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Is BetterHelp For Me? Everything You Need to Know About the Online Therapy Service
How it Works
Given today’s technology, online medical treatment of every kind—including counseling—is becoming more commonplace. For online therapy, Fearapy partners with BetterHelp, the world’s largest e-counseling platform. The process works much like regular in-person counseling, except you are meeting with the therapist online:
- You begin by completing a questionnaire regarding your personal information (age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, relationship status, etc.) and the issues leading to your seeking of counseling (depression, anxiety, phobias, sleep, overall physical and financial health, etc.)
- After the initial questionnaire, you’ll be prompted to create an account, which includes entering payment information
- It’s now time to set your preferences for a counselor: areas of expertise, experience, etc.
- Based on all of your input, you are matched with a therapist, generally within 48 hours. If you’d like, you can change your therapist after the initial match.
- You can begin communicating with your assigned therapist and making appointments
The signup process is fairly streamlined, since you are clicking radio buttons, not entering text for the questionnaires.
BetterHelp VS. Traditional Counseling
Similarities
- Counselor Training: All BetterHelp counselors are licensed and accredited, so they have the same training and credentials you would get if you saw a local therapist.
- Treatment Plans: The counselors also develop treatment plans in the same manner as those in a local office.
Differences
- Communication Methods: BetterHelp sessions are held online rather than in a brick and mortar office. Additionally, clients can communicate with their therapist via live chat, text messages, video conferencing, and phone calls.
- Frequency of Contact: Traditional sessions are held weekly; with BetterHelp, you can communicate with your therapist whenever you need, as often as you want
BetterHelp Cost
The cost of counseling through BetterHelp ranges from BetterHelp costs $60 – $90 per week (billed every 4 weeks). What you pay is based on your location, preferences, and therapist availability. Members can message their therapist anytime and can schedule one live session/week. In-person counseling can cost between $100-$200 or more for a single session without insurance, so BetterHelp could be a viable option for patients without insurance.
Is Online Therapy Covered By Insurance?
Services offered using BetterHelp are generally not covered by health insurance.
Is Financial Aid Available?
BetterHelp does offer financial aid based on a client’s income. The company has awarded over $60M dollars in financial aid.
Click Here to Schedule an Appointment With BetterHelp
Conditions Covered
BetterHelp offers a wide range of counselors with varying specialties and areas of expertise. These include:
- Depression
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Self-Esteem
- Addiction
- Relationships
- Grief
BetterHelp Counselor Credentials
BetterHelp employs counselors with the following licenses:
- Psychologists (PhD / PsyD)
- Clinical Social Workers (LCSW / LMSW)
- Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC)
- Family Therapists (LMFT)
All counselors have earned a Masters or a Doctorate Degree in their fields and are licensed through their respective state professional boards. Additionally, BetterHelp requires their counselors to have a minimum of three years and 2,000 hours of clinical experience.
Privacy
Privacy Policy
BetterHelp takes member privacy seriously. Just like in traditional in-person therapy, your therapist is bound by therapist privacy rules.
Technology
● All the messages between you and your therapist are encrypted● BetterHelp’s Platform is HITRUST Risk-based, 2-year (r2) Certified● BetterHelp’s browsing encryption system (SSL) follows modern best practices
● BetterHelp’s databases are encrypted and scrambled
Is BetterHelp a Scam?
Common Criticism
BetterHelp has received its fair share of criticism. Much of the criticism centers around the online therapy industry rather than BetterHelp specifically. Here are five of the most common BetterHelp complaints:
- Online counseling doesn’t replace in-person therapy
- BetterHelp doesn’t actually provide services, only the platform that connects clients to providers
- BetterHelp is not affordable
- Counselors miss appointments
- There are billing errors
In our opinion, BetterHelp is not a scam. None of the above claims appear to justify the conclusion that BetterHelp is willingly trying to cheat consumers. That doesn’t, however mean the service is perfect or appropriate for all circumstances. The service does state in its terms and conditions that BetterHelp may not be a suitable replacement for in-person counseling.
Regarding affordability, it is true that in some cases BetterHelp may not be affordable enough for clients. At the $60-$90/week rate, clients could pay more than they would if they used their insurance, depending on their plan. And if a client doesn’t have insurance, they still may not be able to afford BetterHelp, even with financial aid.
Regarding billing errors and counselors not being available for appointments, BetterHelp admits it has not been perfect, but claims it is committed to correcting any issues. Founder Alon Matas addressed these and other criticisms—including those arising from the “YouTube controversy” involving BetterHelp—in this article.
Despite the negative claims, hundreds of thousands of people have used BetterHelp over the last several years, including many of our Fearapy readers. Moreover, BetterHelp’s ratings across the web are good overall, further validating that BetterHelp is not a scam. This also indicates a large number of people have accepted online counseling as an affordable and viable treatment option, and have had a positive experience with the service.
BetterHelp Reviews Across The Web
Better Business Bureau (BBB)
BetterHelp currently has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau as of 1/29/19. There are 92 complaints, all of which have been resolved or answered. There are 110 reviews, with an aggregate rating of 4.3/5.
Trustpilot
On Trustpilot, BetterHelp has an aggregate rating of 4/5 stars across 290 reviews.
Google Play Store
The Android BetterHelp app in the Google Play Store has a 4/5 star rating across 4,353 reviews and 100,000+ installations
iPhone App Store
In the iPhone App Store, BetterHelp has a 4.4/5 star aggregate rating across 3,027 ratings
PROS & CONS
Pros
- Convenience: Online therapy can be experienced from home, so there is no traveling required
- Privacy: Many people suffering from phobias will appreciate being able to conduct a session without having to appear in public
- Cost without insurance: BetterHelp is less expensive than the typical out-of-pocket costs for traditional therapy
Cons
- Price if you have insurance: BetterHelp will likely cost more than a typical insurance copay or coinsurance fee
- Lack of live interaction: Some clients may not be able to form an adequate connection with a therapist via video, phone or chat
- Scope: BetterHelp online counseling may be inadequate for some conditions
FAQ
- Why do you partner with BetterHelp?
- After interviewing a number of potential partners, we were simply the most impressed with BetterHelp’s commitment to helping clients. We also appreciated the time the staff took to explain their platform to us and what they look for in partners and clients, as well as ongoing communication about how we can work together to connect people to the help they need. We value our audience’s trust and only recommend resources we trust and respect
- How often do I meet with a counselor?
- How often you meet with your counselor depends on your own individual needs and the treatment plan that your counselor recommends. While communication is unlimited, you will not have a counselor on-demand outside of scheduled sessions. The counselor responds to your messages in a timely fashion, but not necessarily instantaneously.
- How do I communicate with my counselor?
BetterHelp Company Profile
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Industry: |
Online Therapy |
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headquarters: |
Sunnyvale, CA |
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Founded: |
2013 |
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Founder: |
Alon Matas |
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Type: |
Privately Held |
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Number of Counselors: |
1,500+ |
Hopefully this review of BetterHelp has answered your questions, but if you need additional information, feel free to use our contact form to get in touch. We obviously can’t provide the details of therapy sessions for privacy reasons, but we’ve tried to make this resource as useful as possible.
Book an Appointment With BetterHelp Here
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