Headway is an online therapist directory that helps people locate a therapist or psychiatrist in-network with their insurance. We tested Headway therapy over the course of a month and found it to be a great platform overall. In this Headway review, we’ll delve into our experience with the platform, some details you need to be aware of, and Headway reviews from other clients like you.
Cost: $20 – $50+ per session
Insurance Accepted? Yes
Pros - Offers both medications and therapy
- Very easy to access in-network care
- Same-day availability for some providers
- Options for children, teens, and adults
Cons - May not offer certain therapeutic modalities
- In-network providers only
- No options for messaging provider in between sessions
- Telehealth platform varies by provider
- Some providers had no availability in a 2-week window
- Those seeking an in-network therapist
- Those looking for a CBT-oriented therapist
- Kids and teens (6 years and older)
Headway is an online directory that allows people to find mental health providers that are in-network with their insurance. Headway does not charge an ongoing fee for therapy seekers; rather, providers set their own rates and clients are responsible for any copay not covered by insurance. Headway serves adults and children ages 6+ and is available in all US states.
After entering some information about your insurance plan, your location, and your presenting concerns, you will be able to search for providers. As an example, there were 386 providers with openings after I entered my state and insurance. Then, you will select a provider that looks to be a good fit and schedule an initial consultation.
Headway is one option for online therapy that accepts insurance, but it isn’t great for everyone. Those who do not have insurance and are looking for cash pay therapy will be better served by BetterHelp. In terms of psychiatry, Brightside is a good alternative for cash-pay medication appointments.
Why You Can Trust My Review
Our review of Headway is based on first-hand experience using their therapy services by Karen Carloni, one of our highly experienced reviewers. Karen used Headway by going through the sign-up process, getting matched with therapists, going to therapy sessions, and trying and testing all the features on offer. Over the last few months, we’ve learned much about Headway while collectively testing and reviewing multiple other online therapy providers.
Based on our quantitative multi-point scoring criteria, Headway scored 4 out of 5 stars during our most recent review. Our scoring criteria measure 30+ metrics across 12 categories from user experience to therapist vetting and experience, and more.
Firsthand Experiences with Headway
Below, we’ve presented a deep dive into everything Headway offers, but sometimes you just want to hear a clear recommendation from somebody who’s used the service firsthand. Here’s our firsthand experiences with Headway
Karen Carloni
Detailed Review of Headway
We spent a month testing Headway therapy and found a number of benefits and drawbacks to the platform. It is a great choice for those looking for a therapist in-network with many insurance payors, however, it’s best for general use, as options for things like couples therapy or more unusual therapy modalities are limited.
Precise Headway costs are difficult to determine as they can vary depending on your insurance plan and individual therapist, however, copays range from $20 – $50+ per session.
Online Therapy & Psychiatry
Online therapy with Headway is easy to manage from beginning to end. To start, you enter a few details about yourself, your current situation, and your insurance. After that, you’ll be able to begin browsing provider bios to find one that’s right for you.
Provider bio pages have detailed information that includes:
- Availability
- Cost
- Education
- Credentials
- Specialties
- Location
- Therapy Modalities
- Insurance plans accepted
Search filters allow you to sort providers by availability, gender, ethnicity, insurance, language, age, modalities, or in-person vs. video sessions. Therapy sessions are usually 45-50 minutes. Common presenting problems might be adjustment issues, relationship problems, grief, or mood disorders.
Most medication providers on Headway prefer a 15-minute consultation before scheduling sessions. Initial sessions for medication management are 60 minutes. Medication for anxiety and medication for depression are common medication types prescribed, but other medications such as mood stabilizers may be prescribed at the provider’s discretion. Prescriptions will be sent to a pharmacy of your choice. Some prescription plans also offer medication delivery services.
During my onboarding process, I tried to message a few different therapists, but, ultimately, only one was able to accept new clients. My Headway session was about 50 minutes long. I had good audio and video quality throughout the session, overall. My provider was warm and helpful and used a person-centered approach. He was a good listener and allowed me to explore my concerns right away.
Headway Cost & Insurance
Headway does not charge any ongoing fees to clients. Rather, rates may vary by therapist, and any copay not covered by insurance must be paid by the client. Per-session costs range from $20 – $50+, depending on the specific insurance circumstance. Individual providers may set no-show or late cancellation fees at their discretion.
The costs of any prescribed medications for anxiety or medications for depression are not included in the cost of the session. Instead, the cost of your medication is determined by whichever pharmacy you decide to use.
Headway Insurance
Headway works exclusively with providers that are in-network with an insurance payor and even helps mental health providers get credentialed to offer in-network mental health services covered by insurance. Headway works with a large selection of insurance payors, including:
- Aetna
- Anthem
- Cigna
- Oxford
- Oscar
- United Healthcare
- Many more
Out-of-Network Benefits
If you cannot find a provider that is in-network with your given insurance plan, you can still download a superbill for mental health on the Headway website which allows clients to request coverage from their insurance payor.
Who Does Headway Serve?
Headway serves anyone in any of the 50 US states above 6 years old. The populations that are served on Headway are determined by the individual provider you’re working with, so not every provider will serve kids as young as 6, but many do. When you enter some details upon signing up for Headway, the system will narrow down results that are a good fit for you.
Headway treats general mental health issues, and OCD is covered under this to a degree, but if you’re seeking a specialist to help with OCD-related symptoms, then NOCD is your best bet. Headway isn’t a great option for those suffering from substance use disorder (SUD). The best online option for treating alcohol use disorder is Workit Health, meanwhile, those suffering from opioid abuse or dependence can look to Bicycle Health for help.
If you don’t have an insurance plan that’s in-network with Headway, a better solution might be a subscription-based service like BetterHelp.
User Reviews for Headway
Generally, Headway has a positive sentiment from user reviews. Positive reviews highlighted the friendly staff and ease of use of the platform, however, some people aired grievances regarding billing and insurance issues. Headway does not have a good rating by the BBB, but given the relatively low number of complaints for a company this size, it’s wise to take this with a grain of salt.
Reviews from Trustpilot | 4.3 out of 5 stars | 498 reviews
Positive reviews on Trustpilot tended to focus on the ease of use with Headway. Some were focused on provider-focused issues, but overall the sentiment was positive and many found Headway to be helpful and effective with minimal issues. Many praised Headway’s staff and customer service.
Negative reviews on Trustpilot tended to focus on isolated incidents of customer service trouble, insurance billing issues, and other administrative problems. These seem to be the minority, but it’s worth noting that some felt customer service was slow, ineffective, and rude.
Reviews from BBB | Rating: F | Not accredited by BBB
The BBB lists about 50 complaints against Headway from users. The majority are focused on issues with insurance billing, including a recurring theme of Headway underestimating a client’s copay only to charge them later for the difference. Headway has responded to all of these complaints with messages directing users to Headway customer support. While these complaints are concerning, the number of complaints is too low to say these are common issues.
Who May Want an Alternative to Headway?
Headway is a good platform. However, those seeking uncommon types of therapy, those who prefer text-based or live chat therapy, or people seeking couples or group therapy should consider looking into other options.
Those seeking uncommon types of therapy
Some clients may be seeking a particular type of therapy that is not available by a Headway provider. Highly specialized therapy such as wilderness therapy or art therapy is often only available through private pay options, or in-person treatment.
There are many online therapy services available today — Talkspace is one of our favorite subscription-based services that accepts insurance.
Those seeking text-based or live chat sessions
Since therapists are in charge of managing their own video platforms, Headway doesn’t offer a lot of ways to communicate with your therapist outside of sessions and doesn’t offer text-based sessions at all.
BetterHelp does offer text-based sessions. Check out our BetterHelp review for more details.
People seeking couples or group therapy
Clients who want group or couples therapy may not find as many options through Headway. Headway does allow you to search for “relational or family issues” as specialties, however, there may not be as many choices for family or marriage counseling. Some of the issues with billing cited in reviews also seemed to relate to proper charges in the case of couples treatment.
ReGain is one of our favorites of the best online couples counseling platforms.
Headway Vs. Competitors
In general, Headway shares a lot in common with its main competitors Grow Therapy and Alma. So, if you aren’t in-network with one directory, it’s worth checking the others. However, there are some key differences – Headway is the largest with the largest selection of providers, but it lacks some of the quality-of-life features like a built-in telehealth platform that Alma has. Meanwhile, Grow Therapy is the only one of the bunch that has options for cash pay.
Price: In-Network Copay Only
Insurance Accepted? Yes
-
Largest platform of its kind -
Options for adults, kids, and teens
-
No easy way to message provider in-between sessions -
Limited psychiatrists available
Price: In-Network Copay Only
Insurance Accepted? Yes
-
Offers cash pay options -
Improved user experience compared to Headway
-
Smaller provider selection than Headway -
Not available in all states
Price: In-Network Copay Only
Insurance Accepted? Yes
-
Better messaging and video platform support than Headway -
More cohesive experience overall than Headway
-
Small pool of providers compared to competitors -
Not much help with therapist matching
Headway Vs. Grow Therapy
Headway Vs. Alma
Headway Review – Our Final Verdict
After using Headway for about a month, I can say that it is an easy-to-use solution that’s worth trying for anyone looking for an all-in-one solution for finding in-network therapists. Headway counseling is easy to access and offers a huge selection of therapists with a wide degree of flexibility in both scheduling and in their methodology.
Headway is particularly great for anyone who is looking for an in-network therapist or psychiatrist for managing mild-to-moderate mental health symptoms, however, it won’t be a good fit for someone with severe mental health issues or anyone else for whom virtual care is a poor fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Credentials Do Headway Providers Hold?
Headway therapists may be licensed professional counselors, licensed clinical social workers, or clinical psychologists. All Headway therapists have a minimum of a Master’s degree and a state license to independently provide mental health services. Some have special training and certification in certain treatment modalities.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors with 4 years of Medical School, a Psychiatry residency, and board certification. Doctors of osteopathic medicine (ODs) have training and scope of practice that is similar to that of an MD. Psychiatric nurse practitioners (PMHNP) may also be on Headway providing psychiatric medications. Nurse Practitioners can assess, diagnose, and treat mental health conditions independently or under the supervision of a Psychiatrist, depending on state law.
How Do I Choose a Provider?
Headway selects a pool of potential providers for you based on the concerns you listed. After selecting a provider, you’ll be able to complete a 15-minute consultation to help ensure they’re a good fit for you.
Can I Choose a New Provider?
You may change providers if you choose to do so. Headway allows you to self-select a new provider easily from your Headway account.
Who is Eligible for Medication?
Medication services are available for children, teens, and adults. Children and youth must have consent from their parents. The age of consent for medical services may vary according to state law. Typically, practitioners will state in the description of their practice which ages they serve.
What Medications Are Available?
Prescribers will assess each client’s needs and are able to prescribe a variety of medications such as antidepressants, anxiety-reducing medications, and sleep support medications. Providers are not able to prescribe controlled substances – such as Adderall – through online treatment.
Where is Medication Management Available?
Medication management is available through Headway in all US states, as long as there are psychiatrists currently available in your area.
How Do I Get My Medications?
Your provider will send your prescription to the pharmacy of your choice. If you prefer to have your medications sent directly to you, you can elect have your prescription sent to a pharmacy that offers home deliveries. All medication costs are determined by your chosen pharmacy.
Can I use my FSA or HSA Funds?
Yes. You may use your HSA for mental health to pay the co-pay for services at Headway.
How Can I Cancel My Account/Subscription with Headway?
Headway does not charge any ongoing fees, so as long as you have cancelled any upcoming appointments, you will not be charged by Headway further.
Does Headway Offer Refunds?
Headway may offer refunds on a case-by-case basis. You can contact Headway via the contact form found on the Headway support page.
Review Headway’s Terms of Service for more details.
Is Headway HIPAA Compliant?
Headway complies with HIPAA law through end-to-end encryption on the website, encrypted email, BAA agreements with any third-party vendors, and protection of PHI. Their privacy policy describes how they collect, use, and protect data about their users.
History & News About Headway
Year Founded: 2019
Founders: Andrew Adams
Publicly Traded? No
Headquartered In: New York, New York
Andrew Adams is the co-founder and CEO of Headway. According to Headway, in 2015 he tried to find a therapist through his insurance company and could not. He further discovered that 70% of therapists do not accept insurance. Accordingly, Headway was formed to make it easier for people to find therapists who accept insurance. Founded in 2019, Headway received over 200 million dollars in Series A investment funding and a second round of funding which allowed them to scale up their services.1
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
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