Are you interested in trying telephone counseling therapy because you don't have time to drive to (or can't afford) in-office therapy appointments? Join the club. You're among the millions of adults in the United States who are having this very same issue. Here's why - approximately 43 million Americans suffer from mental health-related issues annually.
With this staggering amount of reported cases of mental illness and mental health-related issues - there are bound to be members of this group of Americans that will find it beneficial to explore non-traditional mental health options.
Non-traditional therapy options include using distance therapy services, like telephone counseling therapy, or by logging into subscription-based therapy sites for distance therapy online. These new options for getting distance therapy have opened up mental health advocates' opportunity to take advantage of rewarding phone counseling jobs.
In this article, we take a look at non-traditional therapy options that include telephone therapy and online therapy. We also delve deeper into free, reduced, and low-cost options for participating in therapy in other non-traditional settings. Let's start exploring these non-traditional distance therapy options with an introduction to telephone counseling services.
Close your eyes and picture going to therapy. What's the first thing that comes to mind? What you likely imagined is seeing yourself on the inside of a therapist's office (or waiting area) sitting nervously on the couch or in a comfy chair. This outdated form of therapy quickly loses its luster as non-conventional options for getting therapy are beginning to take hold.
Today's mental health clients can access licensed professional counselors and therapists in various ways, including by phone and online.
When mental health clients take part in phone counseling services, both the client and the therapist can dial into a telephone therapy platform and conduct phone counseling sessions. Another option is for the counselor or therapist to place a phone call to the other party and conduct therapy sessions as if they were a regular telephone call. Providing telephone therapy is likely one of the most rewarding telephone counseling jobs available today. The main difference between getting telephone counseling services vs. in-office therapy is the face-to-face engagement factor missing from telephone conversations.
Besides the face-to-face factor, free phone counseling and paid telephone therapy sessions are conducted much like an in-office therapy session as your therapist will talk to you about what brought you in for therapy and how you've been progressing and other therapeutic questions related to your treatment plan. Telephone counseling sessions last for varying durations; typical in-office therapy sessions are conducted by the hour.
If you're not sure how to get started with free phone counseling or telephone therapy services, there are free telephone counseling options that you can try that can help you become acclimated to the world of online therapy. Online mental health sites like 7 Cups of Tea offer free online counseling sessions with trained listeners as a measure of support for people seeking life advice and resources for mental health screenings.
Users can log in to 7 Cups anonymously any time of the day or night and discuss their concerns with a trained expert who can provide general advice and resources for professional online therapy options.
It's not recommended for anyone in crisis to use a free or online service unless it is one of the following free counseling options that follow. If you find yourself in crisis, contemplating suicide, national hotlines like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provide immediate support online 24 hours a day.
While this support is not intended to replace in-office or online therapy, people in crisis can access a trained listener that can provide immediate support in the form of a listening ear and local resources that let you know you're not as alone as you may have originally thought.
Another free option for speaking with expert professionals is the Domestic Violence Prevention Hotline - also known as "the hotline."The hotline staff trained experts to provide families who have been adversely affected by domestic violence with resources for shelter, counseling, and financial support. The hotline operates 24 hours a day to provide these critical resources for American families in crisis due to domestic violence-related concerns.
If there aren't any free options available in your area online, reduced-cost therapy options and support groups are another way to go. You may be surprised to learn that many therapists offer sliding-fee-scale therapy for patients below the federal poverty level or who have other limiting financial circumstances.
Besides individual therapists, mental health seekers can find reduced-cost therapy options and support groups at colleges, universities, and nationwide community groups like alcoholics anonymous, narcotics anonymous, and similar groups.
The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) operates an online database that provides mental health seekers in the United States with access to reduced-cost therapy options, support groups, and in some cases, more free therapy options. The database is updated regularly so that community participants can access the most updated information, resource, and referral available online and in their region.
Therapist matching services like mytherapist.com can provide you with a listing of qualified therapists in your area that; typically licensed and board-certified to provide therapy and related services in your state of residence. MyTherapist.com connects mental health clients with qualified therapists who provide online therapy starting at between $40.00 and $70.00 per week.
Considering that the national average for therapy in the United States starts at approximately $65.00 - $200.00 per hour, this reduced cost option for therapy is just what the doctor ordered for mental health clients who may not have been able to afford therapy otherwise.
Online therapy options provided by mytherapist.com are conducted in the same manner as in-office therapy sessions and phone sessions. Clients and therapists can connect via a variety of electronic means to participate in therapy. Options for getting therapy online are chat, video chat, SMS messaging, and phone therapy - as we previously discussed.
Support groups like alcoholics anonymous, al-anon, and similar groups can also provide information and referral for their members struggling with mental health, substance abuse, and alcohol abuse. If you've been unable to find a suitable option in your local area that you can afford, contact your local United Way Community Connections office by dialing 211 from your landline or cell phone.
Dialing 211 will immediately put you in contact with a support representative who can provide you with information and referrals for various common life issues. The 211 hotlines can help you find free or reduced-cost options for mental health care services, medical health care services, child and adult care services, housing and homelessness assistance, and more. The United Way Community Support line typically operates between 8 is-5 pm, Monday - Friday.
If you're still unable to find the help you need after exhausting all of these options and your issue of an emergency, please visit your nearest emergency room for support. Your local emergency room can provide you with access to mental health care and physical health care treatment and resources and referral for continuing care within the community once your ER visit is over.
Now that you know how telephone counseling therapy for paid and free sessions work, you can make an informed decision when choosing a phone therapist on other online therapy providers. Use therapist matching services like mytherapist.com to be connected with a network of thousands of licensed and board-certified therapists that treat a variety of chronic mental health conditions.
The most common reasons people reach out for mental health therapy by phone are assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for chronic mental health symptoms. Mental health issues related to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are chronic issues that may qualify for distance therapy services like telephone therapy or online therapy sessions.
In severe mental illness cases related to conditions like schizophrenia, major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BPD), distance therapy is likely not a viable option due to the severity of symptoms. These disorders often require intense monitoring and regulated medication management to mitigate the symptoms associated with these disorders. Mental health sufferers who have been diagnosed with severe mental illness don't qualify for treatment online and may even require intensive in-patient therapy.
Getting started with phone counseling therapy is as easy as finding a licensed provider to practice within your state of residence that accepts your payment form. Payment options for telephone counseling therapy start from free, low-cost, reduced, sliding-fee scale, insurance copays, and lastly, 100% out-of-pocket payments.
If you're ready to take the next step in improving your life and take advantage of getting affordable low-cost therapy, MyTherapist.com can get you connected with licensed therapists who are available to counsel you online 24 hours a day for between $40.00 - $70.00 per week. This amount pales compared to the national average cost of therapy, which is normally between $65.00 - $200.00 per session. Contact a licensed telephone counselor to change your life today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Telephone Counseling And Therapy
Is telephone counseling effective?
Yes. Research has proven cognitive behavioral therapy to be just as effective in telephone counseling as in-person therapy services are. The only difference noted in the over-the-phone form of counseling was that sessions tended to be shorter than the average in-person counseling service.
What is telephone therapy?
Telephone therapy is a type of counseling session done over the phone versus the traditional in-person counseling session. Telecommunications provide counseling services by a licensed therapist from a distance when in-person therapy isn’t an option due to time or travel constraints or for the client's preferred privacy. Online counseling is another very popular form of counseling service used. You can find a therapist who provides distance therapy on mytherapist.com.
Can you talk to a therapist over the phone?
Yes, you can talk to a therapist over the phone via telephone counseling or utilize online counseling. The need for counseling telephone jobs has seen a dramatic increase in recent years as the demand for over-the-phone therapy has skyrocketed. Counseling services conducted over secure video conferencing or even messaging are just as popular as telephone counseling, especially when a busy schedule makes in-person therapy difficult to schedule. To find a therapist who offers over-the-phone services, check with your insurance provider for in-network telehealth options or go to mytherapist.com.
Does insurance cover phone therapy?
Yes, in many cases, insurance covers phone therapy, but you’ll want to check with your insurance provider. Many insurance companies provide in-network telehealth solutions that include telephone counseling and online counseling services. Mytherapist.com is a great tool to find a licensed therapist that provides distance therapy through telephone counseling or online counseling. If you do not have insurance coverage for online counseling or telephone counseling, fear not! The cost of distance therapy tends to be more affordable than in-person therapy. Some counseling services also offer a sliding scale or complimentary services for those in financially challenging circumstances.
How does telephone counseling work?
Telephone counseling works by providing mental health clients distance therapy from their own home or office's privacy. Counseling sessions conducted via online counseling or telephone counseling work just as well as in-person counseling, providing the client with the same cognitive behavioral therapy used during in-person therapy.
How much does telephone counseling cost?
The cost of telephone counseling depends on your insurance coverage and the online therapist you choose. You can check your insurance provider’s in-network teletherapy options or find a therapist on mytherapist.com who provides counseling sessions via online counseling or telephone counseling. That said, counseling sessions conducted from a distance are usually more affordable than in-person counseling. Depending on the counseling service used and your financial situation, you may even be offered a more affordable rate.
Are telephone sessions considered telehealth?
Yes, telephone sessions are considered telehealth. Your insurance provider should have in-network telehealth options that include over-the-phone counseling session coverage and online counseling options, as well.
Are there interactional differences between telephone and face-to-face psychological therapy?
Research has shown that there are very few interactional differences between counseling telephone sessions and in-person therapy. The one noted difference was that the distance form of counseling often resulted in a shorter session.
Therapy Is Personal
Therapy is a personal experience, and not everyone will go into it seeking the same things. Keeping these things in mind can ensure that you will get the most out of online therapy, regardless of what your specific goals are. If you’re still wondering if therapy is right for you, and how much therapy costs, please contact us at contact@betterhelp.com. BetterHelp specializes in online therapy to help address all types of mental health concerns. If you’re interested in individual therapy, please reach out to contact@betterhelp.com. For more information about BetterHelp as a company, please find us on:
If you need a crisis hotline or want to learn more about therapy, please see below:
RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network) - 1-800-656-4673
NAMI Helpline (National Alliance on Mental Illness) - 1-800-950-6264
For more information on mental health, please see:
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) SAMHSA Facebook, SAMHSA Twitter, SAMHSA LinkedIn
Mental Health America, MHA Twitter, MHA Facebook, MHA Instagram, MHA Pinterest, MHA LinkedIn
WebMD, WebMD Facebook, WebMD Twitter, WebMD Pinterest, WebMD LinkedIn
NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health), NIMH Facebook, NIMH Twitter, NIMH YouTube, NIMH LinkedIn
APA (American Psychiatric Association), APA Twitter, APA Facebook, APA LinkedIn, APA Instagram
Get Help Now
Emergency: 911
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1- 800-799-7233
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
National Hopeline Network: 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)
Crisis Text Line: Text “DESERVE” TO 741-741
Lifeline Crisis Chat (Online live messaging): https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/
Self-Harm Hotline: 1-800-DONT CUT (366-8288)
Family Violence Helpline: 1-800-996-6228
Planned Parenthood Hotline: 1-800-230-PLAN (7526)
American Association of Poison Control Centers: 1-800-222-1222
National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependency Hope Line: 1-800-622-2255
National Crisis Line - Anorexia and Bulimia: 1-800-233-4357
LGBTQ+ Hotline: 1-888-843-4564
TREVOR Crisis Hotline: 1-866-488-7386
AIDS Crisis Line: 1-800-221-7044
Veterans Crisis Line: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net
TransLifeline: https://www.translifeline.org - 877-565-8860 APA Youtube
Suicide Prevention Wiki: http://suicideprevention.wikia.com
Further Reading
How To Know When You Or Your Family Need Counseling Services
Finding The Best Premarital Counseling 2020: What Is Premarital Counseling And Why You Should Do It?
What Are The Most Common And Effective Couple Counseling Techniques?
Techniques To Control Rages, Inspired By Common Anger Management Counseling
Marriage Counseling - How Will It Work For You And Your Relationship?
Anger Counseling: Finding The Root Of Anger And Addressing It
Online Counseling Service Studies: What Conditions Can Be Helped