Best Online Therapy Options

Before online therapy became an option, to see a therapist, people usually had to take time out of their busy schedules, tackle traffic to get to an office and spend time waiting for their appointment to begin. These factors are often an inconvenience and can become a barrier to spending time with therapists. Online therapy allows for the convenient option of working with a licensed mental health professional from the comfort of your home via secure chat, phone, and video sessions. 

With online therapy, sometimes called virtual therapy or online counseling, you can meet with a therapist at times that are convenient for you. You can eliminate travel time, wait times, and the stress of traffic or public transportation. Most importantly, you can find a therapist who is best suited to your specific needs and lifestyle. You can choose to work with a provider for individual therapy or for couples therapy. Some telehealth services even offer group therapy.

Online licensed mental health professionals are medical doctors in the field of psychology and can work with you to address your individual areas of concern or desired areas of growth. As a treatment method, it has proven efficacious for treating a wide range of mental health disorders and helping people cope with varied life challenges. Examples include addressing mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder; working on relationships; managing grief or loss; developing healthier behaviors; setting goals for healthier thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; managing grief or loss, or working on topics like career or school exploration or life transitions.

When you're seeking an online therapy program or treatment, making sure your therapist is a licensed mental health provider can be the best first step. That way, you’ll be confident that you’re on the path to finding the support you’re seeking—support from a professional who has expertise in the areas you’d like to address.

Mental Health Disorders Are Common—Online Therapy Platforms Can Help

According to the American Psychiatric Association, nearly one in five adults in the United States is living with a mental health condition. One in twenty-five people has a serious mental health disorder, and one in twelve people has a diagnosable substance use disorder. About twenty percent of Americans are living with anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns.

Mental health disorders are very common. They are also very treatable. The vast majority of people living with a mental health concern are able to function in their daily lives. Effective treatments through remote therapy sessions can help people successfully handle their mental health.

Seeking mental health services for a mental health conditions or concerns is a sign of strength and resilience. Just as there is no shame in seeking help for a physical health issue, there should be absolutely no shame in pursuing treatment for mental wellness through therapy services. In fact, it can be the smart, responsible thing to do. If you broke your arm, you would likely quickly seek advice and treatment from a professional healthcare provider. If you are living with a mental health concern, seeking help and treatment from a licensed mental health profession can be similarly important.

Online therapy is a positive option to bridge the gap between people living with mental or behavioral health concerns and effective treatment and professional care.

Today's clients who are seeking mental healthcare can get help by chat, phone, and video sessions, from wherever they have an internet connection. Reputable online counseling can help people immensely with mental health concerns. Plus, online therapy cost typically a fraction of in-person therapy.

Best Online Therapy Options To Try

BetterHelp

BetterHelp specializes in online therapy for mental health concerns. A mission of BetterHelp is to make therapy with a mental health provider accessible, affordable, and convenient so that more people can access the help they need. They have a wide range of therapist availability with licensed therapists. This leading therapy platform offers numerous confidential therapy options, such as online cognitive behavioral therapy for various mental health conditions, with licensed mental health professionals.

Benefits of BetterHelp include:

Working with therapists who are experienced licensed mental health professionals:

BetterHelp is one of the best online therapy services that offers talk therapy over video sessions. They are also a super affordable online therapy. Online licensed professional therapists who partner with BetterHelp must meet high standards of professionalism and licensing.

Each mental health professional who works with BetterHelp is an experienced licensed clinical social worker, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed professional counselor, or licensed psychologist.

All therapists on BetterHelp are experienced and hold an advanced degree in their field (a master’s degree, doctoral degree, or both).

BetterHelp has a careful procedure to verify that every mental healthcare provider on the platform is up to date on their licensing and in good standing. Licensing information is available for users to view in an easy-to-find format. Therapists go through a thorough process of providing documentation of identity and licensure. Their licensing and identity are cross-checked by BetterHelp through the state licensing board that issued the license.

All therapists on BetterHelp must successfully complete a case study exam and are evaluated in a video interview.

Although BetterHelp doesn’t accept regular insurance providers or medication management services, they are much cheaper than a traditional therapy session would be. If you’re looking for your Medicare or Medicaid to cover online therapy, however, you may have to work with an in-state therapy that offers online therapy.

Connecting with a therapist who is a good fit for you:

• An important goal of BetterHelp is to help people find a therapist who best suits their mental health conditions, needs, and preferences.
• BetterHelp can match you with a therapist through their online therapy service who fits your goals and the types of issues you would like to address.
• Sister platforms for online therapy, such as Pride Counseling and Teen Counseling offer specialized mental health care services (teen therapy and therapy for members of the LBGTQ community)
• The matching process may take just a few hours or a few days.
• Therapists at BetterHelp are trained in a variety of therapy disciplines and can provide a wide range of therapy services, including treatments for concerns related to panic, stress, parenting, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, relationships, disordered eating, sleep, anger, family, grief, loss, self-confidence, trauma, career goals, life transitions, and more.

Assurance that BetterHelp prioritizes privacy:

• BetterHelp provides a safe, secure platform for users to interact with therapists and counselors over virtual therapy sessions focused on mental health issues and concerns. The platform utilizes banking-grade 256-bit encryption.
• You may find you have greater control over your privacy. After all, you can connect with your therapist from your home (or wherever you feel comfortable).
• BetterHelp does not sell clients’ data. BetterHelp is committed to privacy, security, and confidentiality.

Convenient options for accessing your therapist:

Unlimited messaging means that you can text or message your online therapist at any time and they’ll respond at their earliest convenience. Once you are matched with a therapist according to your personal needs and what you're looking for, you will both get a secure and private "room" where you can communicate. The room is open 24/7, so with unlimited messaging you can choose whenever you want to write to your therapist about issues that are concerning you, ask questions, or talk about the things going on in your life. You will get notified when your therapist replies, typically within a day.

You will also be able to schedule live video sessions with your therapist. You can connect via live chat, phone call, or videoconferencing in real time. The subscription includes the option to schedule one video session per week through your dedicated online platform.

ReGain

Regain is one of the best online therapy services for couples who want to improve their relationship with counseling. ReGain specializes in providing online therapy, support, and resources for relationships. The ReGain platform is one of the United States' leading couples therapy platforms. The popular platform specializes in therapeutic services to help couples or individuals find support for relationships. Therapists can offer guidance for strengthening relationships, improving communication, and learning healthy steps to move forward after a breakup or a relationship change.

Therapists on ReGain are licensed mental health providers who have expertise in relationship counseling. They may be licensed marriage and family counselors, practitioners who utilize cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or professionals who specialize in other therapy methods.

ReGain Online Therapy Features At A Glance:

• Phone, video, and audio sessions
• SMS text message sessions
• Secure, encrypted chat room
• Discreet, affordable, convenient relationship therapy with a licensed therapist from the comfort of your home (or wherever you have a strong internet connection)

Online Therapy Allows You To Get Help Today

Top therapy sites are available to you. Online therapy is a convenient option for working with a licensed therapist for professional support and guidance. Not only can you connect from any place where you have an internet connection for video or phone sessions with your therapist, but you can also find other convenient ways to communicate with them.

For instance, rather than waiting until the next session to connect with your online therapist, you can message them online between meetings. You can also use helpful online tools like online journals that you can keep confidential or share with your therapist. How you use online therapy for mental health care is up to you. 

One of the advantages of online therapy is how easy it is to sign up and start treatment. For example, once you sign up with BetterHelp, you’ll simply answer some questions so that you can be matched with a therapist who matches your needs and preferences, and you’ll be able to start your first therapy session. Taking that first step to sign up can feel empowering—it can be the beginning of a positive journey towards healing or finding more productive ways to live.