How to Find an Online Therapist

What Is Online Therapy?

Online therapy is like traditional therapy, but sessions take place via phone, tablet, or computer instead of the therapist’s office. It’s becoming increasingly common, with many therapists now offering it and insurance companies expanding coverage.

Online therapy can happen through secure video calls, phone sessions (ideal for slower internet or camera-shy clients), or even live chat and messaging on platforms like BetterHelp or Talkspace.

Why Choose Online Therapy?

Online therapy offers flexibility, comfort, and expanded access, making it a great option for many people. While some may prefer in-person sessions for personal or clinical reasons, understanding the benefits of online therapy can help you decide what’s right for you.

Online therapy provides several key advantages:

• Comfort & Convenience: Attend sessions from home or any private space, which can reduce anxiety and make it easier to open up.
•  Improved Access: Those with mobility issues, health concerns, or limited transportation can connect with licensed therapists without needing to travel.
•  Broader Therapist Options: Online platforms make it easier to find a therapist who fits your specific needs, including specialties that may not be available locally.
•  Consistency: Online sessions help support regular attendance and long-term progress, especially for people with busy schedules or frequent travel.

Steps to Find the Right Online Therapist

Because each therapist has a slightly different style and approach, it is important to find someone who is right for you. For example, a cognitive behavioral therapy session will go very differently than a session with a therapist who uses hypnotherapy or art therapy. Some therapists also have specialties, so it is also important to find out what concerns they treat before making an appointment.

While experience and approach matter, it’s more important to find a therapist you like, trust, and feel comfortable with. In fact, research shows that people who have strong relationships with their therapists are the most likely to benefit from therapy.¹ Choosing a therapist that makes you feel heard, understood, and accepted will make it easier for you to open up and get the most out of your sessions.

Here are some key steps to simplify the process:

1. Identify Your Needs

There are many factors to consider when choosing a therapist, and some may be more important to you than others. For example, you might need a therapist with a particular specialty or who can provide couples counseling. Depending on your circumstances, you may need a therapist who can meet in the evening or who will accept a reduced fee.

You want to ensure that your specific mental health concerns can be well-treated with online therapy. Issues like mild depression and anxiety will be great options for online therapy, while severe cases of eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or substance use disorders may be more challenging to treat remotely.

2. Research Reputable Platforms

It’s important to choose reputable online therapy platforms that ensure providers are qualified and licensed. Reputable platforms offer accessible and affordable ways to work with licensed therapists.

Online therapy can be done through video, phone, or messaging, so think about which option is best for you and verify the online platform you’re interested in offers those options.

Online therapy platforms may cater to specific needs or provide unique advantages:

• BetterHelp: Offers access to over 30,000 licensed therapists, increasing the chances of finding someone who feels like a good fit. The BetterHelp platform includes the option to message your therapist between sessions.
• Open Path: A budget-friendly option for those without insurance, Open Path offers sessions ranging from $30 to $70.
• Brightside Health: A great choice for individuals with insurance. In addition to therapy, Brightside can prescribe medication when needed.
• Grow Therapy: Accepts a wide range of insurance plans. Grow Therapy provides both therapy and medication management services.
• Amwell: A pay-per-appointment platform with no subscription required. Amwell specializes in women’s health and offers prenatal, postpartum, and menopause counseling.

3. Where to Find an Online Therapist

If not using an online therapy platform, there are many ways to find an online therapist. If you have insurance or an employee assistance program (EAP), you may want to start by seeing which therapists or subscription services will be covered. Otherwise, asking your doctor or a trusted loved one can be helpful.

Here are some effective ways to find an online therapist:

• Use a directory: An online therapist directory is a great option because it allows you to use filters to narrow your search by location, budget, experience level, and areas of specialty. If cost is a barrier, some therapists also offer a sliding scale or reduced fees.
• Insurance directory: If you have health insurance that covers mental health, you can also call the number on the back of your card or login to find a list of in-network therapists.
• Employee Assistance Program: Depending on where you work, you may also have an employee assistance program that covers a certain number of therapy sessions.
• Ask someone you trust: You can ask family members, friends, or even your primary care doctor for a referral to a therapist.

4. Consider Specialization & Therapy Type

Some therapists have specialized training and experience in a particular issue like trauma, addiction, or couples counseling. These specialties are usually listed on their websites, therapist directory pages, and online bios, and they may have additional credentials in these areas as well.

Therapists sometimes specialize in a particular therapy approach, including:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
• Eye Movement and Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Motivational interviewing
• Faith-based counseling

5. Verify Therapist Credentials

Any licensed therapist, social worker, or psychologist has a masters degree and a license to practice therapy. Newly licensed counselors usually have to work under the supervision of a fully licensed counselor for a period of 2-3 years. Depending on the type of license they have, this may be designated by an “A” for “associate” in their credentials. Some insurance companies will not reimburse sessions unless a counselor is fully licensed, so be sure to verify this ahead of time. Many new counselors are very skilled, so don’t automatically rule out an associate based on their credentials alone.

6. Insurance & Costs

Most EAPs and insurance companies include mental health benefits, and many have expanded their coverage for online therapy. Each mental health insurance plan is different, so verify costs ahead of time by calling your insurance company. They should also be able to provide a list of in-network therapists. If you are uninsured or want to pay out of pocket, the cost of therapy varies, but $100-$150 per session is fairly standard. Some therapists will offer lower fees or sliding scale rates, and some sites like Betterhelp offer subscription rates.

7. Book a Consultation

Most online therapy platforms let you schedule an initial assessment directly through their site. If you’re working directly with a therapist, you can book a consultation by phone or their website.

One of the biggest benefits to online therapy is the ability to see providers from the convenience of your home, or even in your office. As long as you have a private space to meet, you may be able to schedule therapy sessions during a planned lunch break at work. If not, it may be necessary to find a therapist who can meet with you in the evenings or on weekends. If you have a very full or demanding schedule, it’s important to verify that your therapist has availability to see you when you’ve got free time.

8. Evaluate the Fit

People find it easier to open up to people they can relate to, so it may be important to find a therapist with whom you have things in common.⁴ For example, it might be easier to open up to someone who is the same race or sex as you, or who is around the same age. This can be especially important if you identify as LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, or Latinx.

If these things aren’t important to you, you may still want to find a therapist who has a compatible personality, communication style, or sense of humor. For example, if you are a more reserved person, you might not click with a therapist who is very blunt or forward.

If your initial session does not go well or you don’t feel comfortable with the therapist for any reason, you can explore other providers until you find one you like.

Questions to Ask a Potential Online Therapist

Most therapists offer phone or video consultations to answer questions and help people decide if they are the right person to help them. Often, these consultation calls are offered at no cost. A consultation call can be a great way to ensure that you choose a therapist who is a good match for you, and is most likely to be able to help you reach your goals.

Some questions to consider asking during a consultation call include:

• What experience do you have helping people with ___ (e.g. depression)?
• What would a typical session be like?
• Can you tell me a little about the approaches you use?
• About how many sessions, on average, do people need to see progress?
• How would we meet for online sessions? Is it a secure platform?
• In the future, would it be possible to meet in-person?

How to Prepare for Your First Appointment

It can be intimidating to get started, but there are many ways you can prepare for your first therapy session.Before connecting with your therapist for the first time, consider doing the following:

• Complete any electronic forms your therapist sends to you
• Get familiar with the platform beforehand and troubleshoot issues
• Do a speed test to ensure you have a strong internet connection
• Find a private space for your session
• Let people know you will not be available to avoid interruptions
• Silence notifications on the device you’ll be using for your session
• Make a short list of what you want to discuss in your first session

During the first session, the therapist will need to gather information from you, including questions about your personal life, background, and mental health. At the end of the appointment, you may receive a diagnosis, which will be explained to you. If there’s time, you may also work with the therapist to create a treatment plan, including goals you want to achieve in therapy.

Are There Any Drawbacks to Online Therapy Sessions?

Like any therapeutic format, there are pros and cons of online therapy to consider. While online therapy offers many benefits over traditional in-office sessions, some people may experience specific drawbacks, such as:

Despite the overall benefits, some people may experience drawbacks to online therapy sessions like:

• A failure to feel a connection to the therapist
• Poor internet speeds or old technology, which disrupt the session
• A lack of privacy, as many people are in their home environment
• An inability of the therapist to fully assess the client’s body language
• Less need to leave the home and enter the community
• Some insurance providers offer limited coverage for telehealth, resulting in potential out-of-pocket expenses.

What to Consider After 3-4 Weeks

When working with a new therapist, whether online or in person, it’s important to check in on your own progress and how you are getting along with your therapist. There are several questions you can ask yourself when contemplating whether it’s working well for you or if the therapist is a bad fit.

Progress Check

In therapy, the bulk of the progress happens early on in treatment. After only a few sessions, most people notice improvements, and 50% of the total progress made in therapy happens by the 8th session.^{5, 6} If your issues are more complex, it may take longer to see improvements, but you should still feel like you have benefited from treatment.

Progress in therapy can come in many different forms. Depending on what your goals are, the markers you use to indicate progress can vary.

Here are some changes that can indicate progress in therapy:

• Your symptoms have become less severe or less frequent
• You have more insight about yourself, your life, and your feelings
• You have learned healthier ways of coping with stress and negative feelings
• You are able to communicate more effectively and set boundaries
• You are thinking more positively about yourself, life, and future
• You are less distracted and get more done
• You have identified bad habits and made a plan or some early steps towards positive change

Process Check

After three to four weeks in therapy, you should also reflect on how you are feeling about your therapist and your sessions. By this time, you should be able to get a better understanding about whether your therapist is a good match for you.

Because having strong rapport with your therapist is necessary for therapy to work, it’s important to consider the following questions:

• Does my therapist seem to “get” me and understand my issues?
• Am I comfortable opening up to my therapist about personal issues?
• Does my therapist possess the knowledge and skills to help me?
• Do I feel like my therapist is invested and cares about me?
• Do my therapy sessions feel productive?
• Have I gained any new insight or skills from my therapist?

If you don’t feel like you’re making progress or getting anything out of therapy after three or four weeks, you might want to have a discussion with your therapist. Most therapists are open to feedback and are willing to make changes to ensure you are getting what you need out of sessions. Most therapists are also happy to provide a referral for another therapist who may be a better fit for you.