Is Betterhelp Therapy Free? (3 reasons why)

This article will look at the question of whether or not Betterhelp provides free therapy or counseling on their online platform. It will also address the advantages and disadvantages that are usually associated with free therapy and why, if, Betterhelp does not provide free therapy!

Is Betterhelp Therapy Free?  

Betterhelp therapy is not free and costs between $60 to $90 per week however the client is billed for every 4 weeks with the option of canceling membership at any time. There could be a number of reasons why they are not a free therapy or counseling service such as:

• The Counselors & Therapists Are Licensed Professionals
• Mental Health Is An Investment – Use It Wisely
• They Are An Established Platform – Not A Cheap Setup

These are the possible reasons as to why Betterhelp is not a free online platform for mental help services that include counseling and therapy. It is necessary to state again that these reasons are not cited by Betterhelp themself but are assumptions based on the nature of online services and the services at Betterhelp.

Let us take a look at what Betterhelp exactly is and examine the type of services they provide!

What Is Betterhelp – The Virtual Therapist

Betterhelp is one of the largest online platforms that provides multiple services for all types of people who are suffering from mental health problems and require counseling. What is great about this service is that it is online hence it is available anywhere and every time. You do not have to go to the doctor’s office to get an appointment or wait in line for your turn. This is great if you feel pretty down and getting out of bed is a challenge for you!

With around 1700 licensed professionals onboard, more than 900,000 clients and having conducted at least 70 million sessions online, it would be insufficient to say it is just one of those online platforms that provide mental health services! The best thing about Betterhelp is that it is available to all people regardless of their background and ensures people can choose the medium of communication that is most appropriate for them such as chatting, calls or video sessions with their counselors.

The Services Of Betterhelp

Here are some of the services that are available at Betterhelp:

• Customized Counseling Sessions
• Smart Provider Matching
• Digital Worksheets
• Group Sessions

Customized Counseling Sessions

Usually when you visit your therapist at their office, there is only one medium of interaction which is the face to face one; you sit in an office and face your therapist in person while trying to open up about your problems. Although this medium has its own advantages, many people find it difficult to participate in such sessions especially when they are sharing sensitive and somewhat explicit information about themselves.

Betterhelp provides customized sessions; depending on your comfort level they allow you to take sessions with your counselor or therapists through chatting, audio and video calls. Hence, clients can choose what medium suits them and their needs the best while ensuring their comfort is not disturbed.

Smart Provider Matching

At Betterhelp people have a lot of options compared to your usual experience at the clinic; the options at a physical clinic or counseling facility are limited because you need to choose someone from a pool of limited options. Sometimes you end up being assigned to a counselor who you don’t get along with or have eye to eye with. 

Betterhelp makes an extra effort; they not only have an extensive pool of experts to pair you up with but they give you the liberty to choose and also help out. They have a matching system that determines which counselor will suit your needs the most keeping in mind your demographics, personality and background as well as mental health needs.

Digital Worksheets

Choose from more than 150+ digital worksheets at Betterhelp! They understand the importance of working consistently on your mental health even after a session ends. People who are suffering in terms of their mental health require much support throughout the day; small reminders, tasks to keep them going and just knowing that they have a commitment to get back to. It helps a lot. 

Group Sessions

As a member of Betterhelp, you can join multiple group sessions which are led by experts; you can also participate in these actively as they are interactive sessions and help bring together people who share things in common.

Side Note: I have tried and tested various products and services to help with my anxiety and depression. See my top recommendations here, as well as a full list of all products and services our team has tested for various mental health conditions and general wellness.

Why Is Betterhelp Not Free – Don’t They Care?

Just because a certain service requires money does not mean they don’t care! Providing a certain service even to those in need requires much effort and finance; you have to bring people and resources together in a structured and maintained system to ensure its long term sustainability and fruitfulness. 

Let us take a look at why Betterhelp charges for its services!

The Counselors & Therapists Are Licensed Professionals

It is important to realize that the service providers available at Betterhelp are people who are licensed professionals; they have spent their time and money to become qualified to help people in times of need so that they can make the right diagnosis, provide the right treatment and ensure you become better again soon. 

What is known as the opportunity cost is an important concept here. It refers to the phenomena where if you take upn a certain option, what other options would you not be able to avail. In this case, these professionals have chosen to provide you services online and not work at other places; they too need to make a living and ensure progress in their own lives. 

Hence to maintain a healthy ecosystem at their company, Betterhelp needs to charge a fixed fee so they can ensure you get the help you need.

Mental Health Is An Investment – Use It Wisely

You may have heard that money entails commitment and value! That is perfectly true. Once you pay or have your money invested somewhere, not only do you consider that entity valuable but you are committed to it in one way or the other. 

Let’s say therapy or counseling at Betterhelp was free; people who would not even need counseling may sign up for services just to have fun. Also, in the case people still need services, because there is no committing factor, they may decide to stop taking the help they need and join some other time. It is okay to take a break but sometimes you just need to push yourself and finish what you need to finish!

It is necessary to remember that on the other side of the screen, we ultimately have a person who is investing their time and energy in your betterment; they want to see you get better and ensure that they work they put in is not only beneficial for you but makes them feel fulfilled in the sense that they have helped someone and contributed to their field’s purpose. So if we have people who do not take these services seriously, it can affect the motivational levels of the professionals providing these services.

This is a probable reason as to why Betterhelp charges for its services; to ensure that the people who avail them are actually in need of help.

They Are An Established Platform – Not A Cheap Setup

It takes a lot of resources to set up the perfect platform that provides services to you in an efficient and safe manner! Have you noticed the extra mile Betterhelp goes to ensure your comfort levels are maintained; they have services to allow for chatting, audio and video calls and the option to choose a preferred counselor.

Also, security is a huge issue nowadays and Betterhelp realizes that. This is why they have one of the best security softwares operating to ensure your confidentiality.

It takes a lot of effort to bring so many people to one platform, the marketing and human resource efforts as well as the finance required to make this platform would sure be immense!

Conclusion

This article looked at the question of whether the online company Betterhelp provides free counseling services or not. After answering the question, it went on to explain what Betterhelp is and what their services are in order to help the audience develop a complete understanding as to why betterhelp does not provide free services. The article also mentioned that the reasons cited in this article are probable and not absolute in nature.