Imagine a world where your therapist is only an email or a text away, available to you at any time of the day or night and you can have a session from the comfort of your own couch?
This has been made possible through online counselling, a platform which pairs clients with counsellors in which therapy can be conducted with the use of a phone, tablet or computer.
Sessions happen through a variety of platforms including real-time instant messaging, voice calls, video calls, texts or email.
Clients are billed a weekly or a monthly fee for the service.
According to US-based BetterHelp founder Alon Matas – who claims to be the biggest provider of online counselling in the world – the inspiration to start the business was a personal crisis which happened three years ago where he was in need of counselling services.
Matas said while searching for a counsellor to assist him, he found that traditional counselling was too expensive, time-consuming, inconvenient and inaccessible – with an added concern over the lack of privacy and stigma attached to it.
“This made me think: We use the internet to shop better, learn better and work better; isn’t it time we start using the internet to live better?” he said.
“With that mission in mind, BetterHelp was launched in the summer of 2013.
“We provide anyone facing life challenges with easy, discreet and affordable access to professional counselling from a licensed therapist.
“We are leveraging new technologies to adapt traditional counselling into the lifestyle and expectations of today’s consumers. Our members receive professional counselling using their computer, tablet or mobile phone – any time they need it and anywhere they are.
“Today, BetterHelp is the largest e-counselling platform worldwide and we’re excited to see that it’s already making such a great impact.”
Matas said to date, BetterHelp has helped a total of over 200000 clients, with more than 10000 of those from South Africa.
They are counselled by a team of 650 US-based licensed therapists.
To sign up, users complete a questionnaire which enquires after details such as:
l Gender;
l Age;
l Relationship status;
l Whether the user has ever been in therapy before;
l The user’s physical health details such as a possible lack of energy, poor appetite or overeating;
l Sleeping patterns;
l Eating habits;
l Financial status;
l Emotional health status which includes whether the user feels down, depressed or hopeless and if so for how long;
l Whether or not the user has experienced symptoms such as moving or speaking slowly, whether they are feeling fidgety, restless or moving around more often than usual;
l The presence of suicidal thoughts or chronic pain;
l The user’s religious beliefs;
l Possible intimacy challenges; and
l The user’s sexual orientation.
The user then sets up a private account and thereafter is paired with a counsellor best suited to their needs.
This service costs between $35 (around R469) to $65 (around R872) per week for unlimited counselling.
UK-based Relate, another online therapy platform, uses much the same method as BetterHealth, although their focus is on couples.
Senior media and communications officer Sarah Osmik said the organisation was founded in 1938 as the Marriage Guidance Council, later branching out to offer counselling to all people including single people, cohabiting couples, same sex couples, children and young people and families.
It was in 2013 that the organisation decided to embrace a more modern and innovative method of serving their communities by offering live chats, which allows people to access therapy anywhere at any time.
“Our mission is to develop and support healthy relationships by helping couples, families and individuals to make relationships work better by delivering inclusive, high-quality services that are relevant at every stage of life.
“We help both the public and policy makers to improve their understanding of relationships and what makes them flourish,” she said.
Relate offers instant, online chats with a trained counsellor free of charge. Sessions usually last around 25 minutes.
Once on the Relate website, users need only to click the “start chart” button to be transferred to the live chat.
Talkspace, also based in the US, is a subscription therapy service which runs on messaging and live chats.
Couples therapy is also available, at an additional charge.
Though Talkspace offers unlimited messaging, price packages vary according to the number of live sessions the user requires.
Packages offer between one to four live chats to users per month and prices range between $128 (around R1717) to $276 (around R3703).
According to the Talkspace customer care team which responded to questions earlier this week, live chats are only available on IOS or Android.
The team explained: “All of our subscriptions are automatically charged on a monthly basis. There are no contracts whatsoever and you can cancel your plan any time.
“Because our therapists are real people who have multiple clients, families, lives, etc (just like you and me), each therapist is a little different. Usually the therapist will respond once or twice a day. Other users like to set up a specific time once each week with their therapist so that they can message each other in real time (sort of like a face-to-face session would be). The best thing to do is talk to your therapist about your schedule and your needs, and see what will work best for both of you.
“One of the biggest obstacles that prevents people from going to a therapist is stigma or dishonour associated with therapy. We want to make sure you feel 100% comfortable and safe with your therapist.
“Privacy, security and anonymity are incredibly important to us. You have the opportunity to create a unique username during the registration process.
“This is the only name your therapist will see. It’s completely up to you whether or not you reveal your real name to anyone at any time.”
Despite these platforms attracting thousands of users, East London-based psychologist Rochelle Clarke said face-to-face therapy was crucial in order to determine facial expressions, body language and voice tone.
“These are some of the things that prove useful to us when we provide therapy to people,” she said.
“Sometimes we even get clients to do a little assessment first before we start with session. You can’t do any of that with online counselling. This is not something that I would ever consider.”
Matas concluded: “We believe that human-to- human help cannot and should not be replaced by automated technology. For me, the most rewarding part of this job is the phenomenal feedback we receive every day. Thousands of people have already come forward to express how BetterHelp made a huge change in their lives. So many others posted a testimonial at independent review sites, recommended us in social media, or put a raving five-star review in the (Apple) app store.
“Many people in our team, including myself, have been involved in the creation and growth of several successful companies. Still, we all agree that nothing in our experience comes close to this chance we have in making a difference in people’s lives and helping them reach a healthier and happier state of mind. We are honoured and humbled by this opportunity. Our team keeps growing with devoted and talented professionals who strive to make the best product and service possible.” — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
Online therapy just a click away
This has been made possible through online counselling, a platform which pairs clients with counsellors in which therapy can be conducted with the use of a phone, tablet or computer.
Sessions happen through a variety of platforms including real-time instant messaging, voice calls, video calls, texts or email.
Clients are billed a weekly or a monthly fee for the service.
According to US-based BetterHelp founder Alon Matas – who claims to be the biggest provider of online counselling in the world – the inspiration to start the business was a personal crisis which happened three years ago where he was in need of counselling services.
Matas said while searching for a counsellor to assist him, he found that traditional counselling was too expensive, time-consuming, inconvenient and inaccessible – with an added concern over the lack of privacy and stigma attached to it.
“This made me think: We use the internet to shop better, learn better and work better; isn’t it time we start using the internet to live better?” he said.
“With that mission in mind, BetterHelp was launched in the summer of 2013.
“We provide anyone facing life challenges with easy, discreet and affordable access to professional counselling from a licensed therapist.
“We are leveraging new technologies to adapt traditional counselling into the lifestyle and expectations of today’s consumers. Our members receive professional counselling using their computer, tablet or mobile phone – any time they need it and anywhere they are.
“Today, BetterHelp is the largest e-counselling platform worldwide and we’re excited to see that it’s already making such a great impact.”
Matas said to date, BetterHelp has helped a total of over 200000 clients, with more than 10000 of those from South Africa.
They are counselled by a team of 650 US-based licensed therapists.
To sign up, users complete a questionnaire which enquires after details such as:
l Gender;
l Age;
l Relationship status;
l Whether the user has ever been in therapy before;
l The user’s physical health details such as a possible lack of energy, poor appetite or overeating;
l Sleeping patterns;
l Eating habits;
l Financial status;
l Emotional health status which includes whether the user feels down, depressed or hopeless and if so for how long;
l Whether or not the user has experienced symptoms such as moving or speaking slowly, whether they are feeling fidgety, restless or moving around more often than usual;
l The presence of suicidal thoughts or chronic pain;
l The user’s religious beliefs;
l Possible intimacy challenges; and
l The user’s sexual orientation.
The user then sets up a private account and thereafter is paired with a counsellor best suited to their needs.
This service costs between $35 (around R469) to $65 (around R872) per week for unlimited counselling.
UK-based Relate, another online therapy platform, uses much the same method as BetterHealth, although their focus is on couples.
Senior media and communications officer Sarah Osmik said the organisation was founded in 1938 as the Marriage Guidance Council, later branching out to offer counselling to all people including single people, cohabiting couples, same sex couples, children and young people and families.
It was in 2013 that the organisation decided to embrace a more modern and innovative method of serving their communities by offering live chats, which allows people to access therapy anywhere at any time.
“Our mission is to develop and support healthy relationships by helping couples, families and individuals to make relationships work better by delivering inclusive, high-quality services that are relevant at every stage of life.
“We help both the public and policy makers to improve their understanding of relationships and what makes them flourish,” she said.
Relate offers instant, online chats with a trained counsellor free of charge. Sessions usually last around 25 minutes.
Once on the Relate website, users need only to click the “start chart” button to be transferred to the live chat.
Talkspace, also based in the US, is a subscription therapy service which runs on messaging and live chats.
Couples therapy is also available, at an additional charge.
Though Talkspace offers unlimited messaging, price packages vary according to the number of live sessions the user requires.
Packages offer between one to four live chats to users per month and prices range between $128 (around R1717) to $276 (around R3703).
According to the Talkspace customer care team which responded to questions earlier this week, live chats are only available on IOS or Android.
The team explained: “All of our subscriptions are automatically charged on a monthly basis. There are no contracts whatsoever and you can cancel your plan any time.
“Because our therapists are real people who have multiple clients, families, lives, etc (just like you and me), each therapist is a little different. Usually the therapist will respond once or twice a day. Other users like to set up a specific time once each week with their therapist so that they can message each other in real time (sort of like a face-to-face session would be). The best thing to do is talk to your therapist about your schedule and your needs, and see what will work best for both of you.
“One of the biggest obstacles that prevents people from going to a therapist is stigma or dishonour associated with therapy. We want to make sure you feel 100% comfortable and safe with your therapist.
“Privacy, security and anonymity are incredibly important to us. You have the opportunity to create a unique username during the registration process.
“This is the only name your therapist will see. It’s completely up to you whether or not you reveal your real name to anyone at any time.”
Despite these platforms attracting thousands of users, East London-based psychologist Rochelle Clarke said face-to-face therapy was crucial in order to determine facial expressions, body language and voice tone.
“These are some of the things that prove useful to us when we provide therapy to people,” she said.
“Sometimes we even get clients to do a little assessment first before we start with session. You can’t do any of that with online counselling. This is not something that I would ever consider.”
Matas concluded: “We believe that human-to- human help cannot and should not be replaced by automated technology. For me, the most rewarding part of this job is the phenomenal feedback we receive every day. Thousands of people have already come forward to express how BetterHelp made a huge change in their lives. So many others posted a testimonial at independent review sites, recommended us in social media, or put a raving five-star review in the (Apple) app store.
“Many people in our team, including myself, have been involved in the creation and growth of several successful companies. Still, we all agree that nothing in our experience comes close to this chance we have in making a difference in people’s lives and helping them reach a healthier and happier state of mind. We are honoured and humbled by this opportunity. Our team keeps growing with devoted and talented professionals who strive to make the best product and service possible.” — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
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