Nowadays, clients prefer online therapy sessions to the traditional therapy model, where they’d have to go see a therapist for counselling. This is because online therapy is affordable and as effective as a face-to-face session; plus, they can do it from anywhere without having to cancel a vacation or postpone a very important meeting. Speaking of online therapy, a couple of reputable companies offer the best online therapy services at an affordable rate. We shall be discussing them in this piece.
Understanding Online Therapy
Online therapy, also known as e-therapy or teletherapy, is any form of psychotherapy or counselling service conducted over the Internet. Many online therapy services offer live video calls and private chat rooms that can simulate the in-person therapy experience to make the sessions just as effective. Some therapists also offer services through phone calls, texts, or chats.
With everything happening in the world, we find ourselves more stressed than ever and in need of support—we’ll be the first to admit we often feel this way. That’s why we’re huge fans of online therapy and virtual counselling to get the help we need, especially when face-to-face sessions aren’t always possible. However, a lot of people get scared of doing or going through a session online due to the possibility of being scammed and the fear of sharing their personal life events with someone who is not physically accessible.
Furthermore, there are some others who are scared of the cost and feel that whatever concerns online are actually budget cracking. In reality, there are online therapy services that are affordable and also come with insurance, which is very good and recommendable.
Online therapy has proven to be efficient, especially during COVID-19, when the pandemic took its toll on a lot of people and businesses. In the aspect of the mental health of individuals, the growing prevalence of depression and other issues added to the demand for convenient online therapy options.
Online therapy is a more affordable, accessible, and convenient service that provides high-quality support from trained therapists anytime and anywhere. Many even have chat therapy options if you need to talk to someone right away.
Best Online Therapy 2022
First of all, most online therapy sessions are more affordable than face-to-face ones. The only problem, however, is that there are many online therapy options out there, so it can be tough to find one that offers quality and affordable prices. That’s why we put together this list to help you find the cheapest therapy possible.
1. Cerebral
It offers affordable online therapy, behavioural health services such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (C.B.T.), and medication management. Cerabral’s talk therapy is actually available on the site or the app, and it also addresses various mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and other disorders. It offers several monthly plans ranging from $85 to $325.
2. Regain
This site focuses on helping people create and regain healthy, respectful, and loving relationships. It’s ideal for couples and individuals mainly. Regain actually guides people to healthier solutions to relationship challenges and roadblocks.
It uses an open and discreet forum. Regain also provides a supportive platform where couples can learn to calm the storm of relationship challenges successfully. Although they don’t offer insurance, they can actually offer you receipts for their services. Getting therapy with Regain actually costs $60 to $90 weekly. However, this cost is based on individual preferences, such as where you live and your therapist’s availability.
3. Doctor on Demand
They have a team of therapists and psychiatrists rated 4.9 out of 5 by patients. Actually, their procedures demand you fill out a questionnaire, which will be used to match you with a therapist in your area of concern.
Alternatively, you can also check on their therapist through the network so you can actually see their background and qualifications. Their psychiatrists can prescribe medications, so you don’t need to go out to meet a separate prescriber, which is great customer service.
Doctor on Demand doesn’t have monthly or weekly subscriptions, so their talk sessions cost $129 for 25 minutes and $179 for 50 minutes. Plus, they accept insurance plans, too.
4. Pride Counselling
Best for L.G.B.T.Q. Issues. If you’re a part of the L.G.B.T.Q. Community and looking for a counsellor who really understands you, this is the online therapy platform for you. The sign-up process includes questions about sexual orientation, gender identity, and pronouns. Not only do Pride Counseling’s therapists specialize in treating the L.G.B.T.Q. Community, but their prices are quite affordable as well.
5. 7 Cups
This online therapy option is popular because it is free to use. They offer two types of online therapy services: professional and listening counselling. Although professional counselling will actually cost you, it is still less than any other online therapy service and a fraction of what you will pay for in-person sessions. You will be given access to a well-trained counsellor who will offer educated and professional relationship advice.
On the other hand, with listening counselling, you don’t need to go through much—you just need someone to listen to your problems so you can get compassion. Or perhaps you need your problem spoken out loud, and automatically, the solution comes to you. Whatever your case is, 7-Cups listeners are the perfect people for this.
They are not professionals in counselling. Instead, they are just individuals who willingly devote their time to lending a listening ear. There is also a social atmosphere that can make you feel comfortable talking with 7-Cups listeners since they are a community of people who want to help.
Benefits Of Online Therapy
There are tons of benefits that come with online therapy. They include:
1. Convenience:
Instead of going to a therapist’s office, booking appointments, and rushing off to beat time, online counselling allows the luxury of sitting at home and speaking through audio or video calls in your own time and in comfort.
2. Price
Well, online therapy is typically less expensive than in-person therapy. For instance, consider the cost of meeting with your therapist at his/her office, especially if you’re to take a cab or something like that. The best online platforms cost $60 and $80 per week.
This normally consists of unlimited texting, one voice or video call each week, and access to various self-service tools. According to the report, in-person therapy costs $100 and $200 per session, up to three times more expensive than online therapy.
3. Unlimited Sessions With Many Ways To Communicate
Online therapy providers can use the full plethora of communication technologies that are available to them as digital providers, including instant messaging tools, voice calling services, and even video chats. They can also afford to hire large teams of therapists, and by allowing them to work remotely in a location that suits them, they are often more accessible.
How To Analyze the Best Online Therapy
To find the best online therapy, there are key points to be compared, which include:
- Affordability and plans (Weekly versus monthly pricing overall cost)
- Number of therapists on their specialty list
- Mode and types of therapy
- Features- Compare features like video chat, end-to-end encrypted messaging, and supplementary features like journaling and menthol resources.
- Privacy- Online therapy isn’t as tightly regulated as other telehealth services. Some providers share certain data with third parties, such as Facebook. Conduct research online and find out what kind of information is being collected and shared
- Ease of use- You’ll likely use this app frequently and over a long period. Ensure it’s easy to use and understand that user support is available.
Questions To Ask Before Signing Up For Online Therapy
As the extra demand for online therapy grows, the need to get help online also grows. However, if you are aching to get the best treatment possible, it’s good to do some research to avoid disappointment.
- What does the therapist specialize in, and how does it go with your current situation?
- How efficient is the therapist, and how many years of experience as a therapist do they have?
- How do they make their payment, and how does it work?
- Is the therapist licensed?
- Is the therapist’s specialization assigned homework?
- How long are you willing to work with the therapist?
- Does the therapy have reviews?
- What is the therapist’s method of treatment?
- Finally, the confidentiality measures of the therapy platform must be determined. Reputable online therapy services strive to ensure your experience is 100 per cent confidential and that your data is secure. However, some provide more assurances than others about their level of security (and any online platform or even in-person electronic health record is technically at risk of a security breach or data leak). The best choices are those that are up-front about their data collection policies and identity verification.
What is the best online therapy?
The Most Effective Online Therapy Platforms BetterHelp is the greatest online treatment platform, with over 12,000 therapists qualified to address various mental health problems, flexible communication options, and cheap fees.
Does online therapy really work?
Online therapy has been shown in studies to be useful in treating anxiety, depression, and trauma. There is no difference in patient satisfaction depending on whether therapy is delivered online or in person, and the more sessions someone attends, the better the outcomes.
What are the disadvantages of online counselling?
Some of the negative effects of online counselling include the fact that typing speed can limit the conveyance of information in chat-based sessions.
Also, people may find it difficult to put complex thoughts and emotions into written words. … There is a greater chance of miscommunication between client and therapist.
Conclusion
Know that finding a therapist is a huge step in taking ownership of your mental health. Unlike random sicknesses such as colds or flu, mental conditions like anxiety and depression can actually take a while to heal.
Actually, the point is that therapy is a head-on thing, requiring commitment and depending on you as a person. Although it’s going to break a little in your finances, it’s worth it to give and create peace for your mental health.
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