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Quick summary
The best online therapy provider is BetterHelp, according to 1,500 users and more than 2,000 hours of research, because of its expert counselors and diversity of offerings.
Welcoming a new baby to the family can be very joyful, but it also comes with a lot of other overwhelming feelings. If you're feeling anxiety or extreme sadness during this time, you are not alone. Postpartum mood disorders are very common after birth. In fact, 1 in 5 moms experience a mental health or substance use disorder during pregnancy or in the first year after delivery.
"I'm doing virtual therapy now and I love it," says What to Expect Community member mama2one. "I find it comforting to be in my home and in a familiar space. It is helping me a ton and [it's] one of the best decisions I've made. I've had four sessions, and I already am feeling better than I was."
"Online or telehealth mental health solutions play a crucial role in supporting the well-being of mothers," says Sipra Laddha, M.D., a reproductive psychiatrist, member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board and founder of LunaJoy Health, a telemental health clinic that focuses on perinatal mental health conditions. "They provide accessible, convenient, stigma-free support options during this extremely vulnerable time."
Prioritize your own mental health by considering the online therapy options below, all of which offer convenience during this busy stage in your life.
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Session types: video, phone, text and unlimited messaging
Price and payment options: $60 to $90 weekly, payable by credit card or PayPal
Insurance: not accepted
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You'll feel confident you're getting professional advice from BetterHelp. Every therapist on the platform has a master's or doctoral degree — and all of the providers are either psychologists, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers or licensed professional therapists.
BetterHelp will automatically match you with a therapist within days or even a few hours of signing up — and you can specify if you'd like to work with someone who's LGBTQ+ or has the same religion as you. (If it's still not a fit, you can shop around for another therapist.) You'll then get four monthly sessions — over video, phone or text — plus unlimited messaging. Another big upside to BetterHelp is the availability of optional weekly group sessions, which might help if you're feeling lonely as a new mom.
Price and payment options: $75 to $88 weekly for therapy; $95 monthly for psychiatry only; $15 or pharmacy copay per medication; payable by credit card
Insurance: accepted
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If you're struggling with postpartum depression or anxiety, a well-rounded treatment plan can make a huge difference. That's why Brightside, which offers psychiatric services as well as therapy, can really help new or soon-to-be moms. The licensed psychiatrists, physicians and psychiatric nurse practitioners on the platform can make diagnoses and prescribe medications.
Without insurance, the psychiatry plan costs $95 per month ($45 for the initial month) while the therapy plan is $299 per month ($249 for the first month) for unlimited messaging and four 45-minute video calls with a licensed therapist. You can also sign up for both together at a discounted price of $349 per month ($249 for the initial month).
Another perk: Brightside offers a symptom tracker, which can help you visualize your progress over time.
[I] ended up getting an appointment with a therapist through Brightside and [it has] helped me so much … Brightside is a company that provides sessions through video chat, so it's convenient.
Session types: video, phone, text, unlimited messaging and live workshops
Price and payment options: $69 to $109 weekly for therapy; $299 for initial psychiatry visit and $175 for follow-ups; payable by credit card
Insurance: accepted
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If you're already covered under an insurance plan, you could save a lot of money by using an in-network service versus signing up for a subscription. That's where Talkspace comes in. The platform claims that more than 100 million Americans qualify for its services, meaning therapy sessions could cost you a small copay — or nothing at all. (Check your eligibility here.)
You can still access Talkspace without insurance and pay as little as $69 per week for online therapy.
I found a therapist on Talkspace, which my insurance covers, and I can message, and it's so much easier than traditional therapy. [My therapist and I] decided against a psych hospital for now for lots of reasons, but we are coming up with a postpartum plan for if things get worse with this next delivery.
Session types: video, phone, text and unlimited messaging
Price and payment options: $50 to $110 weekly for therapy; payable by credit card or PayPal
Insurance: not accepted
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Online-Therapy.com specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is one of the most commonly used styles of therapy for treating postpartum depression and anxiety. Scientific research consistently supports the effectiveness of CBT, which aims to identify the problems you're facing and come up with specific ways for you to respond.
By choosing Online-Therapy.com, you'll immediately match with a therapist upon signing up. However, it's only available in 41 states. If you're located in Alaska, Hawaii, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah or Wyoming, you'll need to try another platform.
Session types: video, phone, text and unlimited messaging
Price and payment options: $60 to $90 weekly for therapy; payable by credit card or PayPal
Insurance: not accepted
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Trying to conceive or having a baby can put a lot of stress on your relationship, but committing to couples therapy could repair your bond and improve your mental health. (A systematic scientific review found that couples or family therapy can help with both preventing and treating PPD.)
ReGain specializes in helping couples who are looking to strengthen their relationship. That's also why it doesn't accept insurance — insurers don't consider relationship counseling to be a medical treatment. Still, all ReGain counselors are psychologists, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers or licensed professional counselors.
You'll find inclusive options — like LGBTQ+ providers, a polyamorous relationship status option and counseling for long-distance couples — on ReGain as well.
My husband and I did online therapy on Regain. (It's like BetterHelp but for couples therapy) … It helped us through a rocky, rocky month. It's not crazy expensive, and you can apply for financial aid, making it as low as $40 per week (one session and chat services with a therapist).
Price and payment options: approximately $30 copay depending on insurance
Insurance: accepted
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Talkiatry is another platform that offers psychiatric care in addition to therapy. That means you can get a diagnosis and prescription medication quickly if needed — and you'll most likely pay only a small copay for care. One tester also found that the platform has perinatal mental health specialists available.
Keep in mind that Talkiatry does require insurance to sign up, and it's not available to people living in Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, New Mexico, North Dakota or Wyoming.
If you are struggling [mentally], a psychiatrist is probably a better option than your primary care doctor … I would make an appointment on Talkiatry for a virtual visit. They have appointments available within 48 hours with a psychiatrist who can provide the follow up-care you need. I currently use them and they are good, relatively low-priced and covered by insurance.
Price and payment options: $50 to $90 weekly for therapy; payable by credit card
Insurance: not accepted
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If you're interested in text therapy, Calmerry is a lower-cost option that might make sense. It offers unlimited messaging with a therapist for $50 per week. Your counselor will respond to messages once or twice per day on weekdays, so you can have more regular check-ins. And if it turns out video sessions are more your style, you can also sign up for 30-minute weekly appointments for an additional cost.
Of course, $50 per week can still add up, so if money is a concern, don't forget about free resources like the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA) or the Postpartum Support International website. You can also look for free or low-cost services through your employer, insurer, hospital or birthing center, and local community organizations.
How we chose the best online therapy options
To choose the best online therapy options for parents, we consulted with Everyday Health, a sister site of What to Expect that offers up-to-date, evidence-based health and medical information.
Everyday Health spent more than 2,000 hours researching online therapy, surveyed 1,500 online therapy users, consulted six leading psychiatry and psychology experts, and reviewed hundreds of academic articles to rate the best online therapy services. With that information in mind, the reviews team considered the following factors in its evaluations:
Cost: Because affordability is one of the biggest barriers in getting mental health care, cost was one of the most important criteria. Companies that offered at least one budget-friendly plan were prioritized.
Customer service: Testers reached out to each platform by both phone and email to gauge its responsiveness and helpfulness.
Patient satisfaction: The reviews team looked at each company's score on Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot to evaluate how they respond to negative experiences.
Therapist credentials: Companies had to have licensed therapists — experts such as psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional therapists and licensed mental health counselors.
Modes of therapy: The reviews team prioritized companies that had multiple types of therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or psychoanalysis, available.
Years in operation: Platforms that have established track records — or have emerged as disruptors in this space — were considered.
User friendliness: How easy is it to sign up and choose a therapist? Can patients pick between different formats (video, phone or text) for their sessions? Is the platform intuitive to navigate? Is it simple to switch therapists or cancel a subscription altogether? The team considered these questions and more when making their picks.
FAQ
Does online therapy work?
Yes, online therapy can help treat mental health conditions. In fact mental and behavioral services done over video have largely equivalent outcomes compared to those done in-person, a 2021 review of 57 studies found. Virtual mental health programs also have higher completion rates, attendance rates and number of treatment visits, a 2022 study concluded.
What are the benefits of online therapy?
By choosing online therapy, you can attend appointments from the comfort of your home (or wherever there's an internet connection), meaning there's no travel time required. You'll also get more flexibility in appointment scheduling, a bigger selection of counselors and potentially lower costs.
What are the downsides of online therapy?
Online therapy has a few cons compared to in-person counseling. You might have to deal with technology issues (like connectivity problems), and you might miss the feeling of being in the same room as your counselor. Not all online therapy platforms take insurance, so you could have some out-of-pocket costs, and providers can't prescribe certain controlled medications over the internet.
Is online therapy expensive?
Online therapy costs about $50 to $110 per week — if you use a subscription plan like BetterHelp or Talkspace — or $70 to $300 per session, if you work directly with a provider who sets his or her own prices. According to an Everyday Health survey of 1,000 online therapy users, 44% paid between $100 and $200 monthly for online therapy.
What should I look for in an online therapist?
Need help narrowing down which service you'll use? Consider these factors when signing up for a site and choosing your therapist.
Credentials: You'll need to work with someone who's licensed in your state, and if you're looking to receive a diagnosis or prescription, you'll need to connect with a provider (like a psychiatrist) who's able to give one.
Immediacy: When you're struggling, getting help right away is important. Consider choosing someone who can see you quickly versus a provider who has a waiting list.
Cost: Finding a therapy option that takes your insurance or offers financial assistance can give you peace of mind and help you save money.
Relevant training and experience: You might prefer seeing someone who specializes in postpartum mental health or has a background in a particular type of therapy, like CBT.
Communication style: Consider whether you'd like to communicate with your therapist by phone, video or text. (Text messaging can be a good option if privacy is a concern.)
Shared characteristics: Working with someone who is the same gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality or religion as you might help you feel more comfortable from the beginning.
Personality: Do you click with your therapist? It's okay to switch providers if you don't feel like it's a great fit.
Professionalism: Does this therapist treat you with the respect you deserve? Know your rights as a patient, and set your standards accordingly.
How should I prepare for an online therapy appointment?
Once you're matched with an online therapist, you'll want to do a few things before your first session:
Test out the platform. Log in and get familiar with how it's set up.
Double check your tech. If you're having a video session, make sure your device's camera and microphone are working.
Verify your coverage. See if your insurance will pay for your sessions or if you'll need to pay out of pocket so there are no surprises when the bill comes.
Carve out some time for yourself. Organize child care for your little one by tapping a partner, friend or family member. (Here's how to tell someone you're struggling with PPD so you can get that type of support!)
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