While online therapy is relatively new, emerging industry leaders are already rising to the top of the market. One of these companies that self-proclaims as the #1 rated online therapy company is Talkspace. If you’re considering trying out an online therapy provider, our Talkspace review should help you make a much more informed decision to best suit your needs.
As always, if you’re currently experiencing suicidal thoughts or thinking about harming yourself, please pick up your phone and dial 9-1-1 immediately.
2022 Talkspace Review Score – 4.9/5
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Ease of Use | 4.9/5.0 |
| Features | 4.9/5.0 |
| Cost | 5.0/5.0 |
| Experience | 4.8/5.0 |
| Final Score | 4.9/5.0 |
Contents of our Talkspace Review
- Pros and Cons of Talkspace Therapy
- Fast Facts About Talkspace Online Therapy
- The Sign-Up Process
- Services Offered by Talkspace
- Reviewing Talkspace Patient Privacy
- Talkspace Cost and Insurance
- Verdict – Is Talkspace Worth It?
- Talkspace FAQ
Pros and Cons of Talkspace Therapy
Pros
- 5,800+ five-star reviews
- The ability to text your therapist anytime
- Accepts many major insurance providers
- Option to choose therapy, psychiatry, or both services
Cons
- Plans require at least a month-long commitment
Overall, we were pretty pleased with the quality of the service we saw during the Talkspace review. Some of the standout moments were the flexibility that came with the Unlimited Messaging Therapy™ feature, the attention to detail when matching people with one of their thousands of therapists, and the fact the company has been around for nearly a decade with a great track record.
And a nice little cherry on top, Talkspace is sponsored and supported by Demi Lovato, a two-time Grammy nominated singer notably known for her work in the area of bullying and Michael Phelps, a multi-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer.
Fast Facts About Talkspace Online Therapy
- Talkspace has been around for almost a decade, officially launching back in 2012.
- Unlimited Messaging Therapy™ is a unique Talkspace feature that allows you to text with a therapist at any time of the day.
- The company offers many employee assistance programs (EAP) with partnerships with many employers, colleges, professional fraternities and sororities, and private organizations.
- One of the key benefits of using Talkspace is the ability to chat with a matching therapist first to help pair you with the right person
The Sign-Up Process
One of the shining moments of our Talkspace review was the sign up process. The company does a masterful job of keeping it simple while not ignoring the importance of the matching process. If you don’t get paired up with a therapist or psychiatrist that’s a great fit for you, the quality of your treatment and service is going to be impacted.
The process is slightly different if you’re looking for online therapy services or online psychiatry services.
For online therapy services, you’ll answer some questions about you, what you need help with, and what you’re looking for during the intake process. From there, a highly-technological algorithm produces three potential therapist options for you to choose from. Make your selection, and you can be messaging with your new therapist within 24 hours time in a dedicated and private online space.
If you’re looking for psychiatry services through Talkspace, the process is a bit different. Instead of using the algorithm, you’ll chat live with a matching agent who will help you pick out the best provider for you. Once you’ve found the right fit, you’ll schedule your first video session. During that first session, your new doctor will work with you to put together the best treatment plan possible.
Overall, we were impressed with the simplicity of the sign up process, yet the attention to the important details to make sure you’re properly matched to get the help you need. If you’d like to give it a try now, the link below will get you started with the process.
Services Offered by Talkspace
Every other part of this Talkspace review becomes pointless if they can’t help you with what it is you need help with. With Talkspace, all of the services fall under two main categories:
- Therapy Services
- Psychiatry Services
Within these different parent categories, you’ll find treatment options for individuals, couples, and teens.
According to the Talkspace website, the company has helped people with the following things:
- Anxiety
- Addiction
- Couples
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
- LGBT Issues
- Relationships (Family or Friends)
What’s unique about Talkspace compared with other online therapy companies is that the service is not just based around live video sessions. The bread and butter of Talkspace is the ability to text with your therapist five days a week. So, if you happen to have an issue or a question that comes up between sessions, you can get the help you need. And if you are looking for live sessions, those are certainly available as well.
For people who may need the help of medication, Talkspace psychiatrists can help you out. Some of the medicines popularly prescribed through the platform include:
- Adderall
- Ativan
- Concerta
- Klonopin
- Librium
- Tranxene
- Ritalin
- Vyvanse
- Valium
- Xanax
- Lithium
Reviewing Talkspace Patient Privacy
As you can probably guess, patient privacy and overall security are the most important factors for us when it comes to evaluating online therapy companies. During our Talkspace review, it was a slam-dunk five-stars from the company. Here are some of the highlights:
- Payment processor properly encrypted and inline with the leading industry standards
- Fully HIPAA compliant software
- Integrates with Touch ID and Face ID on enabled devices
- Chat data is fully encrypted
Talkspace Cost and Insurance
The pricing of Talkspace depends heavily on what services you’re looking to get and the level of interaction you’d like. Before we start breaking down the actual numbers, let’s talk about insurance. If your insurance covers your treatment, you may not need to worry about the pricing.
According to Talkspace, over 40 million Americans are covered for online therapy services through their insurance. Additionally, Talkspace partners with several employee assistance programs (EAPs), so you may actually be covered through your employer. The links at the top and bottom of this page will take you directly over to the website where you can put in your company and organization’s names to see if any of them are offering you services. It takes just a few seconds, and is certainly worth it if you’re not sure.
Talkspace works with many insurance providers, including some of the major providers like Cigna and Humana.
When it comes to the Talkspace cost, it can be a little confusing if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Your two options are monthly plans and a la carte sessions.
Therapy Costs at Talkspace
| Therapy Plans | Monthly Pricing | Quarterly Pricing | Biannual Pricing | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Messaging Therapy Plus | $260 | $708 | $1,248 | Unlimited text, video, and audio 5 days a week |
| Unlimited Messaging Therapy Premium | $316 | $852 | $1,512 | All Plus Plan options + 1 monthly live session |
| Unlimited Messaging Therapy Ultimate | $396 | $1,068 | $1,896 | All Plus Plan options + 4 monthly live sessions |
| Couples Therapy | $396 | $1,068 | NA | All Plus Plan options + 4 monthly live sessions |
| Teen Therapy | $260 | NA | NA | Unlimited text, video, and audio 5 days a week |
| Insomnia Therapy | $260 | $520 (for 8 weeks) | NA | 8 weeks of therapy |
The Talkspace therapy programs are available in three main plans—Plus, Premium, and Ultimate. The Plus plan doesn’t come with any live sessions, but does give you five days a week of unlimited messaging with your therapist via text, video, and audio. When you step up to the Premium and Ultimate plans, live sessions are included. The Premium plan with Talkspace includes one 30-minute session per month and the Ultimate plan includes four 30-minute sessions per month.
Couples therapy pricing at Talkspace mirrors what you get with the Ultimate plan, except billing is only available monthly or quarterly. For teen therapy, the only option is to pay monthly for the equivalent of the Plus plan. You can add on a la carte sessions, though, to any of these plans.
- All live sessions are 30-minutes in length.
- Extra live sessions may be added to the above plans for $65 per 30-minute session.
- Additionally, Insomnia Therapy is available in 8-week blocks for a total of $520. You can break this up into two monthly payments of $260 if you’d like.
Psychiatry Costs at Talkspace
| Psychiatry Plans | Initial Evaluation | Follow-Up Session | Total Cost | Bundle Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Evaluation + 1 follow-up session | $199 | $113 | $312 | 10% |
| Initial Evaluation + 3 follow-up session | $199 | $106 | $518 | 15% |
| Initial Evaluation + 6 follow-up session | $199 | $100 | $799 | 20% |
The Talkspace costs for psychiatry are quite straightforward. Every new patient undergoes a $199 initial evaluation. You can choose to bundle your first set of follow-up sessions at the time of purchase for a discount of between 10% and 20%.
Verdict – Is Talkspace Worth It?
If you’re looking for psychiatry services or to get prescribed the medication you many need, Talkspace is an incredibly easy to use platform that will get you connected fast. For psychiatry services, Talkspace is 100% worth it.
When it comes to therapy, it depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re not interested in the unique ability to text your therapist at anytime five days a week, you may be able to find a better online therapy option. However, people who want a mix of live sessions and unlimited texting or who just want the unlimited texting option will love what Talkspace has to offer.
The bottom line verdict of our Talkspace review is that for psychiatry needs, medication needs, and people interested in the unique therapy messaging feature—it’s definitely worth it.
Talkspace FAQ
Are the therapists and psychiatrist at Talkspace licensed?
Yes! All of the medical professionals working at Talkspace are licensed in their respective field. You’ll find Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC), Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT), Licensed and Independent Clinical Social Workers (LICSW), as well as licensed psychiatrists.
How quickly can I make an appointment with Talkspace?
You can sign up for the service right now. According tot he company, you can be messaging your licensed therapist within 24 hours of signing up and selecting a partner to work with. For psychiatry prescribers (to get medication), you will be able to book an appointment as soon as you are complete with the sign up process. Appointments can’t be made any shorter notice than 48 hours in advance.
Will I see the same doctor every time at Talkspace?
Yes, you will see the same therapist or psychiatrist every time you use Talkspace. If you don’t like the provider you have, you can switch at any point in time with no interruption in service.
Am I able to use Talkspace along with an in-person therapist?
Yes! Some people like to use Talkspace as a standalone solution, while others may use it to augment the work they are doing with another therapist. You are free to share your prescriber’s notes from Talkspace with any off-platform provider.
