If you’ve spent any amount of time on social media for any topic related to mental health, you’ve probably seen an ad for subscription-based therapy services like BetterHelp or Talkspace. Maybe the ad even featured a celebrity or prominent online figure. The popularity of these services have exploded over the years, with BetterHelp signing up a total of over 2 million subscribers over the years and Talkspace with its own 1.5 million.
Pros
Many people understandably choose to use these services because, especially for those without reliable health insurance, it can be more affordable and is accessible to clients across all 50 states. That, along with the significant growth in telehealth care since the COVID-19 pandemic, means that it is often a natural choice for many Americans to pursue.
But are these subscription-based services actually worth it, and how does it compare to services from a more generalized outpatient mental health clinic?
Cons
BetterHelp has come under fire for sharing sensitive user health information with third-party advertisers such as Facebook and Snapchat, resulting in the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) assigning a $7.8 million fine. Data shared included not only direct answers to health questionnaires, but also email and IP addresses.
BetterHelp infamously pays their therapists much lower than the market rate and increases their hourly pay based on the number of clients they have, leading one to wonder whether they are encouraging therapists to take on more than the number of clients they can adequately support.
Our Services
Compassionate Healing is thankful that we are able to accept seven different types of insurances and offer out-of-network insurance support to clients who do not have insurance we accept. We are eager to assist you and are proud to offer therapeutic services that will maintain your privacy while also providing comprehensive care from clinicians with a broad range of experiences.
If we can be of assistance to you, please feel free to contact us at any time.
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