You can't talk about working with an online therapist without talking about the experienced and licensed professionals that provide the help and support that people are looking for... that is, their therapists.
All 13,000+ therapists currently available on the BetterHelp.com platform are licensed practitioners. There are many different types of therapists that can help our users deal with a variety of important concerns at a time and location best suited for the user.
Our experienced therapists help those who have mental health and wellness problems, deal with marriage and family concerns, or face other challenges in life. For example, if someone has depression, speaking with a therapist who uses therapy can help the individual recover, regain their energy, and move forward in life in a productive and meaningful way. A couples' therapist can use our platform to help couples with marriage, trust, or other related concerns. We even have therapists for teenagers who can help middle or high schoolers with the concerns that teens face daily.
Online therapy is an alternative form of face-to-face therapy that allows a therapist to communicate with you remotely through the Internet (vs. in-office sessions). Through online therapy, you can communicate with your counselor using a computer, tablet, smartphone, and any other device to use an Internet connection.
Why Online Therapy Is Becoming More Popular Than Traditional Therapy
Current Online Therapy Account Options:
Exchanging messages with your therapist (also known as text therapy) Video conferencing with your therapist (also known as psychotherapy using video Chatting live with your therapist online Speaking over the phone with your therapist
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Online therapy (also known as e-therapy, internet psychotherapy, or distance therapy) is becoming quite popular as of late, and for a good reason. Not only have we been able to help facilitate more than 130 million therapy sessions on our platform with one of our licensed counselors, but we have thousands of reviews from real users of our platform sharing their positive experiences that have arisen from working with a BetterHelp therapist.
What are people saying about working with a therapist here at BetterHelp? We encourage you to see what some of our users say about our online therapy platform and how our platform has helped them with their mental well-being.
What are the benefits of using our psychotherapy platform? Aside from what real people are saying about this in-office therapy alternative, which is offered here at BetterHelp.com, you might find that reviewing some of the most common benefits of working with a licensed therapist that our users have most appreciated as indicated below:
How Online Therapy Is Different With BetterHelp
One of the biggest differences and benefits is that therapy is now online! This makes communication with a therapist possible from anywhere and gets the help you need via text, phone, or video as long as you have an internet connection.
No location or transportation issues for therapy sessions
With a growing number of people living in rural areas away from large cities and towns that typically have various therapists available, working with a licensed professional online has added benefit. Regardless of how far away they might physically be, therapy sessions here at BetterHelp are a useful tool for people who depend on this type of support but are not in a geographical location with an available therapist. The same would apply to someone that does not have reliable transportation needed for therapy appointments in person, which is why more and more people are signing up for sessions with a therapist on our platform.
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Comfortable for those who have trouble communicating with face-to-face therapy
Some people cannot speak or may have trouble talking with strangers face-to-face. Trying online therapy and not worrying about going to visit a therapist’s office can help anyone with verbal communication concerns have an alternative form of communication that makes them feel more comfortable, whether that means using therapy chat sessions or other types of computerized psychological treatments.
Confidential therapy conversations
There's less of a risk of bumping into someone you know or having someone see you pull into the therapist's office for a scheduled in-person psychotherapy appointment. Despite some people having concerns and reservations about e-therapy, this is another benefit of privacy.
Lower costs therapy option
Web therapy typically costs less because many counselors work from home and don't have common expenses like a need for a separate office, etc. These added expenses for a therapist generally increase their overhead and charge higher prices for therapy sessions with their clients. On the other hand, a therapist working on the internet can keep their costs low, and as a result, focus on helping their clients with important life concerns and other mental illness & health-related concerns.
Accessible for people with disabilities - no need to travel to therapy appointments
Someone who can't walk may find the traveling required to visit a therapist's office every week quite difficult. However, when working with a therapist via the internet, that can completely remove the next for typical in-office therapy sessions. Examples like this are among the many reasons why an increasing number of people appreciate the features often associated with technology-based psychotherapy, such as video or texting therapy. Additionally, finding and working with a therapist available & helping people here at BetterHelp has become a very useful option for non-disabled but have a fear of going outdoors. As a result, I would prefer not to require visits to a therapist's office in person.
Freedom to communicate with someone on your own schedule
This kind of support and treatment is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Meanwhile, it can be a little more difficult for traditional therapy to fit into your schedule if you have a busy life. A stressed-out college kid who has a job on the side may find it difficult to be present for in-office therapy visits. Still, when working with a therapist from one of the 1,000s of professionals available, that's a problem that can be avoided entirely.
The Many Ways You Can Talk to a Therapist
Texting Therapy
Using an online therapy app, you can message your therapist through instant text messaging. As you can probably expect from an instant message, it provides quick responses. However, texting therapy is that the messages are at times shorter or less thought out. When you need instant relief, texting is a good solution.
Emailing Therapy
Emailing your therapist allows you to provide a more detailed message, and the therapist can formulate a more detailed response as a result. A disadvantage of email and text messaging is that it doesn't allow for body language or tone of voice, which are typically important in a traditional therapy session.
Voice Call Therapy
Using the mobile phone or an app, you can speak to the therapist through voice. This allows for tone and emotions to come through, but nobody language.
Video Chat Therapy
Video chatting is always ideal if you want an experience that is comparable to seeing a traditional counselor. You can see both body language and tone.
Online Therapy Testimonials
Cynthia Wiedemann (LMFT) & Therapist
"I am surprised at how positive I've found the online therapy experience to be, and Cynthia is no small part of that. It is wonderful to feel like I have a helpline when I need it, and I trust her to respond thoughtfully and with all the weight of her experience and expertise." - Written by A.L.
Dr. Eileen Norton (Psy.D.) & Counselor
"Dr. Norton is patient and kind. Allows me the space to process my feelings, as well as offers suggestions and helpful advice. I am so happy I decided to do online therapy." - Written by M.A.
Esther Gottlieb (LCSW) - BetterHelp Therapist
"Esther has been really great. She's incredible, attentive, and knowledgeable. I was worried about going into online therapy about not communicating my thoughts and feelings very well through text. Still, Esther has been patient, understanding, and kind throughout all of this." - Written by K.E.
"While I wasn't looking forward to signing up for any kind of therapy, Elaine is easy to talk to and has already helped in a lot of ways with how I cope with anxiety despite me being sort of new here. I would definitely recommend her expertise to anyone with a habit of worrying excessively." - Written by K.A.
The above written and video testimonials about our e-therapy services are just a few of the thousands that we've received over the years from our users who have benefited from using the BetterHelp platform and being connected to one of our therapists.
Not only do these comments help us appreciate the fact that we're providing a service that really helps people with a mental illness or other life issues, but it also results in us creating both a better psychotherapy product and service.
With that in mind, as long as we're in a position to help people connect with a licensed professional...we’ll be working hard to help as many people as possible that cannot benefit from typical in-office therapy visits to get them using the internet to get the support they need by using video, telephone, and texting therapy.
You still might be wondering, "How can this kind of therapy work for someone like me?" If that is the case, please take a look at some of our other reviews to see how our online therapists have been able to help people in more than 130 million online sessions.
Online Therapy Benefits: The Benefits of Online Therapy And Working With A Therapist
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Online Therapy Benefit #1: Lower costs
For many people interested in therapy in the United States, finding an affordable option can be a challenge, which is a primary reason that working with a licensed therapist in online therapy has become increasingly popular. Even if you have traditional health insurance, a therapist typically doesn't take insurance, which means potential clients must pay out of pocket. The challenge starts with doing the hard work of seeking help, and then the therapist expects the payment for the session to be taken care of upfront, which can cost over $200. When comparing that experience with online therapy visits, those in-person sessions generally don't include phone, video chatting, or texting therapy sessions like it does in online therapy.
Online Therapy Benefit #2: Accessibility
There are a variety of ways internet-based and other computerized communication with an online therapist for online counseling that can work, whether that's on the phone, via messenger with text-based therapy (texting therapy), or during video chat sessions; which means visiting your therapist's office in person isn't required for online counseling. Additionally, you can select and identify whatever matter you need assistance with, whether personal (like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or another important issue/concern) or you would like a couples therapy session. Additionally, if you're looking to get support for your child/teenager or need a family online counseling session... we can help to know that our therapists are licensed (we're aware of the license number for all of our counselors) just like in a therapist's office.
It's a fact that people express their emotions in different ways, and it's not always easy being open and honest about your feelings sitting in a therapist’s office. It could exacerbate their anxious feelings for people with social anxiety, making them feel like shutting down. With this therapy treatment that requires a visit to a therapist’s office, if you're struggling with social anxiety or severe trauma, you can take the time needed to get comfortable with your counselor. Maybe you start with messaging for counseling and build up to sessions that are mostly or all via video chats, making finding a therapist with online counseling a great decision for you.
Online Therapy Benefit #3: Convenience and comfort
There's something intimate about communicating with a therapist in the privacy of your own home or a space that you've chosen for your online counseling sessions. With a traditional therapist, you're on their turf and in their environment during a session. The therapist typically chooses the place for treatment, and you're a visitor in their space.
With individual therapy online, you're in control of where you receive care for your concerns and challenging situations, whether you're using web therapy through video chatting or unlimited messaging therapy. If you're experiencing panic, sometimes being in familiar surroundings helps rather than having to be in a space or environment you're uncomfortable with. This type of treatment is an excellent alternative to visiting a local therapist's office for reasons like these. You choose the surroundings, and you control when and how you get the help you need; just look for us on your phone app store.
Online Therapy Benefit #4: More choices
You can choose so many different licensed virtual therapists from in our network; more than 3,800 to be exact. When you're looking through your health insurance company's list of providers, you may not see a therapist who treats your personal issues or anyone who you find that is best suited for you. Whereas with our therapy option with a counselor that accepts clients, there are so many licensed & experienced professionals available, and you'll likely find one whom you click with that can assist you.
When you see how many of our therapists are available, that can help you. You'll soon realize that there's hope that things can change and get better. We're confident that there's a good match out there for you specifically to help deal with tough times by speaking on a platform that is easy to use and HIPAA compliant.
Specialties: Addictions, Family conflicts, Intimacy-related issues, Anger management, Career difficulties, Communication Problems, Panic Disorder and Panic Attacks, Post-traumatic Stress, Self-Love, Sexual Assault and Abuse.
Specialties: Stress, Anxiety, Family conflicts, Depression, Coping with life changes, ADHD
Years of Experience: 17
Choosing a Therapist
With online counseling, you can choose between many licensed therapists ready to speak to you. Working with an online therapist comes with the recognition that finding the best fit in this regard is a good thing, and thus they can match you by preference.
Potential Online Counseling Concerns
Even though this service has much potential, it's not without its concerns for users.
Privacy - is your counseling session really private?
This form of online therapy treatment has a secrecy oath, just like traditional therapy in a therapist's office. The challenge is that online counseling can create the possibility of speaking with your therapist just about anywhere (such as using texting therapy while out and about). If your goal is for your online counseling sessions to be private, there's a chance that someone can hear you, look at your phone, or even recognize you during a video chat. On the other hand, it's important to keep in mind that your therapist should perform the online counseling session most privately and discretely possible.
Who am I speaking with through this therapy platform? What if I don't know their credentials?
Each of our mental health professionals on BetterHelp.com is a licensed therapist ready for you. We take mental health seriously and want to make sure that we offer assistance through licensed professionals. Every BetterHelp therapist must pass through multiple rounds of interviews, including a rigorous background check to verify state licensing boards' credentials.
The Best Online Therapy & Therapist Solution
Where Can You Find More Information about BetterHelp?
BetterHelp is an online therapy & online counseling service designed to help people struggling with anxiety, depression, or just need an experienced and therapist to talk to or get suggestions from (our therapists are licensed, and texting therapy is available). You're not alone, and we're ready to help you get well, regardless of whether you have health insurance. We want to make it clear that many of our online therapy users feel that it's easy to find an available therapist who can treat your important life concerns. We've helped facilitate millions of online counseling and online therapy sessions for our users to help them get help with PTSD and manage chronic mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder. You don't have to suffer anymore, and you can find the right match without having to look for licensed therapists in your area for the typical in-office therapy visit most people. With thousands of counselors online available, you can find the counselor you need and be able to improve your life and your mental well-being.
For more information about our company & counseling services, please visit our FAQ section and learn more about our founder. To learn more to determine if this type of service is right for you, take a look at our video about counseling services covering the topic. If you have questions for us, please reach us on our contact page.
If you are in a crisis or any other person may be in danger due to an emergency, don't use this site's services.
If you need domestic violence support, please contact The National Domestic Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
If you need substance use support, please contact the Substance Abuse and MH Services Administration at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
If you need sexual abuse support, please contact the Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network at 1-800-656-4673.
Call the 24 hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at +1 (800) 273-8255, which can provide you with immediate help for an emergency call or visit the nearest emergency room.
The Youth Mental Health Project™ - "educate, empower, and support families and communities to better understand and care for the mental health of our youth."
"My BetterHelp therapist asked the same kinds of thought-provoking questions as the traditional therapists I worked with within the past. (What is it about your future that you're unsure of? Can you tell me about your old life and what is different now?) Because of the continuing, open-ended nature of the text chat, however, she helped me identify anxiety triggers and coping mechanisms much faster than it would have taken had we met only once a week. What's more, I came to find that launching the BetterHelp site on my smartphone or laptop and writing out my thoughts became therapeutic in itself."
"A lot of the user base that's interested are people who have never set foot in a therapist's office," says Haesue Jo, a licensed therapist and clinical support lead at BetterHelp, an online counseling and therapy service that provides web-based, phone, and text interaction. "This is a way for people to stick their toe in the water if they've been fearful of talking to a therapist before."
"'We've heard from our therapists how Coronavirus increased the level of anxiety with their current clients. We've also seen a spike in people starting online therapy with us,' Alon Matas, President of Teladoc's BetterHelp, told me. 'The number of new members with concerns of stress and anxiety in February more than doubled vs. February of last year, and this trend is accelerating in March.' BetterHelp provides free service for clients who have been financially impacted by the outbreak (e.g., layoff or loss of income). The company is offering financial aid for new clients that can cover nearly 50% of the counseling cost. Counselors will still be paid, but BetterHelp will subsidize the loss."
Real User Reviews About Their Experience
BetterHelp review #108518 Date of review: June 15, 2020 The review was written by BetterHelp user J.E. after counseling with David Haynik for 1 year and 4 months on issues concerning depression, family conflicts, trauma and abuse, and anger management.
At a difficult point in my life, David offered me help, which has been truly transformative. I’ve struggled with depression for many, many years. Thanks to David’s compassionate help, I feel like I’m finally on the mend and making great progress towards getting my life back. Thank you, David.
BetterHelp review #108514 Date of review: June 15, 2020 BetterHelp user L.Y. wrote the review after counseling with Krysten Rohlik for 1 month on depression, stress, anxiety, relationship issues, family conflicts, grief, intimacy-related issues, and self-esteem, coping with life changes, and compassion fatigue.
Krysten is a great listener! She positively dissects my issues and reiterates them back to me to learn to understand my situation from another perspective. She is one of the most understanding individuals I have talked to and asks all the right questions to help me move forward!
BetterHelp review #108508 Date of review: June 15, 2020 The review was written by BetterHelp user V.A. after counseling with Brandon Woffinden for 2 weeks on issues concerning stress, anxiety, relationship issues, and family conflicts.
Brandon has been extremely helpful and compassionate. He responds quickly and with relevant and useful responses (which hasn’t always been the case for me with online therapy). He does so much more than just listen, although he listens very well. He has provided valuable insight and outside recommendations that I can do on my own, and he follows up. The book that he recommended has really opened my eyes and helped change my perspective. He challenges some of the negative ways I am thinking and helps identify some of my mental blind spots. I would highly recommend him to a friend!
BetterHelp review #108501 Date of review: June 15, 2020 The review was written by BetterHelp user T.E. after counseling with Pamela Walker for 6 months on issues concerning stress, anxiety, trauma and abuse, self-esteem, and coping with life changes.
I've been seeing Pamela since 2019 and have enjoyed her expertise. She's brought a fresh and refreshing perspective to what I've been dealing with. Pamela is also down-to-earth, kind, supportive, has great energy, empathetic, and listens. She also checks on me in between sessions, something I've never experienced before with therapists. I highly recommend Pamela.
How much should I expect to spend on online counseling services? How can online counseling with a licensed therapist help me? Where can I learn more about BetterHelp's online counseling platform?
Explore Medically Reviewed Advice Articles
Get started and try therapy online today. It doesn't take long for you to fill out a quiz so we can match you with a therapist that can give you the help you need. You deserve to be happy! Here is a link to get started to feeling better with a licensed mental health professional.
