Endorsed by popular mainstream celebrities such as Michael Phelps and Demi Lovato, Talkspace is one of the largest, most popular online therapy sites in the U.S. This alone makes them a very viable choice for anyone who is new to virtual therapy.
In this Talkspace review we will dive into the finer details of this counseling platform and try to help you figure out if the hype is justified. We hope that by the time you finish reading this review, you’ll not only be able to determine whether Talkspace is the best online therapy site out there – but whether it’s the best one for you.
As always, we base our ratings upon our own personal experience with the software and therapists. We also spend many hours conducting research online and gathering feedback from both our own readers and public forums around the web.
TalkSpace is a New-York City based company which was established in 2012 and has raised more than $100m in funding since its inception. The company’s co-founder and CEO is Oren Frank. The company plans on an IPO in 2021 using the ticker TALK and has received massive media coverage over the years including the New York Times, Fortune Magazine, NBC News, and Entreprenuer.com.
| Year Founded | 2012 |
|---|---|
| U.S Based Company | Yes |
| Number of Licensed Therapists | More Than 5,000 |
| Accepts Insurance? | Yes |
| Hipaa compliant | Yes |
| Therapy Modes | Text, Audio and Video |
| Available Treatments | Private Therapy, Psychiatry, Couples, Teens (13-17) |
| Average Price | $65 – $99 Per Week |
| Sign Up Time | Only Few Minutes to Get Started, Incredibly Simple |
| Response Time | Immediate Interview, But Finding a Match Can Take a Few Days |
| Mobile App | Yes |
| Website | www.talkspace.com |
| Customer Reviews | 98% positive |
| Our Editorial Rating | 5 Stars |
| Current Promotion | $80 Off For The First Month |
Signing up to Talkspace is extremely easy and fast. First, you fill out a simple questionnaire, designed to give your therapist some general idea of who you are and what type of help you seek. When you first sign up to the site, you will also be asked to select your nickname and password – you don’t have to give out your real name and can remain completely anonymous if you choose to.
Then, you’ll immediately start speaking to a licensed therapist who acts as a consultant. They will greet you and help you find the best counselor for you to match with. You will be given a quick rundown of how things work, and then presented with a few different psychologists you can choose from. If you don’t like any of them, you can always ask to see more options. All Talkspace therapists are licensed and have at least 3000 hours of clinical experience.
Out of all the times we tried this process, it always went smoothly. But as mentioned above, some people complained the consultation was lacking and the therapist who welcomed them gave generic answers and showed little interest in them. If the therapist doesn’t inquire about you, and specifically asks about your preferred treatment and goals for therapy, it should raise a real red flag. If they immediately move on to suggesting a therapist to you, please ask to receive consultation by a different person.
Once you select the therapist you like best, you normally have to wait between a day or 2 until you officially get “matched” and therapy can begin. Talkspace says this happens within a day or less, but from our experience 2 days is a more accurate assessment. You will then begin therapy based on the plan you have selected. You are free to change the plan or your therapist at any time if you feel like you could be getting more out of your experience.
After all is set, a virtual room will be created for you and your therapist. You can access this room through your browser or by downloading the Talkspace mobile app. In that room, you can send and read messages from your counselor 24/7 five days a week. Of course, it might take time for them to respond, so don’t expect replies in the middle of the night. Overall, we have found the response rate to be very good.
Aside from being one of the largest online therapy sites in the U.S, Talkspace has a lot of other upsides that make us rate them so highly. First and foremost is their outstanding customer service and support team, which are truly on a different level compared to other popular platforms.
Even people who were overall somewhat unhappy with Talkspace, always praise their responsiveness and attitude. Good customer service plays a big part in making you feel safe and looked after, and is why we recommend Talkspace as one of the best choices for beginners.
Another thing which impressed us is their live interview during signup. You get to talk to a real person instead of filling out an automated questionnaire, which makes the whole experience feel much more personal and humane. This therapist then goes over the information you gave them, and suggests a few suitable matches for you to choose from.
Lastly, out of the platforms offering help by licensed professionals, Talkspace is the most affordable. If you are ok with no live sessions, then Talkspace will provide you with the best value for money. It has to be said though, that therapy without live sessions is usually much less effective, and you might also need to replace a few psychologists until you find someone who you’ll be able to connect deeply with through chat or text messaging only.
The most obvious comparison to Talkspace are their main competitors, Betterhelp. You can read our Betterhelp review or our in depth comparison between Talkspace and Betterhelp to help you figure out which of these two is the better choice.
Note: Keep in mind all these subscriptions renew Automatically at the end of each billing cycle. If you no longer wish to use Talkspace, or simply need a short break, make sure you cancel your subscription manually.
Talkspace therapists are trained in treating a wide assortment of conditions such as:
While the main focus for all these is behavioral techniques such as CBT and dialectical behavioral therapy, other approaches such as mindfulness, psychodynamic therapy and psychoanalysis are also on offer by some therapists.
Talkspace also offers a separate psychiatric service, which includes both mental healthcare and medical prescriptions. The initial evaluation fee is $199, and then you pay $125 for each meeting. Keep in mind online therapy is less suited for serious mental health issues, and Talkspace psychiatrists are also quite limited in what type of medications they can even offer you.
We strongly suggest at the very least first seeing someone in person and asking if online therapy can be the right approach to address your condition. The medication available through Talkspace include everything other than controlled substances.
This Talkspace review is not meant to persuade you to use the service, but rather objectively present all the information as we see it. Talkspace is one of the biggest online therapy companies in the world – and that comes with inherent pros and cons to it.
The work they are doing to legitimize online therapy and bring it into the mainstream is amazing, but you always have to remember you are dealing with a large business corporation here, and not just a small team of mental health team specialists. Even though we do feel like with Talkspace the client does always come first, they obviously care deeply about their bottom line and maximizing profits as well.
Talkspace appeals to a wider, more casual audience who isn’t necessarily as well informed about therapy as they should be. Most of them still manage to receive the help they deserve, and our own personal experience with the platform has been fantastic as well, but we do recognize a few pitfalls you will need to be aware of.
First of all, always use your nickname only and avoid giving out personal details in chat. That is the best and only way to protect your privacy. Secondly, please remember that the fact you choose to remain anonymous does not mean your therapist should enjoy the same privilege. Just as with live therapy – the first few meetings should be used by both sides to size each other up.
Talkspace are making great headway in their vetting process for specialists on the platform, but still, you should put some work into figuring out who is the person texting you – ask to see their credentials, a link to their Linkedin profile, the clinic where they practice privately, or a college where they teach in.
Overall, despite not being perfect, Talkspace is a great choice for those who need constant support, primarily by text messaging. The app and the methods they use have been proven to be very effective in helping users deal with mental health issues, particularly those related to anxiety and depression. We do recommend signing up with Talkspace and giving it a try, but encourage you to manage your expectations first, and understand that just like any form of therapy – you will need to put in serious work and effort to make it work.
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