if there are any negative reports or actions taken against them. By adding a therapist to the NPDB, BetterHelp can also receive any future reports for therapists who are active on the platform. 

Checkr

The final phase of the background check involves Chckr, a third party that looks into the background of each therapist candidate. This process typically takes three to five business days. If a therapist passes this round, they move forward for approval. If they fail, they are disqualified. 

How approved BetterHelp therapists can provide online therapy

Once approved to work on the platform, BetterHelp allows mental health professionals to provide therapy through numerous formats, including audio, video, and live chat. They can also provide support to their clients through in-app messaging between sessions. Each online therapist works as an independent contractor, which means they can choose their own hours. A flexible schedule can be particularly helpful for people who want to conduct online therapy sessions while also holding a full-time job.  

Building your practice and client base on BetterHelp

Once you’ve started providing therapy services through BetterHelp, you may wonder how you can attract more clients. Typically, BetterHelp will provide you with new client referrals as long as you are open to receiving them. Users can also request your counseling services through the BetterHelp platform; so, spreading the word about your practice may help build a solid client base. For many professionals, this involves utilizing social media, specializing in a certain discipline, creating a website, and otherwise marketing their services.

Specializing and providing quality care: Modalities and match with BetterHelp

BetterHelp therapists work in a range of fields, allowing users to receive the right form of care for their specific mental health concerns. By developing treatment plans based on your specialization, you can help give clients the comprehensive care they deserve. If you’re interested in specializing in new disciplines, you might consider participating in training or certification programs. For example, if you specialize in clinical mental health counseling but want to also provide marriage and family therapy, you may have to complete additional coursework and licensing requirements. Continuing education can also help you stay apprised of developments in your field and provide the most up-to-date mental health care possible. 

Building your own practice or using BetterHelp as a launchpad

Therapists seeking professional growth can use BetterHelp to develop their skills and build their practice. The platform can be particularly helpful if you’re practicing in an area without a strong behavioral sciences network. With online therapy, you can work with clients from all over the United States. Online therapy can help professionals supplement their client base. For many therapists, BetterHelp clients make up part of their caseload, while clients from their own practice make up the rest. 

Technology, platform support, and requirements for online therapy

To provide online mental health support, therapists typically need to be able to connect with participants through video call, voice call, and in-app messaging. This means that they’ll need a reliable internet connection, a webcam, and the ability to download the BetterHelp app. If you’ve started to provide online counseling, it can help to familiarize yourself with the tools and resources offered through the BetterHelp platform. You can also start to develop a plan for how you will interact with clients, determining the best approach for messaging, conducting sessions, and providing quality care.  

Therapeutic support for mental health professionals

Therapists who are considering working with BetterHelp may benefit from speaking with a licensed therapist to care for their own mental health as well. BetterHelp has more than 30,000 licensed mental health professionals who can work with other therapists as they navigate career questions and various life challenges. As virtual providers know, online therapy can often be as effective as in-person therapy for addressing a variety of common concerns.