Pride counseling is one of the leaders in online therapy specifically designed for the LGBTQ community. The therapists are especially knowledgeable about the issues this community faces, which makes for a great and inclusive experience. If you’re curious if this online therapy provider is right for you, then stick around for our full Pride Counseling review.
Our team is going to breakdown the background information you need on Pride Counseling, what services are offered, how to get signed up, important privacy considerations, how much the therapy services costs, and whether or not we think Pride Counseling is worth it.
2022 Pride Counseling Review Score – 4.9/5
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Ease of Use | 4.9/5.0 |
| Features | 4.7/5.0 |
| Cost | 5.0/5.0 |
| Experience | 4.9/5.0 |
| Final Score | 4.9/5.0 |
Contents of our Pride Counseling Review
- Pros and Cons of Pride Counseling Therapy
- Fast Facts About Pride Counseling Online Therapy
- The Sign-Up Process
- Services Offered by Pride Counseling
- Reviewing Pride Counseling Patient Privacy
- Pride Counseling Cost and Insurance
- Verdict – Is Pride Counseling Worth It?
- Pride Counseling FAQ
Pros and Cons of Pride Counseling Therapy
Pros
- The ability to opt for more discreet billing options (shows BetterHelp instead of Pride Counseling).
- Counselors 100% focused on helping people in the LGBTQ community.
- Fully accepting of people from every gender, orientation and identity.
- One simple plan to choose from that comes with all the features available.
- You can join anonymously if you want to.
Cons
- No access to psychiatrists who can prescribe medicine
Fast Facts About Pride Counseling Online Therapy
- Sister company to BetterHelp and a subsidiary of the parent company Teladoc
- Over 3,000 therapists you can be matched with
- Launched in 2017 to serve the LGBTQ community’s unique needs
The Sign-Up Process
The first stop of our Pride counseling review is the sign-up process. Compared with other options on the market, the Pride Counseling process is easy and quite straightforward. What really stands out is that the company uses an in-depth questionnaire to match you with the right therapist. Sometimes we see companies that rush through this process for faster sign-ups, but that’s not ideal if the right fit is important to you.
The entire sign-up process takes about 5-10 minutes from start to finish. Additionally, you can skip any of the questions you want if you’re not sure of your answer.
Services Offered by Pride Counseling
The primary services of Pride Counseling are therapy and psychology help for people in the LGBTQ community. If you’re looking for psychiatry services or someone to prescribe medicine, you will need to choose a different option as there are no psychiatry options available. The parent company Teladoc does offer affordable options in case you’re looking for that specifically.
If you happen to be looking for a letter of recommendation for HRT, you may be able to get that through the platform. However, from our Pride Counseling review, it’s important to note the company makes it clear it doesn’t guarantee this. Additionally, it goes a step forward for transparency to state that a lot of the therapists on the platform don’t because they’d prefer an in-person consultation first.
How Pride Counseling Works
The premise of Pride Counseling is an innovative approach that combines traditional one-on-one sessions with unlimited anytime text therapy and other available resources. During your week, you’ll have a live session with your therapist, the ability to text them at any point in time, and access to worksheets and other additional resources.
And while you’re guaranteed the one live session a week, it can actually be broken up some, depending on your counselor and what you want. For example, some people prefer to have one long live session every week, and some people prefer to have a few small/short sessions. All of this is covered through your subscription without any additional fees.
Reviewing Pride Counseling Patient Privacy
When it comes to privacy, Pride Counseling gets it. During the review, here’s what we found:
- 100% HIPAA compliant
- You can join with a nickname and remain anonymous
- All communications are protected by state and federal laws
- High-level SSL encryption and messaging protection (banking-grade 256-bit encryption)
- The ability to “shred” any message you send in case you don’t want it showing up again
- You can opt for discreet billing where the charge shows up as “BetterHelp” instead of “Pride Counseling”
Pride Counseling Cost and Insurance
If you’re worried about the cost of services, stay tuned because you’ve reached that portion of our Pride Counseling review. Here’s the good news. The pricing structure is extremely straightforward. There’s just one plan to choose from that comes with all of the features available. Weekly costs are between $60 and $90 (the exact amount depends on where you live and what type of help you request). All services are billed in four-week increments.
| Plan | Weekly Cost | Monthly Cost | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Week Plan | $60 - $90 | $240 - $360 | Unlimited text, video, audio messaging + 1 live session per week |
Key Details About the Pricing at Pride Counseling
- There’s only one plan to choose from at Pride Counseling.
- Where you fall in the $60-$90 per week range depends on your location and the type of services you need.
- All subscriptions are billed in 4-week increments; cancel anytime you want.
- Payment available through major credit cards or Google Pay.
Does Pride Counseling offer financial aid?
Yes, Pride Counseling does offer financial aid for those that may have a hard time paying for their online therapy services. When you join through the link we’ve provided, start by going through the sign-up process. When you get to the checkout page (before paying), there’s a link to fill out the financial aid application. We’re not aware of what the criteria are to get accepted or what’s available, but it’s worth applying if you have a pressing financial need.
Does Pride Counseling take insurance?
While it is possible that you might be able to get your services covered through insurance with Pride Counseling, the company is pretty adamant that it doesn’t prefer to work with insurance. Instead, Pride Counseling states that it prices its membership low enough to be as affordable as possible.
Verdict – Is Pride Counseling Worth It?
In our opinion and after completing this Pride Counseling review—absolutely. First, the company may be newer, but it comes with the backing of major brands BetterHelp and Teladoc. Second, the fact this online therapy company is laser-focused on helping the LGBTQ community is a big win if you fit into that community.
The only people that Pride Counseling might not be a good fit for are those looking to get medication prescribed. You’ll want to go through Teladoc or another top online therapy platform that has psychiatrists on staff.
Pride Counseling FAQ
Are all of the therapists at Pride Counseling licensed?
Yes, Pride Counseling only works with licensed therapists.
How long does it take at Pride Counseling to get matched with a therapist?
According to the Pride Counseling website, it can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to match with your therapist options. However, in our experience, we got our matches within about an hour. If it does take a little longer for you, it’s only because the company takes matching you with the right therapist so seriously.
Is Pride Counseling better than Talkspace?
Pride Counseling is better suited for members of the LGBTQ community, as that’s its prime focus. However, if you’re looking for an online therapy option that happily takes insurance and has psychiatrists on staff, you may want to try Talkspace.
