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- Free evaluations to assess your needs
- Video, phone, live chat, messaging
- Message your therapist anytime
- 20% off your first month
- Counseling from a Biblical perspective
- Video, phone, live chat, messaging
- All counselors are practicing Christians
- Individual and couples counseling
- Video, phone, live chat, messaging
- 3-way call for couples in separate locations
- Supports equality and acceptance
- Video, phone, live chat, messaging
- Commitment-free service
- Wide variety of therapy styles
- Video, phone, live chat, messaging
- Get matched with a therapist in 24 hours
- 1st week free when you purchase 1 month
- Video, phone, live chat, messaging
- Flexible plans, cancel anytime
- Accepts most major insurance plans
- Virtual or in-person therapy
- See a therapist within 2 days
- Special offer: $85 off with code TOP85
- Text, voice, & live video plans
- $85 off your first month with code TOP85
- 20% off 1st month with code: TOP20OFF
- Expert sessions for partners & individuals
- Designed for busy schedules
- Free emotional assessment
- Discuss progress & learn new skills
- Video and phone appointments
- Free evaluations to assess your needs
- Video, phone, live chat, messaging
- Message your therapist anytime
- 20% off your first month
Natural Intelligence does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or your local emergency number immediately.
Online therapy is a growing trend, and busy executives, lonely teens, budget-conscious 20-somethings, and overwhelmed parents are all participating. With affordable and free online therapy, anyone can reach out and get the help they need to successfully work through life’s many problems.
Think you could benefit from a professional therapy session but can't afford it? Here's everything you need to know about free online therapy. With these resources, you’ll quickly regain control over your life and start smiling more often.
What is Online Therapy?
Online therapy allows you to speak with a licensed therapist without having to meet with them in person. There are many advantages to this type of therapy:
Convenience
Traditional therapy requires that you go to an office at a specific time, sit for an hour, and then get on with life. Online therapy, on the other hand, will allow you to reach out to your therapist from anywhere at just about any time. It's the ultimate convenience.
Cost (+free evaluations)
Traditional therapy can cost anywhere from $75 to $200 per session. For most people, spending that kind of money on a weekly session is just not feasible. However, online therapy platforms will cost you a fraction of the price and offer you added convenience and flexibility. There are free sessions, and there are affordable plans starting at only $35/month.
Flexibility
Free online therapy is conveniently available by phone, video chat, or SMS sessions, all on your schedule.
Options
Cheap and free online therapy providers recruit thousands of therapists, so you have tons of options at your fingertips. Sometimes, it’ll take some trial and error, but you have plenty of counselors available to you.
What Can You Get for Free From Online Therapy Providers?
In addition to giving you affordable counseling with lots of convenient options, online therapy providers have some services that you can get completely for free. For example, many services will offer a free assessment meeting. This is an initial consultation with a licensed professional to assess what types of issues to address, therapy to try, counselors to approach. Places like TalkSpace offer these free assessments.
Additionally, many online therapy providers offer unlimited messaging. This is a tremendous resource (and a freebie) that clients can take advantage of to really enhance their therapy sessions. Unlimited messaging means you can text your therapist at any time of the night or day. They won't always respond to you immediately, but this is still incredibly beneficial because it allows you to get down your thoughts or feelings precisely when they arise. So, you’ll have a more concrete record of exactly what occurred when you speak to your therapist at your weekly session. BetterHelp, Pride Counseling, and many other online therapy networks offer this feature in their standard monthly plans.
Finally, sites like BetterHelp offer completely free therapy in a group chat format. These are NOT licensed therapists, rather they are good samaritans who just want to help. These chat groups can be a valuable resource for people struggling with common issues. It’s not recommended for more serious issues though.
What To Watch Out for From Free Online Therapy Providers
Of course, online therapy isn’t entirely a free lunch. As with anything in life, there are pitfalls that you’ll need to watch out for if you want to stay safe and get the most out of your online therapy experience. Some things to watch out for from free online therapists include:
A bad fit
As with most things, online therapy can be a hit or miss when it comes to making a connection. The therapist you are paired up with may or may not be the right fit for you. If this happens, you may have to try out more than one therapist until you find one that you feel understands you. The good thing about most online therapy providers is that they allow you to “shop around” for the right therapist.
Dealing with major crises or conditions
For very serious mental disorders or life-threatening issues, such as schizophrenia, the American Psychological Association recommends seeing a professional in person. Psychologists can better help you deal with the intense responses and symptoms that accompany these conditions when they work with you face-to-face. Online therapy is also not a good solution for people who are suicidal or are dealing with other mental health emergencies.
How to Reduce the Costs of Therapy
If you feel like you would like to have someone to talk to about a certain issue you are going through but don't think that you can afford it, you have a few options. Here are a few ways to cut down the cost of therapy:
Insurance reimbursement
While they probably won't cover it upfront, many insurance plans will reimburse you for therapy sessions you attend. Look into these options to get some of your therapy bills covered.
Office wellness plans
Your employer may offer therapy sessions as part of their health and medical packages. Flip through your benefits packet to find out.
Online therapy
Online therapy is a fraction of the cost of traditional therapy. Plus, with so many free resources available, anyone can meet with a professional therapist without breaking the bank.
Free Therapeutic Resources
For those in need, there are plenty of free resources available as well. For example, there are numerous national organizations and hotlines that you can reach out to for help. Things like the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, Crisis Text Line, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, the National Sexual Assault hotline, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration are all available 24/7 free of charge. Here is a useful list of these types of organizations if you ever find yourself in an emergency crisis situation:
The National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255)
National Helpline (1-800-662-4357)
Crisis Text Line, a text message therapy system with 24/7 crisis support (text “HOME” to 741741)
The Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255, press 1)
The Trevor Project for LGBTQ+ youth (1-866-488-7386)
Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860
The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673
The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7223
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that offers resources to find affordable treatment and therapy.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a leader in the mental health space, with its own crisis line at 800-950-6264 and resources to find therapy.
Mental Health America, an organization that hosts resources on finding a therapist, running self-assessments, and more.
MentalHealth.gov, the division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services with resources to many support networks and their own 24/7 hotline.
Generally, these free services will give you somewhere to turn, help you deal with an immediate crisis, and provide you with resources to take control over the issue. From there, it is recommended that you seek additional counseling with one of the recommended forms of therapy. This can be traditional therapy or online therapy, depending on the situation.
How to Choose a Free or Low-Cost Online Therapy Provider
Finding the right free or low-cost online therapy provider requires a little comparison shopping. Think about what you want from your therapy provider (video, SMS, phone chat capabilities), how much you are able to spend (do you have a small budget or no budget at all), and what type of issue you’re facing (is this an intimacy issue, anxiety, etc.).
Then, browse through some online reviews of the free or low-cost online therapy services. There are specific online therapy services that cater to niche audiences, such as ReGain (couples counseling), Pride Counseling (LGBTQ), and Teens Counseling (teenagers in crisis). Test drive a few that sound good until you find a therapist that you like.
Our Top 3 Picks
- 1World's largest network of licensed therapistsVisit Site
- Best for - Messaging your therapist anytime
- Pricing - Prices starting at $65/week
- Modes of communication - Text, live chat, video call, phone call
World's largest network of licensed therapistsDescriptionRead BetterHelp ReviewBetterHelp - Best online therapy site overall
BetterHelp is one of the largest providers of online therapy services, letting you get matched with a licensed professional therapist in less than 24 hours. You’ll be able to communicate with your therapist by phone, video call, live chat, or text messaging.
While the platform doesn’t take insurance, it does offer financial aid for patients with tighter budgets.
Why we chose BetterHelp: BetterHelp’s app and online platform are both user-friendly, giving you access to self-help worksheets on various topics, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and conflict resolution.
Our experience: BetterHelp reviews are positive and the service is reasonably priced. We like the fact that BetterHelp counselors each go through a rigorous vetting process.
Pros & ConsBetterHelp Pros & Cons
PROS
Message your therapist anytimeStudies show the platform is effectiveOperates in 200+ countries and 82 languagesCONS
Therapists can’t prescribe medicationHarder to find specialized therapists - 2A faith-based approach to clinical therapyVisit Site
- Best for - Clinical therapy that includes biblical teachings
- Pricing - Prices starting at $65/week
- Modes of communication - Video, phone, message, live chat
A faith-based approach to clinical therapyDescriptionRead Faithful Counseling ReviewFaithful Counseling - Best for faith-based therapy for Christians
As of recent, Faithful Counseling merged with Betterhelp, which also delivers clinical therapy for Christians. Its therapists are all licensed and certified within their field and submit declarations as to their beliefs to ensure they conform to the statement of faith. When signing up for the service, you will be directed to fill out a questionnaire that will properly match you with a suitable Christian therapist.
A sophisticated matching process is employed to connect you with a therapist specializing in your mental health difficulties and your branch of Christianity. This means it’s a suitable platform if your faith is important and you wish to include biblical teachings in your therapy. Its easy sign-up process, clear and appealing display, and simple functionality in terms of booking appointments make it easy for Christians who want faith-based counseling.
Why we chose Faithful Counseling: Though Faithful Counseling merged with Betterhelp, Christian-centered therapy practices are still easy to access. The platform uniquely integrates clinical therapy with Christianity, ensuring a harmonious blend of faith and mental health support. Various Christian denominations are catered to, including Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, and others, allowing users to find counselors who resonate with their specific faith traditions. Spiritual practices like prayer, meditation, and scripture reading are also integrated. This online therapy provider is an ideal choice for believers who want to incorporate biblical principles into their counseling sessions.
Pros & ConsFaithful Counseling Pros & Cons
PROS
6,000+ therapists specializing in Christianity-based counseling24/7 messaging servicesAccessible via website or the free appCONS
Matching process can take 1-2 daysCan’t choose a specific therapist - 3Dedicated online relationship therapyVisit Site
- Best for - Therapists that specialize in relationship therapy
- Pricing - $65-$100/week
- Modes of communication - Video, phone, message, live chat
Dedicated online relationship therapyDescriptionRead ReGain ReviewReGain - Best for online relationship therapy
ReGain offers convenient online relationship therapy for couples and individuals. Their service matches you with a licensed therapist specifically chosen to address your needs and goals. Its monthly subscription grants one live video or phone session per week, along with 24/7 access to an online therapist.
Why we chose ReGain: ReGain understands everyone’s situation is different and offers reduced fees to those with financial difficulties or disabilities.
Our experience: With ReGain, you can pick and choose your therapy appointments entirely around your schedule. This makes it a particularly convenient option if you are restricted in time.
Pros & ConsReGain Pros & Cons
PROS
Therapists specialize in a wide range of relationship issuesUser-friendly appDiscount available to those in needCONS
Not appropriate for crisis situationsDoes not work in-network with insurance providers