Online Therapy

Supplementing Your Existing Care With Talkspace

Author By Wendy Wisner, Contributor
Posted:
man sitting on couch texting Talkspace therapist

Traditional, brick-and-mortar therapy is a wonderful thing, and can be incredibly healing when you are working through a mental health challenge. I personally benefited from ten years of brick-and-mortar therapy and recommend it highly. However, I’ve been in online therapy for almost three years, and have also fallen in love with the experience.

Both forms of therapy have their advantages. Studies have shown that both online and traditional therapy are effective at managing mental health struggles. And the beauty of it all is that it doesn’t have to be one or the other. Continue reading Supplementing Your Existing Care With Talkspace

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Author By Jessica DuBois-Maahs, Contributor
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man holding lightbulb

No matter how big or small the challenge, condition, phobia, disorder, or addiction may be, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy treatment method that can help you change negative responses to uncomfortable situations. Chances are, you have already seen this treatment method mentioned in a self-help article or know someone who has benefited from it. It’s a popular treatment method due to its affordability, short-term treatment horizon, and its empirically supported effectiveness. Before diving head first into this form of therapy, consider the information below about its intended uses and key benefits. Continue reading What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

What if Texting Isn’t How I Want to Talk to My Therapist?

Author By Sarah Domingo
Posted:
Man looking down at phone texting

Online therapy is a relatively new development in the healthcare industry. The ability to access therapy without the need to physically travel is a tremendous innovation — making mental health services available to thousands of people who might not have been able to access nor afford treatment in the past. Online therapy — also known as teletherapy, e-therapy, or cyber-therapy — has experienced a growth in popularity due to its accessibility. Online therapy has already helped millions of people experience a better life.

However, with any innovation, there is bound to be some level of skepticism. Critics may ask: “Does online therapy work and are there any risks?” Furthermore, what if texting just isn’t how one wants to speak to their therapist? Continue reading What if Texting Isn’t How I Want to Talk to My Therapist?

How to Find a Therapist with a Similar Cultural Background

Author By Jor-El Caraballo, Talkspace Therapist
Posted:
woman of color discussing with man of color while sitting in chairs

These days, there are more ways to find a therapist than ever before. But, some might feel it’s important and more helpful to work with a therapist of a particular background, which can make the search more difficult. It can even be tough to make this request. If you’re in this situation, what should you do? Continue reading How to Find a Therapist with a Similar Cultural Background

How Often Should You Talk to Your Therapist to Feel the Benefits?

Author By Jor-El Caraballo, Talkspace Therapist
Posted:
woman writing in a planner

Therapy can be a mysterious process. There’s still a lot of stigma attached to the idea of seeking out a licensed therapist to help improve your mental health. This leaves many people confused about its benefits and what the process of therapy entails. One of the questions that often comes up, is how frequently you should see your therapist to reap the benefits. Continue reading How Often Should You Talk to Your Therapist to Feel the Benefits?

Pausing Therapy: Reasons Why and What You Should Consider

Author By Tamara Stevens, Clinical Psychologist
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person pushing crosswalk sign that says wait

Therapy is hard work — sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. Therefore, it can be tough to stop before you’re ready, but sometimes life happens that way. Your therapist understands that you’re busy and things come up when least expected. Fortunately, if you have to stop or pause therapy, there are ways to make the process less painful. Continue reading Pausing Therapy: Reasons Why and What You Should Consider

Why It Doesn’t Always Feel Like You’re Making Progress in Therapy

Author By Dr. Samantha Rodman, Clinical Psychologist
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kids climbing up rock wall making progress

Therapy is a long and winding road. There are peaks, feeling mentally strong and achieving your goals, and valleys where you don’t feel like you’re making as much progress as you’d like. Sometimes, as clients progress along this road, they take two steps forward and one step back, and at other times they may even feel like they are taking two steps forward and three steps back.

Don’t get discouraged, it’s likely that you’re making more progress than you think. Here are 5 reasons why you may feel like you’re not achieving much in therapy even though you actually are. Continue reading Why It Doesn’t Always Feel Like You’re Making Progress in Therapy

6 Misconceptions About Starting Therapy

Author By Elizabeth Su, Contributor
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young boy staring up a large staircase

“I’m sorry for what you have been through.”

This is the very first thing my therapist said to me. Before we talked about working together. Before she explained how therapy could help. Before she offered any advice.

I will never forget that moment because it was the first time I truly felt “seen.” Up until that point, everyone with whom I shared my story responded with either a) shock or b) solutions. Neither of which felt great. Finding someone who understood how to hold space for my pain, guide me through my healing, and empower me to reclaim my joy would prove more life-changing than I ever imagined. Continue reading 6 Misconceptions About Starting Therapy

Finding the Best Online Therapy for You

Author By Jessica DuBois-Maahs, Contributor
Posted:
A woman is happy while n her mobile device

The best online therapy provides a convenient, affordable way to receive mental health support. It gives clients an opportunity to connect with reputable therapists in a flexible and accessible scheduling environment, as well as offering up varied options for communication (just to name a few of its benefits).

With its many advantages over traditional, in-office therapy, it is no surprise those who are interested in receiving this form of support have a lot of choices when it comes to their provider and platform — but not every online therapy provider is created equal.

Continue reading Finding the Best Online Therapy for You

The Global Mental Healthcare Epidemic Demands an Urgent Paradigm Shift

Author By Oren Frank, Cofounder & CEO of Talkspace
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Sigmund Freud

We are living in the midst of a mental health crisis — in the U.S. and across the globe. According to the World Health Organization, depression affects nearly 15 percent of adults worldwide, and diagnoses have risen 33% since 2013, according to a report from health insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield. Researchers Aaron Reuben and Jonathan Schaefer even recently proved that we are all more likely to experience a bout of mental illness in our lives than we are to develop diabetes, heart disease or any kind of cancer.

As a leader of Talkspace, a behavioral health company that has provided 1 million people psychotherapy over the last 6 years, I have been relentlessly exposed to and concerned by the complexity of the problem. Clinical, technological, regulatory, cultural, and above all, human issues are involved, and the current systems designed to deal with it are failing. The rate of failure across different systems is accelerating. Continue reading The Global Mental Healthcare Epidemic Demands an Urgent Paradigm Shift