Where To Find the Best Free Online Therapy And Why It Matters

Updated May 9, 2023by MyTherapist Editorial Team

Online Therapy For Mental Health

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Are you struggling with chronic mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trying to find relief? If you’re experiencing chronic mental health issues like the ones listed above, you may find yourself searching for the "best therapist for me". You may be surprised to find that you’re not alone in your search about free online therapy or online therapy chat to find relief. Over 43 million Americans in the United States experience symptoms of mental illness annually, it could easily have been decreased if only everyone has the means to child and adolescent psychiatry because in most cases that's where it starts.

As the stigma surrounding mental health begins to change, many people are waking up to the importance of taking good care of their mental health to have a healthy and productive life. In this article, we discuss options for finding the best online therapy, provide resources on where you can get free online therapy for depression, and give you the scoop on one of the best online therapy apps that can introduce you to the concept of online therapy.

What Is Online Therapy And Does It Really Work?

Patients who struggle with depression, anxiety, addictions, and relationship conflicts can easily contact licensed therapists from anywhere in the world. You can enjoy the best mental health services from the comfort of your home. If you have been searching for "family counseling near me" and you have no luck in finding the right one for you, trying online therapy platform can be a good choice. Online counseling platforms like BetterHelp, Talkspace, Pride Counseling, and many more offer impressive and affordable online counseling services to their clients. An anxiety or depression therapist can hold a face-to-face conversation with the client through the internet.

How to find a psychologist or mental health professional easily? There are many types of therapy out there such as electric shock therapy, psychodynamic therapy, reality therapy, humanistic therapy, and online therapy. Through the internet, patients can easily locate a licensed mental health counselor professional. They are saved the discomfort of long trips to the therapists' office and can easily contact their therapists on their mobile phones during life-threatening situations. Simply searching for "mental health therapist near me" can get you on the right track and meet your needs.

People can easily find a licensed therapist that is peculiar to their needs in saved time. They are provided with the best family therapists across the world and can easily set up a couple’s therapy. Even though they may not be in the same location, the couple can easily have a live video session with their licensed guidance counselor or therapist.

Let’s get started with what you get when you search for the best free online counseling.

Free Online Therapy Sites

It’s important to note the distinction between licensed and board-certified therapists who provide therapeutic care – and experts who have been trained in the art of providing general advice. 

This is especially true in the case of chronic mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Over 40 million people in the United States are living with mental health symptoms annually, with anxiety and depression listed as the top two mental illnesses. When it comes to the number of cases reported annually – depression and anxiety are followed closely by eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Chronic mental health disorders like these require trauma-informed care with licensed and trained professionals who can recognize the appropriate treatments, medications, and resources to provide based on their client’s condition. The following are leading mental health sites that you’re likely to come across when you do a Google search for the “best free online therapy sites.” You will be able to find a licensed and certified online psychiatrist, psychologist, and therapist to help you with your needs.

BetterHelp

If you're asking yourself, "Is there affordable counseling near me?", this is the answer. The therapists at BetterHelp are psychologists, licensed professional counselors, dating coach, marriage and family therapists, and licensed clinical social workers. This platform’s therapists can provide a wide variety of counseling services including services for individuals, couples, and families. With a wide range of professional counselors, licensed clinical social workers, family therapists clients available at their disposal, clients can easily select licensed therapists that would suit their mental health needs, such as the anxiety therapist. If surviving after addiction is a concern, the BetterHelp platform can also help. So, if you’re a patient who has just recovered from addiction through the help of an addiction psychiatrist, staying clean and coping with life is achievable through proper counseling.

BetterHelp is known as one of the leading therapy platforms due to its’ ease of use, affordability, and live video chat features. Betterhelp pricing ranges from $60 to $90 per week (billed every 4 weeks) for unlimited messaging sessions with a therapist that is available to answer questions daily, seven days a week. This includes one weekly live session with your therapist.

ReGain

ReGain.us is another one of the leading therapy platforms that have been voted the best platform for couples. ReGain specializes in providing couples and relationship therapy for married and dating couples. Couples who use ReGain counseling report high levels of success in the improvement of their relationships after applying the strategies and techniques learned in therapy. Couples therapy is an effective way to build emotional connection and intimacy between couples, and Regain offers a unique platform to make this a reality.

The costs for ReGain couples therapy are comparable to the starting costs of BetterHelp.com and range between $60.00 – $90.00 per week. 

TalkSpace

TalkSpace is another popular therapy provider that has become well-known for its popular celebrity spokesperson Micheal Phelps. TalkSpace has a staff of about 3000 therapists who provide online counseling services for individuals, couples, and families.

To get started with TalkSpace services online, the cost starts at $65.00 – $99.00 per week. Many people like the TalkSpace platform, but it’s not necessarily the best option available online for the price.

7 Cups Of Tea - Any Free Online Therapy Options?

7 Cups is a free peer-to-peer counseling platform that provides free online therapy sessions for people who need someone to talk to. The creators of 7 Cups of Tea understand that everyone may not be able to afford traditional therapy. 

7 Cups even has a separate support section that specializes in providing support for teens via age-appropriate teen listeners that have been trained to provide general advice. Suppose you need to go beyond the free options offered on the 7 Cups platform. 

However, it’s important to note that if you need free emotional support, 7 Cups of Tea can connect you with trained, caring listeners for free. These listeners are generally not licensed therapists, so when it comes to treating mental illnesses like depression or anxiety, online therapy platforms may be a better option.

The Average Costs Of Therapy With A Therapist Or Psychologist

Now that you have some insight into today’s leading free and paid therapy providers, let’s dive further into the average therapy cost. The following is a brief overview of what today’s therapy clients can expect to pay for therapy – depending on their chosen method and location.

In-Office Therapy Costs

The national average for getting in-office therapy in the United States ranges between $65.00 an hour and can go up to as much as $200.00 an hour to start. Sessions with in-office therapists are often scheduled by preference, provider health care referral, or other means. Cash-pay clients can expect to pay the full costs of in-office visits and can also expect to incur additional costs for gasoline, auto maintenance, and other fees that apply when they make the drive into the office for therapy. Health insurance benefits can cover the costs for behavioral health care (in some cases) under the Mental Health Parity Act of 2008.

Online Therapy Costs

Are you curious if “how much does therapy cost online?” The costs of online therapy such as online behavioral therapy are drastically lower than in-office therapy in the US. Online therapy costs range as low as a few dollars to an average of about $100.00 per week. Online therapy costs range as low as a few dollars to an average of about $100.00 per week. Remember that the $100.00 end of the online therapy spectrum is more likely the exception – than the rule. The costs for seeing a therapist online include many benefits that visiting an in-office therapist can’t provide. People who go to therapy online save less on gas as they no longer have to attend therapy sessions in person – or have reduced the number of therapy sessions they need to attend in the office. 

Free Counseling Options

While there are free options available for therapy, they require a little more legwork to find than the options that we discussed above. Free options for therapy can normally be found with a quick Google search that is likely to yield offline results located in or near your neighborhood. Free options for getting therapy locally include your local Department of Public Health, Department of Family and Children’s Services, and sliding-fee or reduced fee options that you can find locally. Limited free options for therapy are available online by using peer-to-peer counseling services like 7 Cups of Tea online.

Benefits Of Online Therapy

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People who get therapy online are finding out that the benefits are endless. As we begin to learn more about the importance of maintaining good mental health, we’re learning that the consequences of “not” taking care of our mental health can be detrimental. Hence, the vitality of mental health counseling.

Recently, we’ve learned that mental health is just as important as physical health. Without a combination of a harmonious mind and body, we may be limiting the amount of joy and happiness that we can experience in our lives. There are counselors and therapists in existence for a reason. Getting anxiety therapy or depression counseling and learning how to pick yourself up after getting knocked down to develop mental toughness and resilience – is one of the best gifts that we can ever give ourselves.

Conclusion: Free Online Therapy Options & Information

In this article, we’ve talked about the best free online therapy sites, the average costs of therapy, and the benefits of getting online therapy. Now that you have more information on how therapy works, how much it costs, and how vital therapy can be for maintaining good mental health – what will your next steps be? Do you believe knowing the advantages of online therapy vs traditional therapy can aid in your decision-making?

If you’re ready to get started with maintaining better mental health with a licensed therapy professional, contact a therapy support specialist at BetterHelp.com to get started today!

Free crisis hotline or want to learn more about free online therapy, please see below:

For more free information on mental health:

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  • 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/
  • 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

Therapy Is Personal - Free Online Therapy Can Be An Option

Therapy is a personal experience; 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:

In case you want to know how to become a counselor at BetterHelp, make sure to visit their website as well.

Further Reading About Online Therapy

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