Although the COVID-19 situation reports decreasing trends in the number of infections and fatalities, we all know that it has left devastating consequences that affect everyone even now. And they hugely impact people’s mental health. Particularly, the pandemic triggered a 25% rise in depression and anxiety prevalence.
Luckily, the Internet has become an important resource for people who are struggling with mental health problems. It helps them find the professional care they need on the online therapy platforms. These websites and apps provide a safe space for everyone to discuss mental health concerns, get help, and process their feelings without fear of being judged or disclosed.
There are a lot of options on the web now – each offering its own benefits and features to cover any needs. So we thought it would be helpful to review the best online therapy services and highlight their pros and cons to help you choose the one that fits you most.
Check them out below.
5 Best Online Therapy Platforms for Anxiety & Depression in 2022:
- Calmerry – Best online counseling and therapy platform overall
- BetterHelp – The platform with the most extensive pool of licensed mental health professionals
- Pride Counseling – The best online therapy site for the LGBTQ+ community
- Online-Therapy.com – The most complete online therapy toolbox
- ReGain – Best teletherapy site for relationships and couples counseling
The reviews of these platforms are diverse, but they all have one thing in common: quality mental health care for coping with depression and anxiety.
#1. Calmerry – Best online counseling and therapy platform overall
With a focus on Calmerry’s goal to provide a safe space that always has the client’s needs at heart, they have developed one of the most client-centered platforms. They provide an easy way to find an available therapist who meets your needs and preferences, no matter where you are or what device you use.
It’s accessible and flexible for everyone who needs quality care and wants to grow their mental health skills.
Pros
- Live video and unlimited text therapy
- HIPAA-compliant platform
- Professional team of licensed mental health experts
- Flexible scheduling and ease of use
- Friendly customer service available 24/7
- Multiple subscription plans
- Free self-care tools
- Add as many video sessions as you need
- Covers numerous areas of mental health concerns
Cons
- No group therapy option
- You can’t choose your therapist
- No medication management services
Communication methods
Imagine being able to get online counseling for LGBTQ+ or therapy for depression from the comfort of your own home. It’s possible on Calmerry.
You can schedule live video sessions when it’s convenient for you and your therapist and message them anytime. Messaging includes text, audio, and file exchanging options. Usually, a provider replies a couple of days within their working hours.
There’s also a free mental health digital toolbox with mood tracking and journaling features for everyone. You can share your inputs with your therapist.
The web version has a user-friendly interface. But free Android & iOS apps are also available if you want to get access on your phone.
Calmerry’s fields of expertise
With a team of hundreds of licensed and carefully vetted mental health professionals on board, Calmerry offers help with these problems on the list:
- Stress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Low self-esteem
- Eating disorders
- Childhood abuse
- Trauma
- Emotional abuse
- LGBTQIA+ issues
- Anger management
- Family and marriage conflict
- Personality disorders
- Relationships issues
The list doesn’t end here because their mental health professionals are trained in modern therapeutic approaches to treat a wide range of problems. Their professionals are mostly clinical social workers (LCSW/LMSW), clinical psychologists, marriage and family therapists (LMFT), and licensed professional counselors (LPC).
Calmerry will ask you several questions in the initial survey to determine the best therapist who can help with your situation and cover your needs and preferences.
Calmerry Prices
Calmerry is the most cost-effective online therapy platform you can find on today’s market.
The company works as a subscription service, with monthly text & audio messaging starting from only $42 per week with a discount for the first month.
Monthly subscriptions with live sessions are offered at different rates depending on your needs: Messaging + 1 live video for $207.96 and Messaging + 4 live videos for $269.96 (with a 30% off the first month).
You can also add as many videos as you need for extra pay.
The company automatically will charge you each month. But unlike many other platforms, this one has an easy cancellation policy.
#2. BetterHelp – The platform with the most extensive pool of licensed mental health professionals
BetterHelp is an online counseling service that provides affordable therapy to people in the US and beyond. The company has an impressive number of clients, therapists, sessions conducted, and app downloads! It has been operating for more than 9 years now, according to drmental.org.
BetterHelp offers a variety of counseling services, including individual, couples, and teen therapy, as well as group counseling in the format of groupinars.
Pros
- A reputable platform who already helped thousands of clients
- Various communication options
- Offers therapy for numerous issues
- Financial aid if needed
- High-quality security system and encryption
- More than 20 thousand licensed and skilled therapists
- Groupinars available
Cons
- No phone number for contact with customer service
- Only one subscription plan
- Prices can vary depending on your location and your therapist
Communication methods
BetterHelp offers a variety of ways to communicate with your therapist. You can have sessions through text messages, live chats, phone calls, and videos – in whatever format works best for you.
BetterHelp’s fields of expertise
BetterHelp is one of the most comprehensive platforms for mental health treatment. The company has more than 20 thousand therapists on its network, which means that they can help you with almost any mental health issue, besides anxiety and depression:
- Grief
- Eating disorders
- Anger management
- Addiction
- Family and marriage issues
- Sleep issues
- Emotional abuse
- Trauma
- LGBTQ+ related issues, etc.
You’ll have to answer some questions about your feelings and mental health state when signing up for Betterhelp, and they’ll find suitable therapists based on your data.
BetterHelp Prices
BetterHelp offers a range of therapy services costing from $60 to 90 per week. The price depends on the therapist you’re matched with and your location.
Many clients report having positive experiences and mention it as being slightly more expensive than other companies in its industry.
#3. Pride Counseling – The best online therapy site for the LGBTQ+ community
In recent years, there has been a growing demand for online therapy services that are tailored to the needs of LGBTQ+ individuals. While some traditional therapy platforms have begun to offer LGBTQ+-inclusive content, there is still a need for specialized services that understand the unique challenges faced by this community.
Pride Counseling provides a safe and welcoming space for people of the LGBTQ community to explore their identity, discover new coping mechanisms for depression and anxiety, accept who they are, and build stronger relationships.
Pros
- Licensed counselors with expertise in LGBTQ-related problems
- Secure and protected platform
- Multiple communication methods are available
- Financial aid is available if you qualify
- Clients can cancel subscriptions at any time
Cons
- A computer does the matching process
- Only one subscription plan
- Prices may change
- There are no therapist bios on the website
Communication methods
Pride Counseling offers four types of communication options to suit your needs. You can have video and phone sessions, offline messaging through their website or app for iOS devices (and Android), as well as live chat.
Pride Counseling’s fields of expertise
LGBTQ+ people face usual difficulties in everyday life such as jobs, families, and relationship issues, and they also struggle with serious mental health problems like depression or anxiety. But they also face specific challenges.
Pride Counseling has a team of experienced counselors who can help you work through the struggles in your life. Whether you are dealing with gender identity, coming out, parenting issues, or homophobia, the platform can provide you with the help you need.
With the help of a trained counselor, you can explore your feelings, work through your challenges, and build a stronger sense of self-acceptance.
Pride Counseling Prices
Pride Counseling is a relatively affordable counseling service out there with a simple billing method. You can cancel anytime you want.
The cost varies from $60 to $90 per week, based on factors such as your location, income, the available therapists in your area, and your therapy preferences.
#4 OnlineTherapy.com – The most complete online therapy toolbox
Online-Therapy is a full-service therapy platform that provides therapy services and mental health toolbox for helping people overcome their emotional difficulties.
Their 8-section program, yoga and meditation videos, self-assessment tools, worksheets, journaling, and CBT activities can all serve as a resource for clients to improve their mental well-being and cope with depression and anxiety.
Pros
- Available access to a personal dashboard with numerous helpful tools
- Provides CBT therapy from licensed professionals
- Multiple session methods
- Therapist-led and independent client work
Cons
- Sessions only are available for adults
- With a Basic plan, you cannot write to your therapist anytime
- Currently, there is no mobile app available
- Therapists are available only on Mon-Fri
Communication methods
Online-Therapy.com offers many session methods to choose from. Depending on your preferences, you can chat with the therapist via text or voice chats and video calls as a feature of the advanced plans, too.
Online-Therapy’s fields of expertise
Whether you’re struggling with a specific issue or just looking for someone to talk to, Online-Therapy can help you find the support you need.
All of the platform’s therapists are CBT-licensed, have a minimum of 3 years of experience, and specialize in treating a wide range of issues:
- Trauma
- Low sex drive
- Grief
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Addiction
- Adoption
- Sleeping disorders
- Relationship issues
- Procrastination
- Weight management issues
- Infidelity
- OCD
Online-Therapy Prices
The website offers subscription services that give users access to not only their own dashboard with videos for meditation or yoga exercises but also daily worksheet replies from therapists.
Online-Therapy offers 3 subscription plans with 20% off the first month:
- Basic – $160 per month
- Standard – $240 per month
- Premium – $320 per month
Standard and Premium plans include live sessions, and the latter also offers instant replies from a provider.
#5 ReGain – Best teletherapy site for relationships and couples counseling
The next platform we want to discuss is ReGain. This company offers relationship therapy and couple counseling that makes it stand out from other online platforms available today.
ReGain is a platform that helps individuals and couples with relationship issues of all kinds. Whether you’re single or in a relationship, this platform can provide access to professional therapists who can help solve issues related to love, relationships, anxiety, depression, trauma, and other mental health issues.
Pros
- Affordable prices
- Both partners can participate in the sessions, or you can start individually
- You can invite your partner to join therapy at no cost
- All counselors are professional and experienced
- Relationship-focused therapy help
Cons
- It may take several days to be matched with a therapist
- An algorithm matches clients with therapists
- No mobile app
- No live tech support
Communication methods
ReGain offers three types of communication methods. You can communicate with your therapist through messages, phone calls, or video sessions. The interesting thing about this service is that you’ll get an individual private room upon signing in.
The virtual room is your own personal space where you can write anything that’s on your mind and share it with a therapist. You will be able to speak face-to-face as well.
You can invite your partner and start communicating with both parties involved.
The website is easily navigable and can be used from any device that has internet access. Unfortunately, they don’t yet have a mobile app.
ReGain’s fields of expertise
At ReGain, there are more than 8,000 licensed and experienced mental health professionals who are LMFTs, LCSW/LMSWs, and LPCCs.
You can connect with professionals who will help you address your individual or couples issues, such as:
- Marriage issues
- Regaining trust, love, and compassion
- Communication issues
- Interpersonal issues that affect the relationship
- Anxiety
- Infidelity
- Depression
- Healing from a breakup or divorce
- Sexual and intimacy issues
ReGain Prices
You won’t have to worry about multiple packages or monthly rates at ReGain. The company offers one option that costs from $60-$90 per week, depending on your location and the therapist’s availability.
This price works both ways – for individual therapy and couples counseling without extra payments.
How Did We Make the List of the Best Online Therapy Platforms for Anxiety and Depression?
We wanted to provide you with information about platforms that can actually help you. We reviewed each platform ourselves, taking into account features like pricing, areas of expertise, therapist availability, and confidentiality.
We hope it’ll be a helpful resource for anyone seeking help with anxiety or depression.
Security
When it comes to choosing an online therapy platform, security is always a top concern. After all, you’ll be sharing sensitive personal information with your therapist, and you want to be sure that it will be kept safe and confidential.
That’s why we took care to only include platforms that use the highest level of security, including SSL encryption and HIPAA compliance.
With our list of the best online therapy platforms for anxiety and depression, you can be sure that your information will be safe and secure.
Communication methods
We wanted to find a platform where you could communicate with your counselor in multiple ways.
Customer experience
Mental health is an issue that many people are unwilling or too uncomfortable with talking about, but when they do it’s refreshing. Reviews from those who were brave enough for public expression show how great these platforms actually work!
These companies are the best, concluding from what people say.
FAQs About Teletherapy and Best Online Counseling Platforms:
Q1. Will telehealth help me with anxiety?
No one should say that it will definitely cure your anxiety. But according to many studies, e-therapy has helped millions of people reduce and even eliminate anxiety symptoms.
Online therapy is not a substitute for in-person visits. But data shows that many people experienced positive results when using teletherapy services.
Q2. Which mental health problems can be solved using online therapy?
There are numerous mental health problems that can be effectively treated using online therapy. One of the most common is depression, which affects millions of people around the world. Online therapy can provide clients with the support and guidance they need to overcome their condition.
So, online counseling and therapy can help overcome a number of mental health concerns, except severe illnesses.
If you or someone you know in your community is in crisis, call 911 or use emergency resources.
Q3. Can e-therapy substitute traditional therapy?
No, it can’t. Teletherapy therapists cannot prescribe medication. This means that teletherapy is not an option for patients who require medication to treat their condition.
Additionally, teletherapy is not recommended for patients with severe mental illnesses and suicidal ideations. These patients require more intensive treatment than can be provided through distance therapy.
Conclusion: Best Online Therapy Apps and Websites to Treat Anxiety & Depression
There are a number of different virtual therapy apps and websites that can be effective in treating anxiety and depression. While each one offers different features and techniques, some of them – Calmerry, Online-Therapy, BetterHelp, ReGain, and Pride Counseling – can provide a better experience and quality mental health care.
While all five of these options can be helpful in treating anxiety and depression, it’s important to find the one that best meets your needs. If you’re not sure where to start, make your investigation.
In any case – don’t delay your better mental health!
Source:
