What Is MyTherapist? Answers To Your Therapy Questions

Are you considering taking the leap and trying therapy? Doing so takes strength and self-awareness, so you should feel good about even coming this far! It can be challenging to recognize that you're struggling with your mental health and that you need help or want extra support to improve your well-being. That is one of the goals of health psychology. Health psychology is a field of psychology that focuses on all the factors influencing one's health.

Whatever made you decide to seek therapy, you probably have many questions and concerns about the process. It can be overwhelming trying to figure out where to even begin. Do you try online therapy or in-person therapy? How much does a therapist cost on average? What type of specialty should your therapist work in? Where should I go to seek out a therapist?

We want to answer your big questions about MyTherapist online therapy, along with all your other therapy-related questions. It's no small task to figure out the puzzle of finding a therapist. But we strive to make it as straightforward as possible, and the more you know, the better equipped you will be to make decisions that can transform your mental health!

Defining therapy

Let's start with the most basic question: What is therapy exactly? Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is a treatment in which trained and licensed mental health professionals work with someone in a technique-based, strategic way to help improve their happiness, health, and productivity. But what does a psychologist do? Psychologists offer a non-judgmental, empathetic, and objective environment for individuals to talk openly in therapy. Counselors work in much the same way.

Therapy can be provided using several different approaches and from several types of licensed providers. Not all kinds of therapy are the same, and each practitioner is different. Every individual requires a type of therapy based on their mental health needs, so what works for one might not work for another.

Think about what kinds of obstacles you face. Do you feel depressed often? Or anxious? Is it hard to focus on work? Find a counselor who has some knowledge and experience in those areas. If you know you deal with social anxiety, maybe online therapy is better than in-person therapy. These are just some of the considerations to keep in mind as you consider therapy.

Does insurance cover therapy?

Many health insurance companies recognize traditional, in-person therapy as falling under their mental health coverage umbrella.

If your therapist is "in-network" with your health insurer, the insurer may cover the partial or even full amount of your sessions. Insurance companies with good mental health benefits include:

• United Healthcare
• Cigna
• Aetna
• Kaiser
• Blue Cross Blue Shield

Although online counseling platforms often offer more affordable services, many still wonder if insurance companies can cover them. Unfortunately, it's less common for health insurers to cover online therapy, fully or partially. Part of this has to do with the inability of many online therapy platforms to diagnose mental health disorders or prescribe medication. It also has to do with online therapy being a relatively new option for therapy services. Neither BetterHelp nor MyTherapist takes insurance. However, if you contact your insurance provider directly, you can ask if they can reimburse you directly for the full or partial cost of online therapy. This depends entirely on the insurance company and isn't incredibly common, but it can happen.

Types of therapy

There are many different approaches to psychotherapy. The framework is up to the psychologist, their training, and the needs of their patients. Here are the major types of psychotherapy:

• Psychoanalysis/Psychodynamic Therapies. These therapies focus on discovering the unconscious motivations that drive our behaviors, fleshing them out in therapy, and using this knowledge to change problematic feelings, thoughts, and habits. Think Freud!
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This therapy focuses on transforming dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors into healthy and functional thoughts and behaviors.
• Humanistic Therapy. This therapy focuses on each person's free will and agency in discovering their fullest potential. Its operating belief is that therapists are not the "authorities" over their clients but, rather. the facilitators of self-discovery.
• Integrative Therapy. This therapy focuses on a holistic approach, as therapists utilize elements from various therapies to offer a tailored treatment plan for their clients.

Cost of therapy

So how much does therapy cost on average? The price of therapy varies widely from provider to provider. So many factors play into the exact cost you will pay for therapy sessions. Here are a few you should consider when seeking out therapy:

• Where you live
• The specialty and experience of the therapist
• Your health insurance
• The type of therapy
• Whether it's online or in-person therapy
• Financial aid or sliding scale therapy rates

On average, in-person psychotherapy sessions not covered by insurance will cost anywhere from $100 to $200 a session. The final cost depends on your therapist, health insurance, and location.

If you live in Seattle or New York, the rate of therapists in your area will likely be higher than the rates of therapists in the Midwest. Also, if your health insurance has good mental health benefits, you can likely find low-cost in-network therapists.

While many online therapy services do not accept insurance, average costs per session are lower than traditional therapy. BetterHelp, for example, costs an average of $65 to $90 per session and offers the option of financial aid for certain qualified individuals.

What is MyTherapist?

Now that you know more about therapy in general, maybe you're leaning towards online therapy as the best option. If you want to know if you can receive counseling online, the answer is yes! All you need is an electronic device and an internet connection.

In the past few years, the rise of online therapy has brought with it a handful of impressive and easy-to-use online therapy platforms. We've worked hard to help ensure that MyTherapist is one of them.

By signing up with MyTherapist, you will be matched with a certified mental health provider who fits your preferences and needs.

Subscription to MyTherapist

The first thing you will do when signing up for MyTherapist is fill out an initial questionnaire. This questionnaire indicates your general information, mental health needs, and therapist preferences. After submitting, you will get matched with one of our licensed therapists with whom you can schedule your online therapy sessions.

So how much does a MyTherapist subscription cost, and what does it include?

MyTherapist costs range from $65 to $90 a week, billed to your credit card or PayPal account every four weeks. This weekly therapy cost includes two major benefits:

• Live therapy sessions. The standard weekly virtual therapy session is 30 minutes long, but some therapists are available for 45-minute sessions.
• Messaging with your therapist. Message them between sessions when you have questions, need feedback, or struggle with a situation.

Live sessions can take place in the virtual communication format of your choice:

• Chat live with your therapist.
• Speak over the phone with your therapist.
• Speak over a live video call with your therapist.

Each week you can request the method of your choice with your therapist based on how you feel and what you need at the time.

Mental health issues we treat

If you're looking to improve your quality of life, overall well-being, or struggle with a mental health condition, MyTherapist therapists are here to help.

While we are not the right service in times of crisis, if you are a minor, or if you need medication, we can assist with a wide range of mental health issues:

• Stress and stress management
• Anxiety disorders
• Relationships (marriage, couples counseling)
• Family dynamics
• Depression
• Addictions, substance use
• Eating
• Sleep issues
• Trauma
• Anger
• LGBTQ+ matters
• Grief
• Self-esteem, personal growth

The therapists at MyTherapist

Let's talk about who our therapists are, what qualifications they possess, and the quality of therapists we host on the MyTherapist therapy platform.

Our roster of over 8,000 mental health providers comes with various backgrounds and titles to serve many kinds of mental health needs. These include:

• Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW)
• Accredited Psychologists (Ph.D. oPh.D.syD)
• Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC)
• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT)

Now let's break down the differences between therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists.

Is a therapist a doctor?

Therapists are not medical doctors and cannot prescribe medication the way doctors or psychiatrists can. Therapists require at least a master's degree and licensing by their state board to practice in the mental health arena. They are qualified to create treatment plans for their clients, and many of them are also qualified to diagnose mental disorders.

Unlike therapists, psychiatrists are medical doctors with a degree in medicine. They are required to have an undergraduate degree, a medical degree, and a four-year psychiatry residency. They can provide mental health counseling, diagnoses, and prescribe medication.

Therapists vs. psychologists

What, exactly, is the difference between a therapist and a psychologist? While therapists and psychologists can do similar things, like offer counseling and diagnose mental disorders, psychologists tend to be more focused on the scientific processes of the mind. They require doctorate degrees and are often more research oriented.

BetterHelp vs. MyTherapist: What's the difference?

Many people wonder what the difference is between Better Help and MyTherapist. Great question! The MyTherapist platform is owned and operated by BetterHelp, and offers very similar virtual therapy services via live chat, live phone, and live video.

Both BetterHelp and MyTherapist providers are qualified, licensed, accredited mental health professionals with at least three years of experience. In addition, they offer counseling for a wide range of mental health issues. Neither service accepts insurance, but both come at roughly the same price and offer the ability to change therapists at any time. Both offer all the benefits of online therapy, including convenience and comfort—the ability to have therapy whenever and wherever you have an internet connection.

BetterHelp has a much larger user base and a more extensive roster of mental health providers in terms of scale. But if you want a more intimate, smaller-scale online therapy platform with a simple interface while maintaining all the benefits BetterHelp can offer, MyTherapist is a great option.

Takeaway

Psychotherapy is a broad form of medical treatment with many subtypes, services, and mental health providers. It can be complicated to learn enough about the offerings to make an informed decision that's right for your needs and budget. But if you've decided to seek out therapy or professional support, you've already taken the first and biggest step!

If you decide online therapy is the best option for you, MyTherapist is a convenient, affordable, and discreet option. Our online therapy platform hosts a variety of licensed mental health professionals who can provide virtual counseling to you anytime, anywhere, via your phone, tablet, or computer.

For affordable prices, you can enjoy live chat, phone calls, video sessions, and messaging with your therapist when you need some extra guidance. Start by signing up for MyTherapist, and get matched with a licensed therapist who can offer you the support you need..