The Best Online Therapy, According to a Therapist

Out-of-Pocket Costs: $69-$109 per week, billed as a monthly subscription

• Insurance & Essential Info

  • Accepts Insurance: Yes, check to see if your insurance is accepted
  • Services Provided: Individual therapy, couples therapy, teen therapy, psychiatry/medication management
  • Session Types: Video, phone, messaging

• Pros & Cons

  Pros

  • Accepts many insurance plans

  • Wide variety of treatment options, including psychiatry/medication management

    
    

  • Can message your therapist anytime

  • Video, phone, or text-based sessions

  Cons

  • Cheapest plan is texting only
    

  • Some sessions are only 30 minutes long

• What I Like About Talkspace

  Talkspace is the real deal in my book: a one-stop shop for different kinds of therapy with a variety of communication options and psychiatry services as well, all covered by a slew of insurance plans. You can text your therapist between sessions for advice and support; find the right therapist for yourself, you and your significant other, or your teen; and start a new medication regimen, all at one convenient company.

  I’ve had eleven people from all across the country try out Talkspace, and overall, they were happy with their experiences. My testers were connected with therapists who were highly professional, warm, and accommodating. In one instance, a tester’s therapist was immediately able to suggest a solution to a problem my tester thought was unsolvable; in another, my tester’s therapist messaged her on a holiday—unprompted and outside of her regular session time—reminding her to breathe and take time for herself. My testers were often able to immediately relate to their therapists, making their time with them that much easier and more useful. And being able to choose the communication option that worked best for them (video, phone, or texting) greatly enhanced the rapport my testers had built with their therapists. 

  In addition to testing, I also surveyed 100 current and recent users of Talkspace to get a better understanding of the general Talkspace experience, and the company did not disappoint: 92% of users rated Talkspace as very good or excellent overall, better than 90% of the 55 companies we examined, and 69% reported that their therapist met all of their needs, a percentage only narrowly exceeded by two other companies.

• Things to Consider

  While Talkspace’s texting-only plan is an affordable option at only $69 per week, it’s also my biggest hesitation about the company—this subscription doesn’t include a single video session. As a mental health professional, I do not recommend text-only sessions: your therapist is missing out on important visual and verbal cues when they can’t see or hear you that might otherwise help them guide the session and intuit what you are feeling. 

  When we tried texting only, we felt the conversation was often stilted and we didn’t get as much out of it as we did when we could speak to our therapist. So it’s unfortunate that the text-based sessions are the company’s most affordable subscription. With other plans, it’s also unfortunate that the sessions are sometimes only 30 minutes long; in almost every case, we wished they were longer.

• What Users Say

  “I got the impression that [my therapist] remembered the information I told her before and did not feel like I had to repeat myself. Her approach seemed solution-focused, meaning that we discussed specific and concrete changes I could make in my life to reduce my symptoms. At the end of each session, she guided me through a breathing exercise similar to the first session. While the goal of each exercise was the same (to center me and transition out of the session), the specifics of each exercise was slightly different, which I found engaging.” 

  - Talkspace tester who is a licensed therapist herself

Out-of-Pocket Costs: $70-$100 per week, billed as a monthly subscription

• Insurance & Essential Info

  • Accepts Insurance: No
  • Services Provided: Individual therapy
  • Session Types: Video, phone, messaging

• Pros & Cons

  Pros

  • Available in all 50 states and 200 countries

  • Lots of different time slots available

  • Easy to reschedule appointments

  • Can communicate with your therapist via video or audio/text messaging

  Cons

  • Price varies based on location and therapist availability

  • Does not accept insurance

  • Quality of care can vary widely

• What I Like About BetterHelp

  I’ve had nine testers from all across the globe try BetterHelp, and to me, the best thing by far about BetterHelp is its availability. Its services are accessible anywhere in the United States and internationally (I had one tester in the UK). Even in Kansas and Missouri—places where mental health care can be hard to find—we were able to schedule sessions with our BetterHelp therapists that were convenient (evening and weekend scheduling wasn’t a problem) and consistent (there are no long wait lists and plenty of therapists available, even in rural areas). 

  But what about the therapy itself? Overall, our experiences can be summed up as: decent. For the most part, testers connected with their therapists and felt as though their providers were attentive and offered valuable insights and suggestions. Establishing rapport with your therapist is one of the most important aspects of therapy, and BetterHelp generally succeeds. In fact, one of my testers has been using BetterHelp for months, to great success and with no plans to stop. But another tester described BetterHelp’s services as “therapy light;” scratching the surface without ever really diving in deep. Still, BetterHelp is simply there for you, no matter who you are or where you live.

  In my survey of 100 current and former BetterHelp clients, 87% rated BetterHelp as very good or excellent overall, which was middling in how survey respondents felt about all the other 54 services. Ninety-six percent would recommend BetterHelp to a friend or someone like them, which also landed BetterHelp squarely in the middle of the other surveyed companies.

• Things to Consider

  I've had several testers run into issues, from their first assigned therapist never showing up for their session to technical difficulties with their video appointments to their therapist making assumptions about them based on their visible disability. With 34,000 providers and counting, some issues are to be expected, but your time and trust are precious. 

  In terms of BetterHelp’s services themselves, some of my testers have described them as “underwhelming”—not terrible but not great. Of course, your own experience may vary wildly, depending on which therapist you are matched with, the rapport you are able to build, and the skill of the individual provider; but I can report that most of my testers’ experiences have been mediocre.

  BetterHelp's prices also vary based on your location, the availability of therapists in your area, and the kind of care you need. In our testing, this meant that testers paid anywhere between $70 and $100 per week in different locations. We didn't find this kind of pay structure at any of the other companies we tested.

• What Users Say

  “Since BetterHelp has providers in every state and many of these providers have flexible scheduling options, I think this could be a really great option for someone without access to an in-person therapist or with a full schedule.” 

  - BetterHelp tester from Missouri

Out-of-Pocket Costs: $95-$349 per month, billed as a monthly subscription

• Insurance & Essential Info

  • Accepts Insurance: Yes, check to see if your insurance is accepted
  • Services Provided: Individual therapy, teen therapy, psychiatry/medication management
  • Session Types: Video, unlimited messaging

• Pros & Cons

  Pros

  • Specializes in anxiety and depression
    

  • Psychiatry/medication management available
    

  • Accepts a wide range of insurance plans
    

  • Multiple subscription plans available

  Cons

  • Insurance coverage varies based on location
    

  • Intake sessions might feel impersonal
    

  • Cannot pay per session

• What I Like About Brightside

  As a therapist, I recognize the benefit of specializing in certain treatments or mental health concerns—in the world of mental health, it’s better to do one thing and do it well rather than being a jack of all trades, master of none. This is why Brightside stands out to me: it focuses specifically on treating anxiety and depression and related disorders, and it does so extremely successfully. 

  I had five testers try out Brightside to tackle their anxiety and depression, and the company did what it promised to: effectively treat these conditions. In one case, my tester had just started to have panic attacks, but after only a few sessions with her Brightside therapist, she felt that her newfound coping skills made her less reliant on medication. (Another great thing about Brightside, though, is that it also offers psychiatry services. So, if you do need medication, you’re covered.) 

  My other testers appreciated the homework they were assigned, which helped them practice the cognitive behavioral therapy techniques that they learned in their sessions (CBT is considered the gold standard when it comes to the treatment of anxiety and depression). They also appreciated their therapists’ quick and personal replies to the messages they sent between sessions—this kind of communication and support is especially important for those struggling with anxiety and depression who might need extra help during the week. And because most of my testers were able to choose their own therapists, they could make sure they were working with providers who really understood them, their identities, and their unique issues.

  The 100 Brightside users I surveyed had equally positive experiences. When asked to rate their therapist’s qualifications, 94% said they were very good or excellent—one of the highest scores across all 55 companies I reviewed. In addition, a whopping 99% said they were likely or very likely to recommend Brightside to a friend or someone like them.

• Things to Consider

  Finding the right therapist can take some trial and error. In one instance, my tester didn’t click with her first therapist: she felt like the therapist was dismissive of the challenges she was bringing up. In another case, the person conducting my tester’s intake session was cold and unapproachable. However, both problems were easily remedied—the first tester simply switched therapists and found a great match the second time, and the second tester had a much better experience with her actual therapist with whom she connected after the intake. 

  My most recent tester, though, tried two different therapists and, while the second was an improvement over the first, she never found the right fit, and wasn’t able to get the kind of support for her depression that she was really looking for. This was my first truly disappointing experience with Brightside.

• What Users Say

  “My therapist was warm and made me feel at ease. My first impression was that she seemed kind and relatable (we are both Hispanic and have similar cultures). There was no pressure to unload everything immediately. She made sure I felt comfortable.” 

  - Brightside tester who was seeking treatment for anxiety and panic attacks

Out-of-Pocket Costs: $60-$120 per week, billed as a monthly subscription

• Insurance & Essential Info

  • Accepts Insurance: No
  • Services Provided: Individual therapy, couples therapy
  • Session Types: Video, phone, messaging

• Pros & Cons

  Pros

  • All therapists specialize in CBT
    

  • Extensive library of CBT resources

  • Offers individual and couples therapy

  • Unlimited messaging with therapists

  Cons

  • Does not accept insurance

  • Cannot choose your own therapist

• What I Like About Online-Therapy.com

  Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a therapeutic approach that centers around identifying negative or harmful thoughts and behaviors and working to change them for the better. CBT is exactly what Online-Therapy.com specializes in—along with each and every therapist being a CBT expert, this company also provides a full suite of CBT-related resources and services, including everything from worksheets to mood trackers to yoga videos. Online-Therapy.com’s wealth of CBT offerings make this company a great choice for anyone who wants to take tangible, actionable steps in improving the way they interact with stressors, targeting unhelpful thinking, and changing detrimental reactions.

  I had eight testers try Online-Therapy.com’s individual therapy and couples therapy services, all rooted in CBT, and nearly all of them were incredibly impressed with the quality of their providers. They overwhelmingly found their therapists to be professional and informed, leading their sessions confidently and incorporating CBT approaches effectively by working with my testers to come up with action-based solutions to their problems. Their therapists consistently assigned “homework”—a tenet of CBT—that the vast majority of testers found helpful and directly applicable to the issues they were addressing in therapy, and always received personalized and thoughtful feedback on the worksheets and exercises they completed. My testers were also extremely pleased with the quick rapport they were able to build with their providers, who were warm, supportive, and kind across the board. The combination of these therapists’ therapeutic skills and personable approaches was a winning one for my Online-Therapy.com testers.

  I also asked 100 users of Online-Therapy.com about their experiences, and they were similarly happy: 91% rated the company as very good or excellent overall, which was among the highest scores across all 55 companies I surveyed. It tipped the scales again when considering whether to recommend the service to a friend or someone like them, with 99% of users saying they were likely or very likely to do so.

• Things to Consider

  Although homework between sessions is a major component of CBT, one of my testers found this work overwhelming and stressful rather than helpful. This goes to show that even if a therapeutic approach is widely accepted as useful, it won’t necessarily be right for everyone. Bear this in mind as you consider using Online-Therapy.com, knowing that it focuses exclusively on CBT. 

  In addition, the first therapist to whom one of my testers was assigned did not seem to be well-versed in CBT, despite it being the company’s specialty, and seemingly did not make any effort to establish rapport—but this tester was able to switch to a different provider whom she liked much better.

• What Users Say

  “My therapist seemed engaged and provided great insight and feedback with the concerns I brought up. She appeared knowledgeable and competent, and she focused on cognitive behavioral techniques, which is consistent with Online-Therapy.com’s advertised practices. I also found it helpful that I was able to share background information and presenting concerns prior to the first appointment, as she was able to review this and come ready with suggestions and guidance rather than focusing most of the first session on telling her my history.”

  • Online-Therapy.com tester who is herself a therapist who uses CBT

Out-of-Pocket Costs: $200-$240 for intake sessions, $160-$195 for follow-up sessions

• Insurance & Essential Info

  • Accepts Insurance: Yes, check to see if your insurance is accepted
  • Services Provided: Individual therapy, couples therapy, teen therapy, child therapy, family therapy, psychiatry/medication management
  • Session Types: Video, phone, in-person

• Pros & Cons

  Pros

  • In-network with over 360 insurance plans

  • Offers individual, couples, teen, child, and family therapy

  • In-person services available in 340 locations

  • 50-60 minute sessions

  Cons

  • Might be fewer therapists available for niche services
    

  • Cannot message therapist between sessions

• What I Like About Thriveworks

  It can be difficult finding a therapist who accepts your insurance, even when it comes to online therapy, but this is where Thriveworks has got you covered—literally. Thriveworks is in-network with more than 360 different insurance plans, which is more than any other online therapy company I know about. This is great news for people with smaller or location-specific plans that might not be accepted elsewhere, making Thriveworks’ services—which are extensive, including individual, couples, kids, and family therapy, as well as psychiatry—available to many more therapy seekers.

  I had eight testers try out Thriveworks’ entire range of therapy services, and six of them were absolutely thrilled with the care they received. They found their therapists to be not only knowledgeable and professional but caring and attentive, working with them to come up with achievable goals and solutions to issues while also making them feel comfortable opening up. The therapists’ approaches felt both personal and evidence-based, and it was clear that each of the therapists my testers ended up with were great matches. Most of my testers even went so far as to say they’d be happy continuing to work with their providers even after their testing phase was over. One of the best things about my testers’ experiences with Thriveworks was that no matter what service they were looking for—adult, couples, kids, or family therapy—and no matter where in the country they were located—from South Dakota to Kansas to Kentucky to Missouri—they were able to find a great therapist. Add accepting insurance to the mix and you’ve got one stand-out online therapy company.

  Of the 100 Thriveworks users I surveyed, 31% said that the fact that Thriveworks accepted their insurance made this company better than any other therapy company they’d ever tried—this was the highest score in this category across all 55 surveyed services. In addition, 90% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent, and 96% found a therapist at Thriveworks who met most or all of their needs.

• Things to Consider

  Even though Thriveworks offers such a wide range of services, your location might affect how available each of these services are—if you live in a more rural area, there might be fewer providers available for more niche asks, such as treating young children or offering a specific type of therapeutic approach. In fact, one tester who didn’t have a great experience with Thriveworks found the latter to be the case. She was looking for a therapist who could use EMDR, a trauma treatment modality, with her, but ultimately couldn’t find one (even in New York, where you’d think there would be more services available). 

  Two of my testers also had underwhelming or even upsetting experiences with their therapists. One, who tried couples therapy, didn’t feel heard by their therapist, and even felt misunderstood when the therapist jumped to conclusions and offered platitudes and cliched advice; this was their second attempt at a session, after their first therapist cancelled their session an hour before it was supposed to take place. (Luckily, Thriveworks’ customer service is amazing.) My other tester’s therapist was late to their session, was rude, and flat-out refused to even discuss using EMDR with her, instead insisting she needed CBT even though my tester had already tried that modality in the recent past; she even implied that my tester’s trauma was her own fault. These experiences were disappointing, especially considering the promise of Thriveworks’ extensive services (and the positive experiences my other testers had). 

• What Users Say

  “My therapist was thorough and gentle, and I found it easy to open up to her. We discussed treatment goals and her approach to therapy as well. Therapists follow different theoretical orientations and approach work with clients differently, which is wonderful because every client has different needs and deserves a therapist they click with. I felt that she remembered things I told her and was invested in my care.”

  - Thriveworks tester in South Dakota who is also a therapist herself 

Out-of-Pocket Costs: $55-$65 per session, subscriptions available for bundles of sessions

• Insurance & Essential Info

  • Accepts Insurance: No
  • Services Provided: Individual therapy, couples therapy, coaching
  • Session Types: Video, phone, messaging

• Pros & Cons

  Pros

  • Pricing information is easy to find

  • Relatively affordable

  • Coaching services available anywhere in the US

  • Couples therapy and individual therapy are the same price

  Cons

  • Doesn’t accept insurance

  • Therapy services are not available everywhere

• What I Like About E-Therapy Cafe

  E-Therapy Cafe’s main attraction is clear: it offers great therapy for low out-of-pocket prices. Your first session is $55 and each subsequent session costs $65 a la carte, with bundling options available that make sessions cost even less—this beats out every other company on this list when it comes to out-of-pocket prices. To me, this kind of accessibility is incredibly important; people who are uninsured or underinsured can turn to this service without having to sacrifice the quality of their therapy sessions.

  Seven people have tried out E-Therapy Cafe’s online therapy services for me, and the results have been stellar. My testers were extremely happy with the services they received, both individual and couples (the latter of which doesn’t cost a penny more, unlike Talkspace and many other online therapy companies that also offer couples therapy). The therapists they worked with were clearly knowledgeable and were quickly able to develop a rapport, and across the board, my testers’ providers supported them with skill and compassion.

  The E-Therapy Cafe team is small—only 13 clinicians—but because each provider is both a licensed clinical therapist and an expert-level life coach, any one of them is able to see clients anywhere in the country (while therapists are limited to practice only in the states in which they are licensed, coaches are not held to legal licensure restrictions, so most users would technically be receiving life coach services). This gave my testers the feel of a small private practice with the reach of a large telehealth service.

  In my survey of 100 current and past users of E-Therapy Cafe, 90% said they were still using this service today—a high number compared to the rest of the 55 online therapy companies I researched and reviewed. These users especially appreciated E-Therapy Cafe’s early morning, evening, and weekend availability, with 43% (more than at most other companies) saying all of their scheduling needs were met in this way.

• Things to Consider

  My main issue with E-Therapy Cafe is the dearth of therapists licensed in certain states. Although technically these clinicians can provide “coaching” services anywhere, it would be nice to be able to count on therapy services too (though none of my testers had any complaints about the coaching they received). I’d also love to see more diversity amongst the E-Therapy Cafe providers.

• What Users Say

  “​​[My therapist] was funny and a little quirky, but I think our dynamic worked. He was kind and attentive. From the way he responded and what I read of him in his impressive bio, he seemed very qualified to talk me through some of the things I brought up. He was able to validate my feelings and encourage me as I worked through them and in the end, I was very happy with who the company chose for me.”

  - E-Therapy Cafe tester who is a busy mom

Out-of-Pocket Costs: $70-$100 per week, billed as a monthly subscription

• Insurance & Essential Info

  • Accepts Insurance: No
  • Services Provided: Couples therapy, individual therapy
  • Session Types: Video, phone, messaging

• Pros & Cons

  Pros

  • Offers couples counseling and individual relationship counseling

  • Partners can access sessions from different locations

  • Focuses exclusively on relationships

  Cons

  • Short sessions (30-45 mins)

  • Doesn’t take insurance

  • Quality of sessions varies wildly

• What I Like About Regain

  If you’re looking for affordable and accessible online couples therapy, Regain just might be for you. Regain offers both couples therapy and individual relationship counseling, so whether you and your partner are in need of guidance or you want to focus on your own personal relationship issues by yourself, Regain is there for you. But the best part about Regain, much like its parent company BetterHelp, is its wide availability—Regain’s services can be accessed anywhere in the country. This means that even people who live in therapy deserts, or areas where mental health services (and especially more niche services like couples therapy) are few and far between, can take part in the therapy that they need.

  I had seven different testers try Regain’s services, both couples and individual, all across the country, and their experiences varied greatly. When their sessions were positive (which was about half the time), they were very positive—many of my testers ended up with therapists who were knowledgeable, supportive, and kind, guiding the sessions and providing useful feedback for both partners. They especially liked their ability to message their therapists between sessions, to which they received timely and thoughtful responses; this helped them stay on track in their relationship goals during the week and practice the communication skills they were building. It is also super easy to switch therapists on Regain, so even if your first match is a bust—which was the case for a few of my testers—you can shop around until you find the right therapist for you and your needs.

  Of the 100 Regain testers I surveyed, 87% rated the company as very good or excellent overall, and 72% were likely or very likely to recommend the company to a friend or someone like them—not great numbers compared to the other companies surveyed.

• Things to Consider

  When my testers’ sessions with Regain were bad, they were very bad. One tester and his wife found that they were actually arguing more between sessions because the short session times (only 30 minutes in this instance) left them in the middle of fights with no way of working through them on their own. Another tester’s therapist made biased and discriminatory assumptions about her husband and his cultural background and religion, and this caused the therapist to repeatedly infer issues in their relationship that weren’t actually there. This inability to empathize and ask clarifying questions was concerning. Finally, my tester who was trying Regain’s individual relationship counseling didn’t feel heard or supported by either therapist she worked with: the first didn’t understand or validate my tester’s concerns and the conversation was stilted, with lots of awkward pauses, while the second wasn’t engaged at all and actually questioned my tester as to why she was seeking individual therapy rather than as a couple (even though Regain advertises this service). 

  The short session times (45 minutes at the most, depending on your therapist) were continually a problem for my testers, considering that two people were trying to speak and work through their issues rather than just one. This often made them feel like they had to rush in order to make any progress. And like BetterHelp, Regain’s prices vary based on location and therapist availability—so you’re paying more for the same services in areas where Regain’s services are more in-demand. 

• What Users Say

  “I was pleased with the therapist we were matched with and I appreciated how adaptable she was to my wife and I as we navigated different issues in our marriage and our journey as parents.”

  - Regain tester working on parenting issues with his spouse

Out-of-Pocket Costs: $119 per therapy session; $299 for first psychiatry session, $129 per psychiatry follow-up

• Insurance & Essential Info

  • Accepts Insurance: Yes
  • Services Provided: Individual therapy, teen therapy, psychiatry/medication management
  • Session Types: Video, phone

• Pros & Cons

  Pros

  • Sessions available 7am-9pm, 7 days a week

  • Accepts insurance

  • Can choose your own therapist from a curated list

  • Individual therapy, teen therapy, and psychiatry services available

  Cons

  • Can’t see if your insurance is accepted before signing up

  • Can’t view provider bios before signing up

• What I Like About Teladoc

  One of the main attractions of online therapy is its flexibility, and Teladoc doesn’t disappoint in that regard—in fact, out of all 55 online therapy companies I’ve spent the last three-plus years testing and reviewing, Teladoc is by far the best when it comes to scheduling. With sessions available from 7am to 9pm every single day of the week, you’re more likely to find a schedule that’s right for you with Teladoc than with just about any other online therapy service. Not only that, you can also choose your own provider from a curated list based on your intake information, and it’s in-network with lots of insurance plans, meaning Teladoc is one of the most accessible online therapy providers around.

  I had six people try Teladoc’s therapy services, and all of them had great experiences. The ease and flexibility of scheduling was of course one of their favorite things about the service—they all pointed out the sheer number of appointment times and providers available, noting that they could easily schedule their sessions at the most convenient times for them (such as early in the morning or late in the evening). This took away any anxiety they might otherwise have had trying to balance therapy with work and home life. In addition, they all found their therapists to be both professional and empathetic, offering both useful and topical solutions for challenges as well as active listening and deep dives into my testers’ issues. Many of my testers and their therapists found the right formula for homework too, with their providers suggesting exercises that supported the work they were doing in sessions that didn’t feel impossible to do and didn’t add any extra stress to my testers’ busy lives. From scheduling to services rendered, Teladoc consistently delivered.

  Eighty-one percent of the 100 Teladoc users I surveyed about their experiences said that when it came to their providers’ availability, Teladoc met most or all of their needs; 94% specifically called out Teladoc’s early morning, evening, and weekend availability as meeting their scheduling requirements. And in fact, the same number (94%) rated Teladoc as very good or excellent overall, which was one of the highest scores across all surveyed companies.

• Things to Consider

  There’s not much to complain about at Teladoc, but I do have a few small gripes. Although Teladoc accepts insurance and lets you choose your own therapist from a list of providers compiled just for you, you cannot check to see whether Teladoc is in-network with your plan until you create an account and sign up for services, nor can you view provider profiles or bios until you sign up. I wish that this information were available without having to spend the time signing up and giving the company your personal data, so that you could know right away if Teladoc is the right service for you.

• What Users Say

  “One of my favorite things about Teladoc is the flexibility of scheduling. I was able to schedule sessions that fit into my schedule, including in the morning before my husband started work. Additionally, Teladoc makes it easy to switch providers, which is especially important if you don’t click with the first provider you choose. I met with two different therapists over the course of a month, and I found both to be knowledgeable and empathetic. In each session, the provider offered the option of homework but was very clear they didn’t want to add to my plate as a mom of four. I felt comfortable saying no, or that I would prefer a short activity over something I would need to do each day.”

  - Teladoc tester who could balance sessions with her busy life

Out-of-Pocket Costs: $134-$184 per therapy session; $299 for first psychiatry session, $129 per psychiatry follow-up session

• Insurance & Essential Info

  • Accepts Insurance: Yes, check to see if your insurance is accepted
  • Services Provided: Individual therapy, couples therapy, teen therapy, child therapy, psychiatry/medication management
  • Session Types: Video

• Pros & Cons

  Pros

  • Therapy and psychiatry for children and teens as well as adults (ages 1 and up)

  • Can choose your own provider

  • Accepts insurance

  • Can see if your insurance is accepted before signing up

  Cons

  • Out-of-pocket prices might be prohibitive

  • Parent/guardian participation might be required in minors’ sessions

• What I Like About Doctor on Demand

  If there are multiple people in your family who need mental health care, look no further than Doctor on Demand. While this company offers traditional online therapy and psychiatry services for adults, it also treats children and teens—ages one and up. This means that you don’t need to go searching for different services to get treatment for yourself and your kids, because just about anyone can get the mental health care they need at Doctor on Demand. 

  I had four people test Doctor on Demand, including one teenager looking for psychiatry services and one adult looking for guidance around difficult family dynamics, and they were all more than pleased with the care they received. My teen was able to immediately establish a rapport with his psychiatrist, who made sure she understood not just the teen, but their entire family history when it came to mental health and medication. This left my teen and his mother confident that the treatment he was getting was top-notch. As for my three other testers, who tried Doctor on Demand’s therapy services, their experiences were similarly great. Their therapists gave them “an incredible mix” (according to one tester) of helpful insights and practical solutions for their issues, and used personal anecdotes to help my testers look at situations in new ways. Their sessions were conversational and open, and felt more like talking to a knowledgeable friend than a clinician.

  Of the 100 Doctor on Demand users I surveyed, 13% were looking for services for their child, and 6% said that the fact that Doctor on Demand offers child and/or teen therapy made this company better than others they’d used in the past. Ninety-five percent of users found a therapist who met most or all of their needs, and 97% were likely or very likely to recommend Doctor on Demand to someone like them.

• Things to Consider

  Like any mental health service that treats minors, Doctor on Demand requires a parent’s or guardian’s consent to treat their children. However, my Doctor on Demand tester was actually present for at least part of each of her son’s sessions—it’s unclear whether this is what is required for any child’s therapy or psychiatry session at Doctor on Demand.

  In addition, though she ultimately had a good experience, one tester’s therapist was more conversational than she would have liked, letting my tester lead the discussion when she would have preferred more guidance (because this was this tester’s first experience with therapy). 

• What Users Say

  “I’d definitely recommend Doctor on Demand to anyone looking for an online psychiatry service for their child. Appointments are psychiatrist-driven but patient-centric. One big thing that stood out to me was our provider’s interest in the mental health and medications of my son’s family members, and how she used that information to help shape her course of action in developing a diagnosis and prescription plan for him.”

  - Doctor on Demand tester whose teenage son had a great experience

Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies depending on copay

• Insurance & Essential Info

  • Accepts Insurance: Yes, check to see if your insurance is accepted
  • Services Provided: Psychiatry/medication management, individual therapy, teen therapy, child therapy
  • Session Types: Video

• Pros & Cons

  Pros

  • Accepts insurance

  • Can check if your insurance is accepted before signing up

  • Treats ages 5 and up

  • Sessions twice as long as most other online psychiatry sessions

  Cons

  • No self-pay options

  • Can only see a Talkiatry therapist if referred by a Talkiatry psychiatrist

• What I Like About Talkiatry

  Talkiatry is an online psychiatry service that pushes the limits of telepsychiatry. First of all, it treats ages five and up, and can prescribe controlled substances (such as stimulants for ADHD and benzodiazepines for anxiety)—the vast majority of online psychiatry services do neither of these things. Additionally, Talkiatry accepts insurance, where most in-person psychiatry services and many online psychiatry services do not; and Talkiatry’s sessions are fully twice as long as almost any other online psychiatry company’s, with intake sessions lasting a complete hour and follow-ups lasting a half an hour. All of these facts come together to make Talkiatry my definitive choice when it comes to online psychiatry services.

  My two testers who tried Talkiatry both had great experiences with the company. They were especially impressed with the length and thoroughness of their sessions—each of their psychiatrists spent well over an hour with them for their first appointments, ensuring that they received any and all information that would help them accurately diagnose and prescribe the correct medication for my testers. These comprehensive intake sessions helped my testers feel confident that their psychiatrists were devoted to providing them the best possible care. Their follow-up sessions, at 30 minutes each, felt more like therapy sessions—whereas in the past, my testers had experienced subsequent psychiatry sessions as clinical and detached, they really felt like they could open up about other issues in their lives that were contributing to the reasons they needed medication. This attention to detail and commitment to quality care sets Talkiatry apart from its online competitors.

  Of the 100 Talkiatry users I surveyed, 23% said that the length of its sessions was appropriate for their needs when asked what they particularly liked about Talkiatry’s psychiatry services. Ninety-five percent would recommend this company to a friend or someone like them, and 96% found a provider that met most or all of their needs.  

• Things to Consider

  Talkiatry only accepts insurance—this means that if you are uninsured or underinsured or if the company is not in-network with your particular plan, you’re out of luck. In addition, while Talkiatry does offer therapy services as well as psychiatry and medication management, you can only access therapy with Talkiatry if referred by your Talkiatry psychiatrist.

• What Users Say

  “Overall, I liked how much time I had for this first meeting. All my questions were answered and I knew what to expect for our sessions moving forward. In fact, in many ways, the session actually felt closer to a traditional talk therapy session, except that we also discussed my medications and symptoms.” 

  - Talkiatry tester pleased with the length and quality of his first session