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Update on Talkspace
I mentioned last week that I was considering a Talkspace subscription. They don’t accept many insurance companies at the moment, which is a bummer. Still, I decided to bite the bullet and see if my insurance will reimburse me. They’ve always paid for my therapy, so I’m hoping that I will be able to convince them to cover it, given the current circumstances.
I’m pretty happy with it so far. You can text your therapist whenever, and also send voice and video messages. Your therapist replies twice a day, five days a week. You can also pay for regular video sessions if that’s something you’re interested in. I’m excited to see where it goes! And also happy that accessible therapy platforms are on the rise.
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4 Replies
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I really like the idea of how accessible online therapy is for us, but do you think you’ll get the same benefits from it? I’m more of a face-to-face kind of person, so I don’t know if text messages and video messages would be worthwhile from a personal standpoint. I guess I just like to form that in-person connection with someone I’ll be working with. Even so, I really am considering this as a viable option right now, so that’s why I’m asking!
Are the video sessions included or separate from that $260/mo?
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I actually had to cancel my subscription because my insurance wouldn’t cover it, but I’m looking into alternatives!
Ultimately, face-to-face therapy is still ideal. It allows client and counselor to form a strong therapeutic alliance. Virtual therapy is definitely gaining traction, but it’s still relatively new, so there’s not a lot of research available, either in support of or against it. That being said, I do think it’s a viable option. You might not get the full benefits of therapy, as you would face-to-face, but there are pros to platforms like Talkspace, like asynchronous communication that allows you to message your provider whenever. In my opinion, one of the more frustrating aspects of face-to-face therapy is the time lag. I met with my previous therapist biweekly, and I often found that I’d forgotten what I wanted to talk about by the time the session rolled around. Also, Talkspace lets you send asynchronous voice and video messages for no extra cost, so you still get a bit of that face-to-face feel!
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Brianna, have you heard of carecounseling.com ? I just saw a commercial for it and it looked like they’re Minnesota based and take a wide range of insurance. Haven’t checked into it at all, but thought I’d throw it out there.
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I haven’t! I just checked the website and it looks like it’s down, but I’ll try again later!