How Much Does BetterHelp Pay Counselors?

By: Marie Miguel

Updated May 20, 2021

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Online counseling is one remarkable development in mental health care that has come out of the online technology boom of recent years. While online platforms have not always been the optimal solutions in other service areas, the counseling community has found it a welcome means to reach more clients in need of services but otherwise unable or unwilling to receive services via traditional means. Two such platforms, BetterHelp and Talkspace, have become two of the most popular platforms used by individuals seeking support. 

We know these platforms have had a significant and positive impact on clients, but what about mental health professionals? Counselors benefit from as much flexibility and convenience as clients do with online counseling, but what about pay? Looking at BetterHelp vs Talkspace, what does payment entail? This article will take a keener look at Better Help’s pay structure for counselors. 

How Much Pay Can BetterHelp Counselors Expect? 

BetterHelp does not provide the payment amount details to any counselors considering joining their team until initiating the onboarding process. But we can talk about the pay structure. Unlike other platforms that pay their counselors hourly, BetterHelp uses an engagement-based model. Engagement-based models of compensation distribute pay based on each time counselors participate in meaningful interactions with their clients. No fees find their way to the counselors for their services via the platform. 

Engagements via the BetterHelp platform can take several forms between counselor and client. Interactions such as direct chats, asynchronous chats, live video sessions, journaling, live phone sessions, worksheet assignments, and more qualify as engagements. 

The Engagement Based Model and Counselor Success

Once they sign up for BetterHelp and have onboarded, the counselor’s role in the engagement-based model payment process is pretty straightforward. Since they receive payment for every client engagement, the more consistent they are with checking in with their clients and scheduling sessions, the more they will receive compensation. The counselors who are more forward-leaning in their clients’ care are typically more successful on the platform than other counselors. 

With the engagement-based pay model, counselors dictate the depth of their pay based on the quality and quantity of meaningful engagements with new and existing clients. Counselors who are proactive about connecting with and consistently communicating with clients are highly successful in BetterHelp’s engagement-based model. 

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BetterHelp Review and Payment Process

While they do not publish exact compensation amounts, BetterHelp offers information to potential counselors of the exact pay shortly into the onboarding process, just after the clinical study assignment phase. Doing this early gives potential counselors sufficient time to determine whether they’d like to move forward with the onboarding process. Most counselors find that BetterHelp’s pay structure is beneficial and continues with onboarding, moving through the video interview, credentialing process, and final interview. 

Once the counselor has completed the onboarding process, they will find access to the platform. They can use their counselor dashboard to track incoming payments based on the engagement-based model of pay. 

How Much do Counselors Work on BetterHelp?

How much counselors work on BetterHelp is entirely up to them. BetterHelp may have a recommended minimum amount of engagement with clients, but there is no enforced lower or upper limit to their engagements. Counselors are empowered to set their schedules based on their needs and availability. 

Online platforms like BetterHelp and Talkspace give counselors the ability to provide counseling online to supplement their in-person practice or use it for 100% of their workload. Counselors can use the platform to custom-tailor their approach to their specific needs and availability. They can begin with a small workload, working slowly to build up a client base. Or they can dive in and robustly interact with the platform immediately.