Extra Resources for Your Online Therapy Journey
BetterHelp in a Nutshell
- Financial aid is available for eligible individuals
- Weekly one-on-one therapy sessions are facilitated through video, phone, or live chat
- Users can communicate with their therapists anytime via messaging
- BetterHelp offers additional features such as group classes, journaling, goal-setting, and worksheets
- BetterHelp allows users to switch therapists or cancel their subscription at any time, hassle-free
What is BetterHelp?
BetterHelp is the world’s largest online therapy platform. Since 2013, it has gained over 30,000 licensed therapists, offering a vast network to choose from and ensuring that you can find the right match for your needs.
BetterHelp facilitates therapy through various mediums, including online messaging, live chat, video, and phone sessions. These services are accessible via smartphones, computers, or tablets, making it convenient to get support wherever you are.
The platform prides itself on its rigorous vetting process. Only about 25% of applicants make the cut, ensuring that its counselors, including accredited psychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and board-licensed professional counselors, possess advanced degrees and substantial experience before they begin working with clients.
BetterHelp is recognized for its exceptional customer experience and is often ranked as the best online therapy platform available. It boasts a TrustPilot rating of 4.5 and an impressive BBB rating of A-.
In our review, we’ll delve into the intricacies of BetterHelp to help you determine whether it aligns with your needs. We’ll provide you with crucial information about the platform, including how to enroll, the counseling services offered, features included in the subscription, costs, and the pros and cons.
Disclaimer: This guide is purely independent, with no compensation or affiliate links involved.
How Do I Enroll in BetterHelp?
Starting with BetterHelp is straightforward. First, you’ll complete a basic questionnaire to help the platform understand your therapy needs and preferences, ensuring a good match with a licensed therapist.
The questionnaire covers personal information like gender, sexual orientation, and relationship status, along with specific queries to assist in therapist matching. You’ll answer questions about:
- Reasons for seeking therapy (e.g., depression, anxiety, trauma)
- Preferences in a therapist (e.g., LGBTQ+ expertise, specialization in grief and trauma)
- Expectations from therapy (e.g., exploring the past, challenging beliefs, assigning homework)
- Lifestyle habits (e.g., sleep, diet)
- Current mental state (e.g., stress, energy levels, anxiety, depression)
Once you’ve completed the questionnaire, you’ll set up your account by providing your first name, email address, telephone number, and password. For added privacy, you can use a nickname instead of your real name.
Subscription activation and payment information aren’t required until you’re matched with a therapist and decide to start therapy by clicking the “Subscribe” button.
The matching process usually takes a few hours to a day, depending on therapist availability. If the initial match doesn’t meet your expectations, you can easily request a counselor change by selecting “Change Therapist” on your profile page.
What Is Included in My BetterHelp Subscription?
Messaging
Once matched with a therapist, you can start messaging them immediately. Here’s what you can expect:
- Open Communication: Share your thoughts, events in your life, ask questions, and address any issues troubling you.
- Therapist Response: Your therapist will read your messages and respond with questions, feedback, insights, and guidance.
- Anytime, Anywhere: Send messages to your therapist at any time and from any location using any Internet-connected device.
- Asynchronous Messaging: Messaging is not in real-time, so you don’t need to schedule it. Write or respond to your therapist whenever it suits you.
- Notifications: You’ll receive email notifications when your therapist sends you a message, ensuring you never miss a response.
Live Chat Sessions
Sometimes, you may prefer to engage in real-time text conversations with your therapist. Here’s how it works:
- Real-Time Conversations: Enjoy the convenience of messaging with the added benefit of immediate responses and feedback from your therapist.
- Scheduling: To initiate a live chat session, schedule a time with your therapist that works for both of you.
- Logging In: At the designated time, log in to your account to start typing and chatting with your therapist in real-time.
Live Phone Sessions
Engaging in phone sessions with your therapist is simple and maintains your privacy. Here’s how it works:
- Scheduling: First, schedule a time for your phone session and log in to your Therapy tab at the agreed-upon time.
- Initiation: Your therapist will prompt you to initiate the phone session, and the system will request your phone number.
- Privacy: Rest assured, the phone number you provide will not be shared with your therapist.
- Connection: Once entered, the system will call you at the specified number and connect you with your therapist to start the session.
Live Video Sessions
A video session allows you and your therapist to engage in a virtual face-to-face conversation, similar to FaceTime. Here’s how it works:
- Scheduling: Schedule a time for your video session and log in at the designated hour.
- Initiation: Your therapist will prompt you to begin the video session.
- Confirmation: Upon confirmation, you’ll immediately start video chatting with your therapist.
Group Classes
BetterHelp provides users with the opportunity to participate in therapist-led group support sessions on various mental health-related topics once a week. Here’s what you can expect:
- Anonymity: These classes are attended anonymously by BetterHelp members.
- Topics: Topics covered in these sessions include trauma, relationships, anxiety and depression, substance abuse, and more.
- Duration and Participation: Each group session typically lasts one to three hours and involves 5 to 18 participants.
What Types of Counseling Services Does BetterHelp Offer?
BetterHelp offers a diverse array of online therapy options, tailored to meet various needs and preferences. Here are some of the therapy types available:
- Family therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Solution-focused brief therapy
- Narrative therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Person-centered therapy
- Interpersonal psychotherapy
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy
- Emotionally focused therapy
- Acceptance and commitment therapy
- Talk therapy
- Eating disorder therapy
- Couples therapy
- Humanistic therapy
BetterHelp therapists are licensed to address a wide range of challenges, including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Grief
- Panic
- Anger
- Abuse
- Parenting challenges
- Relationship issues
- Emotional regulation
- Panic disorder
- Eating disorders
- Trauma-related concerns
A great aspect of BetterHelp is that clients can review therapists’ profiles to understand their specializations, qualifications, and licenses, ensuring a suitable match.
Can BetterHelp Prescribe Medication?
BetterHelp therapists are not authorized to prescribe medication as they are mental health practitioners, not medical personnel. BetterHelp does not hire psychiatrists; like traditional in-person counselors, psychologists are not doctors. For medication needs, clients are encouraged to consult their primary care physician or a psychiatrist in their area.
Can BetterHelp Diagnose Mental Health Conditions?
According to the platform’s terms of service, BetterHelp therapists are prohibited from confirming clinical diagnoses through their online therapy services. While they cannot provide clinical diagnoses, they can effectively treat symptoms and discuss existing diagnoses with clients.
How Much Does BetterHelp Cost?
BetterHelp therapy typically ranges between $70 to $100 per week without financial aid or insurance, resulting in an approximate monthly charge of $260 to $400. However, exact pricing may vary based on factors such as your therapist, location, and personal preferences.
For this price, users receive the following benefits:
- One 30-minute or 45-minute session per week
- Unlimited messaging between you and your therapist
- Access to a journal feature via the iOS or Android app
- Webinars on mental health topics led by experts
- The option to switch therapists if needed
- Worksheets assigned by your therapist
Membership payments are automatically charged to a credit card or PayPal account on a recurring basis. Clients have the flexibility to choose their billing frequency, whether it’s weekly, every four weeks, or quarterly. Furthermore, if you achieve your therapy goals or decide that BetterHelp is no longer beneficial for any reason, you can easily cancel your subscription.
Does BetterHelp Take Insurance?
BetterHelp does not accept private insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. Although BetterHelp doesn’t directly bill insurance providers, clients have the option to download an itemized invoice for submission to their insurance for potential reimbursement. The amount reimbursed will vary depending on individual insurance coverage.
Does BetterHelp Offer Financial Aid?
Yes, BetterHelp offers financial assistance or a reduced weekly rate for eligible individuals, including students, veterans, and those who are unemployed or have dependents. Before making any payments, BetterHelp will prompt you to check your eligibility for financial aid.
To access the financial aid form, you must be a subscriber. This form includes questions about your employment status, monthly income, and number of dependents.
Once you submit the form, the subsequent screen will display the price you’ll be expected to pay, along with any applicable discounts. The discount will be applied to your next three months, and you’ll receive communication via email from BetterHelp when it’s time to reapply for financial aid. You can reapply as early as seven days before your current financial aid expires.
Pros of BetterHelp
BetterHelp is widely regarded as the best online therapy platform, known for its outstanding customer experience. Here are some key advantages:
- Vast Network: BetterHelp has a network of over 30,000 licensed therapists.
- Experienced Professionals: Therapists undergo a rigorous vetting process, ensuring they have advanced degrees and substantial experience.
- Transparent Pricing: Costs are displayed upfront with no hidden fees.
- Financial Aid: Available to eligible individuals, including students, veterans, and those who are unemployed or have dependents.
- Diverse Counseling Options: Offers individual and couples counseling, as well as child counseling through TeenCounseling.com.
- Flexible Communication: Users can communicate with therapists via the website or mobile app.
- Additional Features: Includes group classes, journaling, goal-setting, and worksheets.
- Therapist Flexibility: Users can switch therapists as many times as needed to find the right fit.
- Easy Cancellation: Users can cancel their subscription at any time, hassle-free.
Cons of BetterHelp
While BetterHelp offers many advantages, there are some drawbacks to consider:
- No Insurance Acceptance: BetterHelp does not accept private insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid.
- No Clinical Diagnoses: Therapists on BetterHelp cannot provide clinical diagnoses.
- No Medication Prescription: BetterHelp therapists are not authorized to prescribe medication.
- Not for Severe Mental Illness: The platform is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe mental illnesses.
