The last decade has seen a dramatic shift in the public’s perception of mental health and mental illness. There’s more people detailing their struggles online and in personal conversations than ever before. Sadly, increased awareness hasn’t been able to stave off the ever-growing number of Americans that continue to struggle with depression and anxiety.
Nearly 20 percent of adults reported experiencing a mental illness in 2019. That’s roughly 50 million Americans! What’s worse, over half of those adults do not receive any treatment at all.1
There’s a clear need for increased access to effective and affordable mental health treatments. Thankfully, a few notable online mental health pioneers are working day and night to help those in need. Today, we’ll round up the best of the bunch to help highlight some of the best and most convenient ways to receive mental health support online.
Net Vector/ShutterstockLiveHealth Online
LiveHealth Online is widely regarded as one of the best in the business. The company offers 24/7 access to counselors, psychologists, and therapists — all trained to treat a variety of mental illnesses. Users get to pick their own doctor and schedule a time that works for them.
Downloading the app is completely free. 45-minute sessions start at $80 for a visit with a therapist and $95 for a visit with a psychologist. Those with health insurance may be able to get their visit covered.2
Talkspace
Talkspace has been in the online therapy game for a long time. Today, they offer a lot of services that other online providers don’t, including medication management, couples therapy, and teen therapy.
Some of the services on offer here may be covered by health insurance. Plus, each potential user gets a free 10-minute live video chat with a therapist upon signing up. Sadly, you can only choose your therapist from a selection of pre-picked matches.
Despite that drawback, Talkspace is a great place to begin your exploration into online therapy.3
BetterHelp
BetterHelp is a popular choice among support seekers. The popular online company is solely focused on the treatment of mental illnesses — and it shows. BetterHelp offers chat, phone, video, and text message support to those that seek help.
While you don’t get to choose your own therapist, you can choose to switch therapists at any time. Users can also opt to remain anonymous, which is one thing that in-person mental health support can’t offer.4
ReGain
Users seek online therapy for a number of different reasons. As a result, several different companies have popped up to service those niche specializations. ReGain is one such example.
The company only serves couples. As such, the staff of fully licensed therapists specializes in relationship issues and mental health — and their rate of success only confirms that.
You don’t have to sign up or participate in treatment with your partner either. Users can sign up as an individual provided that they’re there to work through relationship-related issues.
ReGain operates on a subscription basis and offers subscribers unlimited, 24/7 messaging for both partners.5
Pride Counseling
Speaking of specialized treatment, there’s Pride Counseling. Pride Counseling is built to serve members of the LGBTQIA+ community with a growing staff of licensed and board-accredited mental health professionals. Furthermore, every therapist available specializes in working with the LGBTQIA+ community.
Pride Counseling doesn’t offer a free trial, won’t let you choose your therapist, and doesn’t offer medication management or psychiatry services. It does offer multiple communication options and unlimited messaging for subscribers.6
Average Cost of Online Therapy Apps
As you might expect, the cost of online therapy apps can vary substantially. That being said, you’ll likely be able to find an app or service that’ll work with your budget. The premier online mental health support apps offer a variety of different pay structures, from subscription fees to pay-per-session models.
For example, the cost of a monthly subscription to Pride Counseling can cost between $240 and $480 a month, while a subscription to access the couples counseling services available at ReGain tops out at $360 a month.7
Additionally, those with health insurance may be able to get all or some of their online treatments covered. Getting the most value for your dollar and finding the right online therapy app for you is a matter of shopping around until you find the right fit.
Conclusion
There is affordable, convenient, and effective access to mental health support available to anyone with a reliable internet connection. Technological advancement and the desperate need for mental health support have converged to deliver professional help to your proverbial doorstep.
The list you just read really is the tip of the iceberg. The online mental health space is incredibly competitive, which is great news for anyone on the hunt for help. If none of the online therapy apps discussed here suit your needs, don’t stop searching until you find one that does.