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The Doctor Is In (Your Phone): 7 Online Therapy Services to Try

Chandra Steele
 & Chandra Steele Senior Features Writer

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These are trying times. Whether you're upset about the divisive nature of politics or the changing seasons are making you feel blue, you might want to talk to a therapist.

Over half of Americans with mental-health issues do not receive treatment. Cost is the biggest issue, even for those with health insurance, as not all plans cover the treatment they may need. Emotional factors might also prevent someone from seeking help, not to mention practical ones involving time and transportation.

Online therapy removes many of these obstacles. It might seem strange to conduct something as intimate as therapy on a smartphone or tablet, but having an in-home talk with a mental-health professional could help ease the stigma and awkwardness that some feel in seeking a therapist’s assistance. It also allows for sessions at different times of day, like late in the evening, and removes travel complications. Then there's price. Online therapy is often more affordable than an in-office visit, particularly for those without insurance.

There are some caveats before you sign up. Make sure the professional you're speaking to is a licensed therapist. That means checking to see if they are a psychiatrist (an M.D. or D.O.), licensed psychologist (Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D.), licensed psychological associate (L.P.A.), licensed professional counselor (L.P.C.), licensed clinical social worker (L.C.S.W.), or licensed marriage and family therapist (L.M.F.T.). Then look into whether the site or app is HIPAA-compliant, which means it would have to meet federal privacy standards that apply to health care.

We've put together some sites and apps that offer mental-health services in the form of one-on-one therapy via video and text. We've also included some apps that guide you through exercises designed to ease some common issues.

If you are experiencing an immediate mental-health crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Doctor on Demand

The Doctor on Demand site is designed as a portal to one-on-one video chats between physicians and patients. The specialties available extend to mental health. Using the site or the app (Android, iOS), you can speak to a doctorate-level psychologist or a psychiatrist. An appointment can start within minutes after you sign up. The cost to speak with a psychologist is $79 for 25 minutes and $119 for 50 minutes; for a psychiatrist, it's $229 for an initial 45-minute visit and $99 for a 15-minute followup. Doctor on Demand does accept several types of health insurance, so prices may be lower for those in participating plans. Many major employers also offer discounts. Doctor on Demand is HIPAA-compliant.

BetterHelp

BetterHelp matches users to therapists who are psychologists (PhD or PsyD), marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, or licensed professional counselors. Users can text their therapist in a "room" on the site or in the app (Android, iOS). The text chat is the default option, but users and therapists can schedule video chats at mutually convenient times. If a user is not pleased with the therapist they've been matched with, they can switch. BetterHelp does not accept insurance but the cost of services is in the very reasonable range of $40 to $70 per week (billed montly). BetterHelp is HIPAA-compliant.

BetterHelp has offshoot apps designed to support those with specific concerns: ReGain (Android, iOS) for couples, Teen Counseling (Android, iOS) for teens, Pride Counseling (Android, iOS) for the LGBTQ+ community, and Faithful Counseling (Android, iOS) for those who prefer a therapist who shares their Christian faith.

Talkspace

Talkspace's main service is Unlimited Messaging Therapy, which puts customers in touch with a licensed professional therapist via text, audio, and video messaging for $49 per week. Those who also wish to add one live video session per month can opt for the premium plan at $59 per week. There's also the LiveTalk plan that brings customers a live video chat with a therapist each week, as well as the unlimited messaging, for $79 per week. The service also offers couples therapy for $79 per week.

Counselors in Talkspace can be licensed professional counselors (LPCs); have a Master of Science in counseling psychology, clinical psychology, clinical counseling, or educational psychology; licensed mental health counselor (LMHC); licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT); licensed and independent clinical social worker (LICSW); doctor of psychology (Psy.D); or psychologists (Ph.D). Talkspace is HIPAA-compliant.

Larkr

Larkr (iOS) is an app that combines one-on-one therapy with self-help features like guided meditation. Customers are matched with a therapist by an algorithm but can switch therapists if they do not like the one they are assigned. Sessions are conducted via video chat. The cost is $85 per 50-minute session.

7 Cups of Tea

7 Cups of Tea is two things: a place to talk with unlicensed "listeners" and a medium for online therapy with licensed therapists. The latter is staffed with 180 psychologists, licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), and licensed clinical professional counselors (LCPCs). It is $150 per month for unlimited messaging with a therapist. Users can chat with them on the site or via the app (Android, iOS). The licensed-therapist feature on 7 Cups of Tea is HIPAA-compliant.

eTherapyPro

eTherapyPro (Android, iOS) is for those who prefer therapy by text. Once you're matched with a counselor, you can exchange messages via the app. eTherapyPro subscriptions are available for either $50 per week billed weekly or $40 per week billed monthly.

Anxiety Coach

One of the most common mental-health issues is anxiety. If you feel like you'd benefit from tackling some of your worries with a bit of guidance, the Mayo Clinic has developed an app. Anxiety Coach (iOS) is organized by types of fear and leads users through exercises designed to combat them. You get a to-do list and once you've selected an activity from it, you practice until you master it with a minimal level of anxiety. There's a progress tracker so you know just how far you have to go. Those with Android devices can try Self-Help Anxiety Management.

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About Our Expert

Chandra Steele

Chandra Steele

Senior Features Writer

My Experience

My title is Senior Features Writer, which is a license to write about absolutely anything if I can connect it to technology (I can). I’ve been at PCMag since 2011 and have covered the surveillance state, vaccination cards, ghost guns, voting, ISIS, art, fashion, film, design, gender bias, and more. You might have seen me on TV talking about these topics or heard me on your commute home on the radio or a podcast. Or maybe you’ve just seen my Bernie meme. 

I strive to explain topics that you might come across in the news but not fully understand, such as NFTs and meme stocks. I’ve had the pleasure of talking tech with Jeff Goldblum, Ang Lee, and other celebrities who have brought a different perspective to it. I put great care into writing gift guides and am always touched by the notes I get from people who’ve used them to choose presents that have been well-received. Though I love that I get to write about the tech industry every day, it’s touched by gender, racial, and socioeconomic inequality and I try to bring these topics to light. 

Outside of PCMag, I write fiction, poetry, humor, and essays on culture.

My Areas of Expertise

  • Making incomprehensible tech news easy to understand
  • Expanding the boundaries of topics covered in the industry
  • Figuring out tips and tricks in apps and on devices and letting you know about them
  • Putting together gift guides for everyone in your life 

The Technology I Use

All that gadgets is gold for me: my iPhone 11 Pro, my fifth-generation iPad that I use only for streaming videos and music, my iPad mini 4 that I like to take with me whenever I carry a bag that can fit it, and my MacBook Pro. Why are they all different shades of gold, though? What’s going on, Apple? 

None of them quite live up to my two past loves: my LG Lotus LX600 phone and my Sony Walkman NW-E005 MP3 player. 

I've never given up wired earbuds so I was ahead of all those trend pieces. I use a Mangotek Lightning-to-3.5mm headphone jack adapter to connect them to my phone. 

I have had so many ebook readers, but I prefer paper to them all. Still, my Kindle Paperwhite is perfect for traveling or when I’m too impatient to wait for a book to be released in paperback.

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