Mental health has become a hot topic this past year.
Now more than ever people are seeking to become more in tune with their mental health. This past year has certainly been one for the books. When nationwide quarantines were put into place no one knew the true impact this action would have on their everyday lives. We went from our busy social lifestyles to isolation for months straight, with no end in site. Overnight our homes became an office, a school building, a church, a gym, and everything in between. With time we saw the true gravity of the situation. Hospitals running out of beds to care for patients, mass graves due to funeral homes being overwhelmed, and, sadly for many people the passing of loved ones.
If it wasn’t obvious then, it’s clear now, we’re living in unprecedented times. With the month of May being Mental Health Awareness month, now is the perfect time for you to take the step and invest in your well-being.
Talkspace: What is it?
Talkspace is a Teladoc platform with a network of licensed therapists that offer virtual care to clients.
Once you sign up for Talkspace you will be assigned a therapist after completing a questionnaire, which helps to customize your care. You’re also able to enter any preferences you may want including the gender of your therapist, religion, style of therapy and ethnicity. What’s great is that if you aren’t satisfied with your therapist at any point you can find a new one with a click of a button, free of charge. In addition to traditional one-on-one therapy, Talkspace also offers specialized care for those who need Psychiatric treatment, couples therapy and teen therapy.
You may be thinking this all sounds great! But, how much does Talkspace cost?
Price wise Talkspace’s services are affordable, compared to traditional counseling, with packages beginning at $260/month. This price may seem alarming at first glance, but according to Talkspace the average therapy session costs $75-150 an hour. In a place like New York that range can jump to $200-300 an hour. In reality Talkspace is affordable compared to other care options. Also, most insurance providers are covering the cost of Talkspace in full due to the pandemic, so make sure to check your benefits when signing up.
My Experience With Talkspace
I decided to try Talkspace out of curiosity.
Since the start of 2021 i’ve been in a place of self-reflection. I want to focus on becoming the best woman I can be. So, in January I made some changes to focus on my physical, spiritual, and mental health. I began working out 5 days a week, starting my days with devotional time, and found a counselor.
I’ve never thought that I needed therapy. I’ve always thought that therapy is just for people who have gone through something traumatic. I am also a Christian, and often times i’ve heard “just pray about it”. Yes, prayer works, and should be a regular thing we turn to, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go to therapy. Naturally, because of those thoughts, I was apprehensive. I went back and forth until finally I realized that especially after this past year I had a lot of things I wanted to unpack. I noticed patterns in my life when it came to communication, overthinking, anxiety, etc. that I wanted to address and get to the root of.
Overall, my experience has been positive. I was assigned a counselor based off the questionnaire, but I wasn’t pleased with who I was paired with due to lack of communication on their part. After doing some searching I found the counselor I have now. I love her! She’s personable, great at keeping up communication, and really helps me to think. She’s also a Christian black woman, so that’s a huge plus for me! Her form of care is implementing Positive Self-Talk. We meet as often as I want, which is every 2 to 3 weeks or so.
Pros & Cons of Talkspace
While I have had a great experience with Talkspace, I know that’s not the case for everyone. There are pros and cons to every service, so it’s important to find what works for you.
Pros of Talkspace:
- Your insurance may cover it in full.
- You can schedule and cancel sessions easily.
- It’s easy to change counselors.
- The app has mental health practices, videos, breathing techniques and more!
Cons of Talkspace:
- May be expensive for some people, however if you qualify you can apply financial aid to cut costs.
- All services offered are online therapy
- Sessions may be limited based on plan restrictions
If you’re looking to take the first step and start therapy, Talkspace is a great place to start. Thankfully, if you start and find that’s it’s not something you want to continue you can cancel at any time.
Make sure to read my post on Mental Health Apps You Can Download For Free! Cheers to Mental Health Awareness month.
