The Best Providers of Online Family Therapy

These days, finding a reliable provider of family therapy is more important than ever. For those seeking convenience and accessibility, online family therapy may be the best option. Check out the best providers of online family therapy to help your family thrive.

Online family therapy is a virtual kind of psychotherapy that can assist families in enhancing communication, resolving internal problems, and coping with situations involving aggression, mental health, or substance abuse. One of the benefits of virtual family therapy is that appointments are often available sooner than in-person counseling, and it may even be less expensive.

Family therapists are uniquely qualified to deliver a wide range of services and address various problems, all intending to foster greater family harmony. However, it is vital to remember that it typically takes multiple therapy sessions to get long-term improvements. Above all, family therapy will serve as a useful tool for getting everyone in the family on the same page and working together to create a more communicative, relaxed, and happier atmosphere.

Access to family therapists has become considerably simpler and more economical, especially in locations where family therapists are few. Based on internal testing of 55 providers and user survey data from over 105 patients at each provider, we list below the top online family therapy alternatives for a variety of requirements, finances, and locations.

Thriveworks

Thriveworks was founded in 2008 to improve mental healthcare to enable people to live happier, more prosperous lives. In addition to services to treat anxiety, depression, stress, delusions, and panic attacks, one of its most notable services is online family counseling to address issues affecting the family unit, such as connecting with other family members, establishing healthy boundaries, and developing empathy for each other.

The Thriveworks service model prioritizes effectiveness and responsiveness. If you pay a membership fee, therapists or psychiatrists are available through phone or email between sessions. A number of Thriveworks’ clinics can schedule an urgent session. Appointments can be scheduled by calling the company, visiting a physical clinic, or signing up online. The duration of therapy sessions is between 50 and 60 minutes.

Thriveworks accepts insurance; our user study revealed that 33% of therapy seekers consider insurance acceptance one of the most crucial elements enabling them to engage in therapy. If therapy is covered by insurance, the out-of-pocket expense is limited to a copayment. Without insurance, session rates range from $60 to $130.

Online and in-person family counseling at Thriveworks costs between $0 and $99 every 50- to 60-minute session, depending on whether it is covered by insurance. The majority of major insurance providers, including Blue Cross, Anthem, Optum, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, and many others, are accepted by the business. This varies by geography and service provider. You can pay per session, which gives phone and email contact to a counselor between meetings and a flexible cancellation policy of 23.5 hours. If you do not cancel in time, you are charged a no-show fee (albeit the website does not make this cost clear). There are no complimentary consultations or evaluations.

90% of surveyed users rated their overall Thriveworks experience highly, and 78% stated their provider satisfied most of their needs. Yet, only 52% believed they would continue to visit their therapist six months later. Forty-five percent of respondents indicated that they are extremely likely to refer Thriveworks to a friend.

Teen Counseling

Teen Counseling is a 2015-founded online therapy company owned and administered by the treatment platform BetterHelp. It provides online, on-demand counseling for adolescents between 13 and 19 years old.

After submitting payment and contact information, the site provides a selection of providers based on their biographies, specialties, clinical approaches, and availability. Therapy sessions are 30 minutes, and clients can communicate via text messages, live text platforms, the telephone, or video conferencing. Consumers love having the ability to choose before each session whether the teen and parent will chat with the therapist, just the parent, or just the teen. If both parent and teen are participating in the session, they can pick between chat, video, and phone.

Teen Counseling does not accept insurance; instead, it provides a subscription for $60 to $90 each week that includes unlimited messaging and a weekly live virtual counseling session. The actual weekly amount depends on the person’s preferences, location, and needs, and is not known until the user registers. Users can cancel anytime.

Teen Counseling’s online family counseling costs $60 to $90 per week (billed monthly). The business does not accept insurance plans. There is no free consultation or evaluation available.

According to our poll, 70% of consumers thought Adolescent Counseling to be a good value for the money, and 49% considered the service to be reasonably priced. 30% of respondents believed their adolescent would still be seeing the therapist six months after the study. Nonetheless, 85 percent of customers believed their overall experience with the organization was good or great.

Talkspace

Talkspace is the greatest app-based family counseling therapy service. Roni and Oren Frank, a married couple, launched the company in 2012 with the objective of making high-quality therapy more accessible and inexpensive for everyone. The firm has expanded over the past decade to enable users to send text, video, or audio messages to their therapist 24/7. The partnership has guided Talkspace to numerous achievements, including the company’s 2021 Nasdaq IPO.

The registration process is simple. The first step is to create an account, followed by a private consultation with a licensed mental health expert. After the consultation, Talkspace matches users with many therapists from whom they can pick or request an alternative match.

In addition to Bowenian, structural, systemic, and strategic therapy, family therapists on Talkspace provide several other treatment modalities. This platform’s app-based messaging is perfect for customers who wish to contact their therapist between sessions; the average wait time for a response to a message is approximately three hours. Customers value the ability to send unlimited messages to their therapist five days per week as part of their subscription plan.

Talkspace charges between $276 and $396 per month for online family counseling. Nevertheless, neither Medicaid nor Medicare is accepted. You can also use a flexible spending account (FSA) or a health spending account (HSA) (HSA). No free consultations or assessments are offered.

There are three available plan options:

• Unlimited messaging treatment plus: $276 per month for five days of free text, video, and audio chatting.
• Premium unlimited messaging treatment: $316 per month for unlimited text, video, and audio messaging five days per week and one 30-minute live therapy session each month.
• Ultimate unlimited messaging treatment: $396 per month for unlimited text, video, and audio messaging five days per week and four 30-minute live counseling sessions each month.

Eighty-two percent of users reported that the Talkspace website was simple or very simple to use. Eighty-three percent indicated they were satisfied or extremely satisfied with the Talkspace therapist alternatives. Eighty-two percent of Talkspace users indicated they would suggest the company to a friend.

Little Otter

Little Otter is the greatest family counseling program for families with children younger than 14 years old. Rebecca Egger and her child psychiatrist mother, Helen Egger, MD, launched the company in 2020. The fact that Dr. Egger’s kid was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune condition inspired her to build a platform that could assist other families in obtaining care.

Tiny Otter registration is uncomplicated. After registering, a care lead performs a 30-minute Zoom call. This therapist will then determine the treatment type your family requires. Customers are urged to attend a minimum of four sessions with their allocated therapist before attempting to change therapists. Patients admired the website’s usability and the fact that the company provides free exams and toolkits.

Little Otter is exclusively in-network with Kaiser Permanente, and a local clinic pre-authorization is required prior to enrolling in this insurance. Some insurance policies may cover additional out-of-network charges, depending on the plan and provider.

Little Otter’s online family counseling is priced at $90 for the initial session and $200 for each 45-minute session. Moreover, you may purchase packaged sessions for $540 for an assessment and three sessions ($180 for every 45-minute session) or $2,040 for twelve sessions ($170 per session). Kaiser Permanente is the sole insurer accepted, and no free consultations or assessments exist.

75% of consumers rated their overall experience with Little Otter as good to outstanding, while 70% stated their therapist satisfied all or most of their needs. Also, 65% of Little Otter users were satisfied with the therapy alternatives supplied. 58% said they would suggest Little Otter to their friends and relatives.

Octave

Octave is a major supplier of adult family therapy that assists family members in overcoming emotional and mental obstacles to interact more effectively. By focusing on issues that affect the family unit, Octave seeks to improve the inter-family communication dynamics.

Sandeep Acharya, the former head of strategy at One Medical, started it in 2018. In 2022, Octave joined with a fourth major insurance provider to satisfy California’s growing demand for mental health care.

Beginning treatment at Octave begins with a brief intake, followed by the selection of a therapist who best meets your needs. Octave suggests combining family therapy with individual counseling from another practitioner, while family therapy is also accessible on its own. In the family therapy sessions, you and at least two other adults will collaborate with your therapist to develop a care plan, which the therapist will then use to measure and track your progress. Children and adolescents are prohibited from participating in family therapy.

Customers value the fact that numerous Octave providers are from oppressed populations and specialize in addressing racial trauma and LGBTQIA+ concerns.

Each session of online family counseling costs between $190 and $275. A limited number of insurance providers are accepted. No free consultations or assessments are offered.

54% of visitors regarded the Octave website to be easy or very easy to navigate. Eighty-two percent of users reported that their service provider met all or the majority of their requirements. Seventy-one percent of users rated their entire experience with Octave as satisfactory to outstanding.

Lifestance

LifeStance Health is the greatest choice for parent-child therapy because it provides a variety of healthcare services to families with various difficulties. Michael Lester, Danish Qureshi, and Gwen Booth, seasoned healthcare executives, created LifeStance Health in 2017. LifeStance became a publicly traded firm four years later.

Except for Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming, LifeStance provides services in every state.

Joining up is simple and uncomplicated. The duration of therapy sessions is 45 minutes, although the therapist has the right to extend the session. Child-parent relationship counseling (for children ages 3 to 8) and child and adolescent therapy are provided by LifeStance. In addition to psychotherapy, pharmaceutical management, and psychiatric services are also offered.

Consumers argue that the company’s invoicing practices are opaque, and LifeStance does not disclose expenses up front, which frustrates many clients. The podcasts on the LifeStance Health website that provide instructive and engaging dialogues are appreciated by users.

Paying privately for online family counseling costs $75 to $300 per session. Most commercial insurance policies are accepted in states where the company provides services. No free consultation or assessments are provided.

Seventy percent of users expressed satisfaction with the available therapists, with 73 percent stating that they addressed all or most of their needs. Eighty percent of Lifestance customers rated their overall satisfaction as satisfactory to outstanding.

Kip Therapy

Kip Therapy is the ideal option for LGBTQIA+ individuals who wish to work through issues linked to their LGBTQIA+ identification or who wish to seek treatment with their family in order to reach a better place. Clients can have faith that their therapist will deliver caring, affirming treatment.

Ryan Kull, Ph.D., an educator and therapist with over twenty years of experience in sexual orientation and gender identity issues, founded Kip. Prior to the epidemic, the firm in New York was a traditional in-person operation, but the corporation changed its services online. Kip takes pride in its staff’s cultural sensitivity and understanding of the needs of its different clientele.

Sessions of psychotherapy are 45 minutes long. Kip Treatment accepts no insurance plans. You are charged for each session, but you may cancel your subscription at any moment. Users reported that, despite the high cost, the services were outstanding or excellent and helped them achieve their objectives.

Kip offers online family counseling for $95 to $250 for each session. While insurance is not accepted, a receipt is available to obtain reimbursement from your insurance provider. There are no free consultations or assessments available.

72% of respondents felt the qualifications of their matched therapist were good to exceptional, and 70% said their therapist fulfilled all or the majority of their demands. Seventy-three percent of respondents indicated that their overall experience with Kip was either good or exceptional.

Inclusive Therapists

The greatest directory is Inclusive Therapists, a database of therapy providers that prioritizes the needs of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and disabled groups. The website, founded in 2019 by psychotherapist Melody Li, intends to assist users who identify as a member of one or more of these underrepresented communities in locating a culturally aware and compassionate therapist to meet their requirements.

Given that the database contains thousands of providers, it is difficult to determine therapy session fees; these vary by provider, and some provide sliding fee scales and/or financial aid. In general, the majority of providers accept insurance, but this varies by provider.

Customers value being matched with a therapist who understands their issues without resorting to microaggressions or bigotry. Customers also appreciate how certain practitioners add yoga or breathwork into their therapies, delivering a holistic approach to mental health improvement.

Because Inclusive Therapists is a directory, therapists’ rates, insurance coverage, sliding scale availability, and availability of free assessments vary.

Sixty-seven percent of surveyed consumers stated they were able to identify a therapist at Inclusive Therapy who fit their needs. Fifty-seven percent of respondents indicated it was likely to very probable that they would continue to see their therapist six months from now. Overall, 81% of users regarded the qualifications of the therapists as good or very good and reported being satisfied with the available options.

Final Verdict

There are other virtual family therapy services available, but Thriveworks stands out when pricing, insurance, value, and customer satisfaction are considered. Thriveworks is also a one-stop shop for the mental health needs of the entire family. You can work independently or as a family, and if necessary, with a physician for prescriptions and medication management.

Whether you are seeking diversity or a big range of therapists, the Inclusive Therapists directory includes a large pool of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and disability therapists who affirm their communities. You will also have the option of locating a therapist that meets your financial and insurance requirements.

Selecting the Most Effective Online Family Therapy

Picking an online family counselor can be daunting if you do not know where to begin. Some families may seek child-parent counseling in order to help their children with body image, body dysmorphia, or self-esteem difficulties. Families belonging to the BIPOC group may be working to overcome mental health-related societal stigmas and normalize receiving treatment. Others may seek family therapy to help their adolescent feel more confident and autonomous during the transition to adulthood. Regardless of the cause, we can assist you in selecting the most suitable online family counseling service for you and your family.

How Should I Select an Online Family Therapy?

There are numerous aspects to consider when selecting the best online therapy. They consist of the following:

Evaluate your insurance options and budget before choosing between subscription and pay-per-session options. If cost is a significant obstacle, seek services that offer financial aid and/or variable pricing.

Needs: Do you want specific issues to be addressed? For instance, you may require pharmaceutical management and psychiatric care; however, not all companies offer these services. If you have adult children, only a limited number of practitioners offer family therapy with adults. Thoroughly define your requirements.

Virtual sessions may be the easiest to schedule if you are constantly on the move. Yet, some providers offer in-person sessions. Plan what works best for you and your family based on the availability of everyone. Some carriers also offer weekend and evening availability.

Be sure the provider you select is authorized to treat patients in your state of residency. Not all providers are available nationwide.

Communication method (chat system, text messaging, telephone call, video call, etc.): Depending on the practitioner or organization, the manner in which therapy is administered may vary. Several suppliers employ a mixed strategy (i.e., virtual sessions and text messaging). Determine what works best. This may involve attempting one way and discovering that it works or attempting one and then deciding to try something else.

Ensure that the provider does not require you to commit to a single therapist and that you are free to switch therapists if you so choose. You should be able to transfer therapists if you have difficulty establishing rapport.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is online family therapy beneficial for adolescents?

Family counseling is beneficial for everyone. Online family counseling can provide adolescents with the skills to better communicate with family members, discuss difficulties they would not otherwise be able to voice and work through solutions to establish a stronger relational foundation. Additionally, online family therapy allows adolescents to explore difficulties such as anxiety, sadness, identity conflicts, and stress under the supervision of a trained therapist.

Is online family counseling beneficial throughout divorce?

Divorce is one of the most traumatic events a family can endure, and it can have profound effects on the entire family unit. Online family counseling is useful for navigating divorce since it may provide healing techniques, communication tips, and answers to parental conflicts.

Is online counseling effective for children and adolescents?

Indeed, children and adolescents have been demonstrated to benefit from internet counseling because a neutral third party facilitates a sense of safety and reassurance. Teens can also acquire more effective coping mechanisms through online therapy, which helps them build self-esteem and overcome anxiety and sadness.

Can a single therapist treat the whole family?

Typically, one therapist sees two or more children from the same family together or separately, a parent and child together, or a spouse and an adult child together. There are additional instances in which members of the same family see the same therapist. If uncertain, inquire with the therapist about the applicable legislation against conflicts of interest.

Methodology

Our evaluation technique for online therapy companies is exhaustive and data-driven. We distributed questionnaires to 55 organizations and questioned 105 current users of each to collect qualitative and quantitative data based on user experience and user data in order to standardize our selections.

Price, sign-up procedure, flexibility to switch therapists, insurance coverage, client privacy protection, and convenience of use were all reviewed for each business. Cost, cost-effectiveness, and customer happiness were required to decide which online family therapy providers made this list. These facts are significant because they explain why individuals choose treatment in the first place.

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