Editorial rating:
Minded is an online psychiatry platform that specializes in women’s mental health that earned 2.5 stars overall during our independent review. It offers medication management to adults 18 years and older via live video visits. Minded costs are $149 – $249 and they are in-network with select insurance companies and available in select states.
Rating of Minded’s Online Psychiatry
Emily Guarnotta is a PsyD. that specializes in perinatal and postpartum mood disorders, grief counseling for individuals who suffered miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss, as well as infertility support and therapy for new parents and seasoned parents. Dr. Guarnotta has written for Choosing Therapy since 2020 and in the summer of 2022 began reviewing online therapy and psychiatry platforms. During her independent review, company earned 2.5 out of 5 stars overall, performing best in the categories of Online Psychiatry Cost, Insurance & Out-of-Network Benefits, and Customer Service. However, company underperformed in the categories of Psychiatric Appointment Features and Crisis Management & Patient Safety compared to its competitors.
Pros & Cons
Minded is an affordable online psychiatry service that specializes in women’s mental health care, but men may also utilize the platform. Minded accepts some health insurance plans and can assist with out-of-network reimbursement. Unfortunately, Minded does not offer therapy and you cannot select your own provider.
How to Sign Up for Minded
To sign up for an account, please visit the Minded website.
What is Minded?
Minded is an online psychiatry platform that offers female-centered psychiatric treatment. With Minded, medication management appointments are held through video over the Zoom app. You can also message your provider in between appointments with questions or concerns. The cost of Minded is $149-$249. Some insurance plans, like Aetna and Cigna, are accepted.
Minded is intended for adults ages 18 and older experiencing depression, anxiety, or insomnia. While the platform is specifically for women, men can also sign up. When you sign up with Minded, you are assigned to a psychiatric provider. Minded’s providers include psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. Once you are assigned, you can view their availability and schedule an appointment that works with your schedule. In my case, I was assigned to a nurse practitioner and was able to schedule an appointment in less than a week.
Your first appointment with your Minded provider is a 30-minute initial evaluation. During the evaluation, your provider will ask you questions about your current and past mental health, substance use, family history, and physical health. They will then provide a diagnosis and talk to you about whether you are eligible for medication. Follow-up appointments are typically held every 30 days. Weekend and evening appointments are based on provider availability.
Minded prescribes medications for anxiety, depression, and insomnia, but they do not prescribe controlled medications of any kind. In terms of medications for depression, they typically prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Zoloft (sertraline), Lexapro (escitalopram), and Paxil (paroxetine). Providers may also prescribe selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) like Cymbalta (duloxetine) or mood stabilizers like Lamictal (lamotrigine).
When it comes to medications for anxiety, Minded only prescribes non-controlled options like Buspar (buspirone) and Vistaril (hydroxyzine). If your Minded provider decides to prescribe you medication, then it will be sent to your local pharmacy for you to pick up. Minded does not offer medication shipping. The cost of the medication will depend on the specific type of medication and your insurance coverage.
Unfortunately, Minded does not offer any additional features like some other mental health treatment platforms. There are no online journals, educational videos, or in-person appointments available. Those who seek out Minded do so for the ease and convenience of accessing online psychiatry.
Who Is Minded Right For?
Minded is an online psychiatry platform that treats depression, anxiety, and insomnia in adults. The company specializes in women’s mental healthcare, but men can also utilize the platform if they wish.
Anxiety, Depression, or Insomnia Treatment for Women
According to Minded, one of the perks of the company is that it offers female-centered psychiatric care. Minded’s providers have specialized training and experience in treating women with anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Women who are experiencing emotional concerns related to pregnancy, postpartum, or menopause may find this service especially helpful. Even though Minded specializes in women’s care, men can also sign up for Minded.
Adults Seeking Medication Management in Select States
Minded serves a very specific group of people and at this time is available to adults ages 18 and older residing in California, Florida, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. Because of the laws regarding telehealth, you must reside in one of these states in order to meet with a Minded provider. If you are traveling and will not be in one of these states, you cannot schedule an appointment.
Who Might Want an Alternative to Minded?
Minded is intended for adult women seeking medication management for anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Those who want to attend therapy in addition to medication management, and children and teens will need to seek out an alternative to Minded.
You Want Therapy & Medication Management
Many people who are taking medications for depression and anxiety can benefit from therapy. Unfortunately, therapy is not available with Minded. Anyone who is seeking both services could either use Minded for psychiatry and seek therapy elsewhere, or choose to use another online platform altogether. Several online mental health platforms offer both psychiatry and therapy in one place, including Brightside Health and MDLive.
To learn more about these platforms, you can read our comprehensive review of MDLive or our Brightside Health review.
Children & Teens
Minded is only available to adults 18+ and is not available for children or teens. If your child or teen is in need of psychiatry, you can consider another platform, such as Talkiatry, which serves children ages six and older. You can learn all about how this platform works by reading our in-depth review of Talkiatry.
You can also seek an in-person therapy provider who specializes in working with children or teens. Choosing Therapy’s Directory includes providers that offer in-person appointments as well as telehealth options.
Minded User Reviews
Minded has a 3.5-star rating out of 606 reviews on Trust Pilot. Unfortunately Minded does not have an app, so there are no other reviews available. The reviews of Minded included a mixture of positive experiences with providers and negative experiences with billing, customer service, and technology.
Professional & Caring Providers
Many reviewers of Minded’s services noted that psychiatric providers were professional and caring. They felt that their providers listened attentively, provided good feedback, and offered helpful recommendations for medication. This was consistent with my experience of the platform.
My assigned provider was professional and kind. She talked to me about the different medication options available and asked for my opinion. It felt collaborative and there was no pressure to take medication. Overall, my experience was consistent with these positive reviews.
Technical & Billing Issues
Negative reviews were centered around technical and billing issues. Reviewers described problems logging in, incorrect charges to their account, and last-minute appointment cancellations by the platform or provider. Minded’s team responded to most reviews on Trust Pilot with an apology and explanation. Personally, I did not encounter any of these problems.
How Much Does Minded Cost?
Minded costs $249 for an initial appointment and $149 for follow-up appointments. All appointments are held via live video with a licensed psychiatric provider. Appointment fees do not include the cost of medication. Minded is in-network with some health insurance plans, so actual costs may be lower.
Does Minded Accept Insurance?
Yes, Minded is in-network with select insurance plans. They currently accept the following insurance plans:
- Aetna
- Cigna
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Empire Blue Cross
- Optum/United Healthcare.
Out-of-Network Benefits
Minded can assist you with using your out-of-network benefits. If you request it, they will provide you with a detailed invoice, called a superbill, that you can submit to your insurance company. Depending on your plan, you may be reimbursed for all or a portion of the costs.
How to Get Started with Try Minded
Getting prescribed medication with Minded is fairly easy and can be done through their website. The entire sign-up process takes approximately 10 minutes. To start the process of getting medication, you must go to the Minded website and complete the steps below:
- Sign up and create an account on the Minded website
- Complete the initial assessment
- Enter your insurance and billing information
- Get matched with a provider
- Schedule a video session
- Attend your initial appointment and get prescribed medication
- Medication will be sent to your local pharmacy for pick up
- Schedule follow up appointments as needed
Minded Membership: Detailed Review
Minded offers access to female-centered psychiatric treatment online. The company offers treatment for mental health issues that women face throughout the lifespan, including stressors related to menstruation, infertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting. Minded costs $249 for an initial evaluation and $149 for follow-up appointments. Minded does accepts insurance from select companies, so actual costs may be lower depending on your coverage.
Minded serves adults ages 18 and older. While Minded specializes in women’s mental health, men can also sign up for and use the platform. Initial appointments are approximately 30 minutes long and follow-up visits for medication refills are 15 minutes. Minded’s psychiatric providers consist of board-certified psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners.
All psychiatry appointments are held by video through Zoom. You can also communicate with your provider or customer support in-between appointments on the company’s portal. Your messages will be answered Monday-Friday, during normal working hours. When I messaged customer service, I received a response back within a few minutes. However, responses from providers may take longer.
You must attend a follow-up appointment in order to have your medication refilled. Follow-up appointments are typically scheduled every 30 days. My provider was able to schedule my follow-up during my initial visit. Medication delivery is not included with Minded and medications will be sent to your local pharmacy for convienent pick up.
Unlike some other psychiatry platforms, Minded does not have any app or offer any additional features, like mood trackers or webinars.
Minded Vs Competitors
Compared to its competitors, Minded is a bit more costly and serves a much smaller portion of the United States. It also shares some similarities to its competitors in terms of the mental health conditions and age ranges it serves.
Minded Vs. Cerebral
Cerebral is an online mental health treatment platform and, like Minded, serves adults over age 18. Unlike Minded, Cerebral is available in all 50 states and offers both therapy and medication management. Cerebral also offers a wider variety of mental health treatments, including ADHD and PTSD.
Cerebral is a subscription-based service, which means you pay a monthly fee when you sign up. It costs between $99 and $349 per month. Minded was also previously a subscription-based service, but recently transitioned to charging a flat fee for each appointment. The cost of psychiatry with Cerebral is $99 per month and includes a phone or video session with your provider, unlimited messaging with a care manager, and medication delivery.
Overall, Cerebral is a better option for anyone seeking therapy and medication together. It is also a good option for those experiencing mental health conditions other than anxiety and depression or living in areas not served by Minded.
To learn even more about how their platform works, you can read our comprehensive review of Cerebral.
Minded Vs. Hims & Hers
Hims and Hers are two online mental health platforms that specialize in treating men’s and women’s issues, respectively. Like Minded, Hims and Hers serves adults over age 18 experiencing anxiety and depression. However, Hims and Hers is available in all 50 states and also offers therapy in addition to medication management.
A key difference with Hims and Hers is that they only offer text-based psychiatry appointments. With Hims and Hers, there are no live, face-to-face appointments with a provider. A provider simply reviews your assessment and messages you with a recommendation and your medication is shipped directly to you.
This approach is vastly different from Minded, where you are required to attend a live video session. While Hims and Hers are more affordable, they also do not accept insurance or assist with out-of-network billing. If you are brand new to psychiatry and are seeking medication management, we highly recommend you do not choose these text-based platforms to start out with.
For more information on how text-based psychiatry works, you can read our in-depth review of Hims or our review of Hers.
History of Minded
Minded was founded in January, 2020 by Chris Dennis, David Ronick, and Gaspard de Dreuzy. The company’s founders were frustrated with the challenges they faced in getting their medications refilled. Minded grew out of this frustration. Initially Minded was launched in New York, but has since expanded to cover additional states.1, 2
According to their website, Minded values compassion, patient-focused care, and women’s empowerment.2 Since its founding, Minded has grown from serving one state to now serving eight states. In 2022, Minded raised $25 million in seed funding.3 Its business approach has also evolved and in April of 2023, Minded transitioned from being a subscription-based service to a fee-for-service model. The company has also started accepting health insurance and has plans to continue to grow by expanding its reach to more states.
Final Verdict on Minded
Minded is an online psychiatry platform that specializes in women’s mental health. In my opinion Minded is worth a try if you are an adult woman seeking medication management for anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The cost is comparable to seeing an in-person provider and the company is currently in-network with several health insurance plans. Currently they are only operating in eight states, but they have plans to expand their reach in the near future.
Summary Table of What Minded Offers
| Membership Cost | $149-$249 |
| Age Limitations | 18 and older |
| Medication Cost | Not included |
| Provider Choices | Matched |
| Refill Requirements | Appointment |
| How to Get Prescriptions | Pickup |
| Speed to First Appointment | Approximately one week |
| Geographic Coverage | California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia |
| Prescribers Available | Psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners |
What Are Common Treatments for Anxiety & Depression?
Treatment for anxiety disorders typically involves therapy and medication. Therapeutic approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) may be used. Medications prescribed to treat anxiety include certain antidepressants, beta-blockers, and benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are typically prescribed for short periods of time because they can lead to dependence and addiction. They are also controlled medications, so there are laws around prescribing them via telehealth.4 Minded does not offer prescriptions for benzodiazepines.
Treatment for depression also involves therapy and medication. Therapeutic approaches like CBT and interpersonal therapy are evidence-based treatments for depression. A range of different types of antidepressants may be prescribed to treat depression. Commonly prescribed antidepressants include SSRIs, SNRIs, and tricyclics. These medications may take four to eight weeks to exert their effects.5
Frequently Asked Questions About Minded
What Credentials Do Minded Providers Hold?
Minded’s treatment team consists of board-certified psychiatrists and licensed psychiatric nurse practitioners. The care team also consists of registered nurses (RNs) who respond to patient questions, but do not prescribe medication. All providers are licensed in the state(s) that they practice. Minded’s providers also have experience and training in treating women’s mental health issues.
How Am I Matched With a Provider on Minded?
Minded matches you with one of their licensed psychiatric providers in your state. There is no option to select your own provider.
Can I Choose a New Provider?
No, there is no way to choose a new provider on your own. If you would like to be assigned to a new provider, you must reach out to Minded directly by emailing [email protected] or calling 909-442-0618.
Who is Eligible for Medication?
You must be at least 18 years old to use Minded’s services.
What Medications are Available?
Minded providers can prescribe medications for depression, anxiety, and insomnia. They frequently prescribe antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and non-controlled anti-anxiety medications. Minded does not prescribe controlled medications of any kind.
Where is Medication Management Available?
Minded is only available in select states. As of 2023, you can sign up for Minded if you live in one of the following states: California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
How Do I Get My Medications?
If your provider prescribes medication, it will be sent to your local pharmacy for you to pick up. The cost of medication will vary depending on the specific medication and your insurance coverage. Minded does not offer medication delivery.
Can I use my FSA or HSA Funds?
Yes, you can use your FSA or HSA funds to pay for Minded.
How Can I Cancel My Account/Subscription with Minded?
To cancel your account with Minded, you can send a secure message through the online portal or email [email protected] with your request.
Does Minded Offer Refunds?
The first month of Minded is non-refundable. If you would like to request a refund for future months or to cancel your account, you can send a secure message or email [email protected].
Is Minded HIPAA Compliant?
Yes, Minded is secure and HIPAA compliant. You can learn more by viewing the Minded’s privacy policy and Minded’s terms and conditions.
