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BetterHelp

Overall Rating

4.7

3120 Customer Reviews

Summary

BetterHelp is an online counseling platform that will pair you with a professionally licensed counselor. Access to counseling can be scheduled at any time, anywhere, and through any smart device. The efficacy of BetterHelp is linked to provider skill and intervention protocols, but there are some drawbacks if you fall into certain categories of needs and it’s not covered by your insurance provider.

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Customer Reviews

4.7 Stars out of 3120 Reviews
5 Star:86% 4 Star:7% 3 Star:0% 2 Star:0% 1 Star:4%
95% Recommend This Service
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Posted on Mar 11, 2017

Fraud

By Irene, Dallas, Texas, Verified Reviewer

I was contacted by one of the "trained therapists," a Dr. Dixon, through BetterHelp. Within the first five messages, this person did not seem like a trained therapist. By the last message I received from Dr. Dixon, it was painfully obvious I had been duped. When I asked if we would have a Skype session, I received no more messages.

Other unsuspecting and trusting people could receive guidance from a fraud. This is potentially dangerous. Thankfully, I did not disclose too many personal things to this person. I would like to know how BetterHelp verifies their therapists. His profile says he has a Ph.D. but I'm curious, a Ph.D. in what?

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Helpful Review? 43 People Have Voted

Posted on Mar 21, 2017

A month up front

By AJ H., New York, NY, Verified Reviewer

They charge a month up front when it isn't clear that they'll do that. For me, that was $180. I can't afford that; I'm in college!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Helpful Review? 31 People Have Voted

Posted on Apr 4, 2017

Charged me $45 per week without my knowledge

By Justin, Lisbon, Portugal, Verified Reviewer

Probably a useful service for many, but decided it wasn't for me after trying their free trial. When I signed up, the wording was not clear that they would begin automatically charging me $45 per week. When it finally showed up on my bank statement, I requested a refund, which they refused despite the fact I never used the service after my trial.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Helpful Review? 26 People Have Voted

Posted on Apr 21, 2017

They're abusing depressed people

By Miray, Germany, Verified Reviewer

On January 10, I wanted to give it a try because there was a one-week free trial. When I was enrolling, I was asked to give my credit card details to pay $1, saying that that money is to be sure that everyone was serious about the counseling. I thought that was okay.

They immediately found me a counselor who was very nice to me. But in 3-4 days I understood online counseling wasn't good for me. So I stopped using their service in less than a week.

This week, I realize that they charged me $135 in March. So they started taking my money on March 1st, $45 weekly. I immediately canceled my membership and wrote to their customer service. The customer service is offering to pay me the last payment only, that means $45, and adding that they don't check if I get any help or not.

I can understand that they have policies, but I am very sure that I didn't accept to pay $45 weekly because I don't have that much money! I'm a student, and this is a huge amount of money for me. The only reason that I gave my credit card information was paying the $1 at the enrolment.

I think they aren't honest. I think they waited for a while and then they gave it a try to get my money, and they could do this for three weeks until I realized that I was getting robbed.

Now I kindly ask them to pay $135 back to me. Because they weren't clear about their policies, and they're abusing the people who need help and who are in a depression.

I could have recommended them to my friends if they didn't do that to me.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Helpful Review? 29 People Have Voted

Posted on Jul 12, 2017

Do not use!

By D, Ohio, Verified Reviewer

I was told I'd be charged $46, but I was charged $180 with no warning. It took me hours to finally reach them by phone, where they told me I'd have to wait for an email the next business day (funny because they took my money within seconds). I'm already broke, and now I'm in a complete hole until next payday. And all because I wanted "affordable help." Do NOT use!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Aug 1, 2017

Hi D,

If you need to get in touch with us, please email us at contact@betterhelp.com. We'd be happy to assist you with your subscription plan!

Helpful Review? 25 People Have Voted

Posted on Jul 24, 2017

Scam

By Gina Walker, North Carolina, Verified Reviewer

I saw this ad on Facebook and thought it'd be nice to talk with someone in the comfort of my own home. Next day, I was contacted by a counselor, at which time I responded that I did not want the service. I can talk to friends/family for free, and to cancel my subscription.

After several months, and a VERY long phone call with the number on my credit card bill, repeating that I've never used the service and that I want it canceled, and a full refund, I'm STILL being billed $180 a month. I'm trying to obtain an itemized bill, and obtaining legal counsel to get all this money refunded. Total scam. Apparently, if you tell anyone you don't want this, or try to stop it, they can't relay that info to the "billing" department.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Aug 1, 2017

Hi Gina

Please get in touch with us at contact@betterhelp.com. We can assist you with any charges made on your account with our Support Team.

Helpful Review? 21 People Have Voted

Posted on Oct 12, 2017

Make sure you read the billing rules

By Ron Grabner, Memphis, TN, Verified Reviewer

Dr. Hamm is great! There is an Allison that will send you emails trying to get you to write a good review, but if there is a problem, she will not contact you back. Be careful, they say $45 a week but hit you with a $180 bill for a month. I know I saw others having billing problems. I should have listened and hope you do too.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Oct 12, 2017

Hi Ron, thanks for leaving your review for us here. It looks like our team members have gotten back to you within one business day and assisted you with your account. Please check your email!

Helpful Review? 17 People Have Voted

Posted on Oct 22, 2017

Do NOT pay for this service!

By Emma Deitz, Wisconsin, Verified Reviewer

I paid $45 to speak with a therapist, and I was never matched with one! I got the same message numerous times saying they were looking for a therapist for me. They ripped me off, and I don't want them to rip you off too. Do not waste your money!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Nov 2, 2017

Hi Emma. Thanks for your review. Please contact us at contact@betterhelp.com for any billing issues!

Helpful Review? 16 People Have Voted

Posted on Nov 8, 2017

Rubbish

By Jess Griffin, Somerset, United Kingdom, Verified Reviewer

I registered for an account, and they told me to wait 24 hours for a therapist. Three days later I get an email telling me that BetterHelp is not suitable for me. My anxiety has now been so bad. I've even had to stay off school.

Don't bother with this crappy service.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Nov 10, 2017

Thanks for letting us know, Jess. We understand that online counseling is not the best resource for everyone at this moment, and we apologize. You can utilize any of the free resources that we provided you in our email to seek any additional help that you may need.

Helpful Review? 19 People Have Voted

Posted on Dec 2, 2017

Hard to cancel, etc.

By Michelle Baldwin, Nevada, Verified Reviewer

I was going to do the trial and briefly speak with a counselor. I didn't realize my trial was up, but today I was charged a lot more than what I had in my checking account. So I am overdrawn in my checking account. They only refunded most of my money. They also stated that my counselor would reply after I messaged her that I wanted to quit counseling and give me instructions on how to quit counseling. I think this is ridiculous. I will see what my counselor says as I since messaged her again. But last I spoke to her, she said all she had was the site's email address (?).

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Helpful Review? 17 People Have Voted

Posted on Dec 8, 2017

Pretty good, unless you want to end the subscription.

By Eddie L, Los Angeles, CA, Verified Reviewer

I must say I do like the BetterHelp service. My therapist was great until the time came that I requested to discontinue the service.

This is a subscription service, and you will be charged every week! The only complaint I have is their process for ending the subscription.

First of all, there's no one to contact the company. No phone number, no email, nothing. If you want to cancel, you must email your assigned therapist. I followed this process with this message,

"I would like to stop counseling effective now. You're great. I just don't have time to check in, and I'm spending money for no reason. So I want to end service for the time being.

Thank you, Mark."

And one week later I get a message from the therapist saying,

"You are still on my roster."

That was it. No reason given. No suggestions for a resolution. Nothing.

I was happy with the service up until this point. They should call this Hotel California because apparently, "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."

I can't stand poor customer service or being taken advantage of. This experience tainted my entire experience with this organization.

Subscribe at your own risk.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Dec 11, 2017

Hi Eddie, thanks for your review. It sounds like your counselor was not able to send you the "quit instructions" on your account. (It should be in a beige box in your messaging room.) You can get in touch with us at any time at contact@betterhelp.com or (888) 688-9296. We respond to all inquiries within one business day.

Helpful Review? 28 People Have Voted

Posted on Dec 18, 2017

Terrible feedback from therapists.

By Derik Wilson, Indiana, Verified Reviewer

This is probably the biggest ripoff service of its kind. The therapists will typically ask you a lot of questions, but never give any sort of tools or information on how to cope with things. They sometimes don't even reply but once or twice a week when you are paying a lot of money per week for their service. I tried them for several months, and all I did was waste hundreds of dollars.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Dec 22, 2017

Hi Derik, thanks for your review. Were you able to let your counselor know about your communication expectations? We find that this helps you and your counselor get on the same page. Every counselor has a different style, so we're sorry to hear that you were not able to find a good fit for you on our platform.

Helpful Review? 20 People Have Voted

Posted on Dec 26, 2017

If you're in a vulnerable place, please avoid this app

By Vee, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Verified Reviewer

I'm going to try to be as concise as I can, which is a huge task because, boy, do I have a few gripes to pick here.

First of all, the customer service.

I kept seeing ads about a 7-day free trial (which makes sense because no one is ready to spend $180 USD per month without making sure they'll get something out of it). The ads we false. There is no 7-day free trial. I did receive one after asking about it, but the point is why is this false ad still going around?

Then when I realized I wanted to stop my plan altogether and cancel my account (for reasons I will get into in a minute), there was no option to do it in the app. So naturally, I emailed customer service again and asked them to cancel my subscription. They forced me to ask my counselor to do it. Now, without disclosing too much about my condition or why I used the app, confrontation, plus the prospect of having to excuse myself, plus give reasons why I don't like someone's style of counseling is a trigger. Yup! It gave me a panic attack! An app that was supposed to be a safe mental health space.

Second of all, the reason why it didn't work for me.

I tried two different counselors over the span of the month subscription I paid for and IMMEDIATELY, I caught the problem. I saw the pattern. On both occasions, I felt like I was being rushed, or like my case wasn't being treated seriously enough, or with the same urgency that I needed and felt. I didn't feel like my counselors cared or were taking the time or really understood what I needed.

I have come away from this app feeling even more hopeless than when I tried it. That's because I went in full of expectations and came away feeling like maybe I am beyond help or care, which is how the counselors made me feel. I am actually more suicidal and crushed then I was before I paid all that money with a heart full of hope.

I even question if I'll ever feel happiness. This app, and online therapy as a whole, was my last resort to start trying to recover from rock bottom.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Helpful Review? 26 People Have Voted

Posted on Dec 27, 2017

Dropped for being "in crisis."

By Oliver McMahon, Spokane, WA, Verified Reviewer

Great for neurotypicals with basic problems. Any possibility of ever experiencing a crisis situation? Look elsewhere.

I thought things were going well. My first counselor was sketchy and useless, but my second one was fairly competent, giving me lots of advice and very successfully supporting me as I worked through the rough patch I was going through.

While I understood that BetterHelp does not help with crisis situations specifically, what I didn't know is that they will not tolerate clients experiencing any form of crisis. As a matter of fact, they outright abandon them. My counselor suggested that she may not be a good fit because she was having trouble finding time to communicate with me due to the holiday schedule, which is understandable. I asked who to contact and what to ask in order to get a more qualified counselor due to my diagnoses, but she never specified. Instead, after I admitted once again to struggles with suicidal ideation, going into detail about some of the delusions I had been having, I tried to log in the next day only for the website to claim that I did not have a valid account. In my email account, I find that the money was refunded on my PayPal account as well.

Finally, after discovering my account was gone AND having the money refunded, someone bothered to contact me, determined that "online counseling may not be the best resource for you," and sent me a link to PsychologyToday so I could "consider scheduling an intake with a licensed counselor who can provide [me] with in-person counseling in [my] area."

I don't understand why their counselors are not trained to hold the hand of their clients through making an appointment with a proper counselor. I do not understand why the crisis situation that I was in meant that the best course of action was "cut and run," though I can see the presumed liability involved. However, due to the fact that people with any kind of mental illness can reach a crisis situation, that makes this business incredibly unsafe for anyone who might need their services. Every single client currently enrolled in their services may one day experience the feeling of wanting to end their life and, if they risk sharing it with their BetterHelp counselor, they may find themselves with even more reason to back the idea that no one cares if they do it.

I am disgusted by the lack of compassion from a company that claims to help the mentally ill. I do not see how dropping clientele entirely will somehow "wipe the blood from their hands" if the client does decide to end their life. All I see is the potential for them to destroy the lives of thousands of people because they will not support them at their worst. A company that plays into the stigma surrounding suicide in a way that is not only careless, but outright dangerous.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Helpful Review? 42 People Have Voted

Posted on Dec 30, 2017

False advertising

By Hannyle, France, Verified Reviewer

BetterHelp proposes a service of life coach for US$65 a week, your membership will be renewed automatically, and you can cancel anytime (the ad says). Truth is, you pay the whole month (US$260) up front and you can cancel, yes, but you have already paid them a month. It’s false advertising.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Jan 12, 2018

Hi Hannyle,

Oh no! When you signed up and created your account, we provided the information about how your subscription would work, and that by enrolling, your selected subscription plan of $65 USD/week would be charged monthly. I do apologize if you didn’t get a chance to read this information when it was presented to you. All members are notified before entering in any payment information. I'd be happy to pass along your feedback to our Development Team so that it is more clear in the future.

Helpful Review? 14 People Have Voted

Posted on Jan 3, 2018

Don't waste your money

By Ivan, Bangkok, Thailand, Verified Reviewer

The ad given for this app claims that the price is $45 US per week, then as soon as you register they do charge you $180 US immediately, why can’t you just advertise you like it is $180 US a month? Also in the ad, the counselor chats with you in real time like you chat with a friend in WhatsApp, but in reality, it is not.

The first counselor that was assigned to me made it very clear he will answer every three days. His answers were impersonal and short, so I asked to change a counselor. The new councilor definitely took time to read my messages, but also always answered just in one sentence just to keep the conversation going; no advice, no reference, and no information. Better save for a real therapist.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Jan 12, 2018

Hi Ivan-

Thanks for your review. When you sign up, we let all members know that they will be billed monthly, and apologize for the confusion. You are able to schedule a live session at any time with your counselor on the platform so that you're able to speak in real time. You can do a live video, phone, or live chat. Thanks!

Helpful Review? 16 People Have Voted

Posted on Jan 5, 2018

Review of BetterHelp.com

By Elisabeth Lagaće, Québec, Canada, Verified Reviewer

This website says that you can cancel your subscription yourself at any time by logging into your account. This is not true; you cannot cancel your subscription without asking your counselor about it. This is not disclosed prior to registration. Also, there is no information about refunds or a minimum number of months prior to registering, which is sketchy to me.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Jan 12, 2018

Hi Elisabeth,

Thanks for your feedback. The counselors on BetterHelp are licensed professionals and put in considerable time and effort to review your case and begin communication with you. The cancelation process allows for you to leave valuable feedback about your experience that helps the counselor reflect and possibly even work to make improvements in their practice. Additionally, clients quitting without any notice to the counselor may cause counselors alarm or worry.

There is no minimum number of months you need to subscribe to BetterHelp, and can let your counselor know you'd like to quit counseling at any time!

Helpful Review? 11 People Have Voted

Posted on Jan 10, 2018

BetterHelp did not make me feel better

By Mel G, Singapore, Verified Reviewer

Proceed with caution. I wished I had come to an external site for a review of BetterHelp before signing up with them.

I just finished one-month counseling with a counselor on BetterHelp. I came out angry and frustrated at the counselor and my issue not resolved.

I found my counselor to be superficial and inauthentic. Yes, he sent me lots of messages (every day or every other day), which sounded nice at first instance, but every time it is the same pre-written copy-and-paste message.

I went into counseling for my procrastination issue, but I received general messages like "I understand your anxiety and stress issue" multiple times with no mention about how to deal with procrastination. From a scale of 1-10, I think I read the words anxiety, stress, and depression 9 times as opposed to procrastination. If I stayed on longer I think I might start to believe I have anxiety and depression issues!

I was given worksheets to work with, and I did them diligently, yet the counselor came back with all flowery, kindness messages (which is fine), but no reference back to what I have written and no real advice. It is as though he never read through the given worksheets which details my issues and it was just summed up as "I understand you have a lot of suffering."

Am I being brainwashed here that I have a lot of suffering?

As with some other reviews I have read, the counselors are just out to get good ratings, and they don't really care.

And I agree, better save for proper one-on-one counseling.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Jan 12, 2018

Hi Mel, thanks for your feedback. We're sorry to hear about your experience. While you're a member of BetterHelp, you can change counselors at any time in case your current counselor is not a good fit. Counselor styles vary, and it sounds like this may have been a case here. Again we apologize and thank you for using our services.

Helpful Review? 19 People Have Voted

Posted on Jan 25, 2018

BetterHelp is no good. The counselors are never available.

By Elizabeth Chatz, Athens, Greece, Verified Reviewer

I needed to find a way to speak regularly with a therapist as I have been dealing with a lot of depression lately. I enrolled in BetterHelp and used the little money I had saved for my health to do so.

After three weeks, I have had two counselors who were completely unresponsive to me. The first one never showed up for our Live Health session. And the second canceled only one hour before.

The company promises that you can have "unlimited" sessions, but this is a false claim because each counselor only makes available about one session per week, and then if you schedule them, they cancel on you (or just don't show up).

I don't normally write reviews, but this is serious. This company is taking advantage of people who need to talk to someone, and who need help. It's unusually cruel.

DON'T get caught in this trap like I was.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Jan 26, 2018

Hi Elizabeth, thanks for your review. We're very sorry to hear about that. All counselors have different schedules, and we're sorry you weren't able to connect. If you need any further assistance, our Support Team can help you at contact@betterhelp.com.

Helpful Review? 13 People Have Voted

Posted on Jan 25, 2018

Overall, I feel like I was scammed.

By Selene Berming, Montpelier, VT, Verified Reviewer

BetterHelp is not upfront about their payment system. They will charge you $45 a week for the first few weeks, and then $25 a week afterward. They will also CONTINUE to charge you for SEVERAL weeks AFTER you cancel!

When you fill out the cancellation form, there is no confirmation that your subscription has been canceled. I filled out the cancellation form three times, but my therapist continued to send me automated messages checking in with me, which is what tipped me off that I was still being charged.

I reached out to their support team, and that was where I found out that I was still going to be charged for several more weeks after I canceled.

If you don't use the service for a week, you are going to be charged $45-$25 for a bunch of generic messages from your therapist.

I think that this system could work for people who want to have therapy sessions multiple times a week, if BetterHelp was a little more upfront about their system of taking payment.

Overall, I feel like I was scammed.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Jan 26, 2018

Hi Selene, thanks for your review. We're sorry to hear about your experience. You should receive a message after you cancel with your counselor that your subscription has ended. All members are notified of their subscription before they enroll and can access billing information at any time in their 'billing settings.' If you need any further assistance, please email us at contact@betterhelp.com.

Helpful Review? 11 People Have Voted

Posted on Feb 6, 2018

Can't cancel your own subscription.

By Stephen, England, Verified Reviewer

The counseling was good, but when I came to cancel, the system told me you couldn't do this on your own. Your counselor needs to send you a link to cancel the subscription, and until they do that, and you have completed it, you are considered to still be subscribed.

I've never come across any firm where I can't cancel my own subscription; this is definitely dodgy and a scam.

Also, they quote you a weekly charge but don't mention they will charge you a full month in advance. Essentially, they are crooks.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Helpful Review? 16 People Have Voted

Posted on Feb 17, 2018

Charged but did not have a session!

By Melissa, Toronto Ontario, Canada, Verified Reviewer

I joined BetterHelp for the second time for anxiety/depression issues. The first time I joined, I didn’t have the best experience, but the second time was even worse.

I joined, and they matched me with a therapist who would message me random questions about depression and would take forever to respond to my answers. And when she finally did, it was a one worded response. Anyhow, I decided to cancel before even having a session because I wasn’t getting the support I expected. They would only provide me with a partial refund because they compared there membership fee the same “as my cable bill.”

Horrible customer care for individuals seeking help for mental health. Don’t waste your money! Many people out there want to help, but BetterHelp just takes advantage of those in need.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Helpful Review? 17 People Have Voted

Posted on Feb 23, 2018

A complete waste of time and energy!

By Christina Rose, California, Verified Reviewer

BetterHelp online therapy sounds like a good idea on paper. But in actuality, they appear only to have incompetent, uninterested, impatient so-called "professional therapists" on their staff.

I joined hoping to find some support for my ongoing grief and loss issues, but I experienced nothing but constant hassles during my attempt to be linked to a therapist. First, they assigned me to a therapist that had the exact opposite skills that I was looking for. Next, when I asked for another therapist, they assigned me to one that didn't know that I had been assigned to her and seemed annoyed that she had to deal with a new client and asked me why I had been assigned to her!

Finally, I was assigned to a third therapist that exchanged emails with me a few times over a weekend, gave me generic information that I already told her I knew about, and then told me she couldn't help me after I asked for clarification regarding information she had sent me. This therapist was truly awful; clueless, short, unsupportive and kept talking about herself. This whole process was a complete waste of time and many hours that left me feeling worse than when I began.

Do not expect anything but minimal, generic feedback and uncaring people here!

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Mar 7, 2018

We are so sorry you've had this experience Christina. If you wish to reach out to contact@betterhelp.com, we would like to help to find a counselor that might better suit your needs.

Helpful Review? 16 People Have Voted

Posted on Feb 26, 2018

Grocery check out session

By Joe Vass, New Jersey, Verified Reviewer

I had my first session with BetterHelp while the counselor was grocery shopping. I heard quite a bit of background noise at first but thought it was a bad connection. It was not until she was at the cashier that I heard the beeps as each item was rung in. When the cashier asked for coupons, the call basically ended. After that, I asked for another counselor since I already paid. We scheduled an appointment for a phone session that he never bothered to call into or reply to my messages. I am trying to get a refund to no avail.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Mar 7, 2018

We're so sorry you had this experience on BetterHelp. If you'd like to reach out to contact@betterhelp.com, we would be more than happy to try to connect you with a counselor that would better suit your needs.

Helpful Review? 18 People Have Voted

Posted on Feb 26, 2018

The illusion of therapy

By Fotini Arvanitaki, Thessaloniki, Greece, Verified Reviewer

First of all, this is NOT in any way legitimate counselling.

Everything was great at the beginning. The staff would send emails to check up on me, make sure I'm satisfied with the service, the counselor I was matched with was very polite, punctual and compassionate, albeit a little laconic. While her replies were not much (a single question here and a "oh good for you" there), I thought that maybe that's to be expected and that a therapist won't have much to say during the initial stages of therapy, possibly because they need to get to know me a little better. So, I thought I'd give it a little time.

During that time (weeks really), certain unfortunate things happened. I needed support, and I was paying for said support but was NOT getting any. She'd either respond with a single sentence after three whole days, when she was supposed to reply in less than 24 hours (we'd established that from the beginning), or she'd ask a question which didn't really indicate that she'd even read what I'd written in my previous message. Or, I'd ask questions and wouldn't get ANY answers at all!

What happened with the second therapist was similar in many ways but maybe even worse. While this therapist would send longer replies, I noticed something suspicious; those messages looked legit at first but were in fact template texts she'd use for every online client, she'd only have to change the name and a few minor details, and her job's done. How do I know this? After sending a reply, I got an even longer reply from her within 4 MINUTES! There's no way she was able to read, process or decide how to respond to me (or even spellcheck) in just a few minutes! She obviously had her reply ready, which by the way was full of generalizations and "anxiety management" approaches you read about on popular psychology related websites. I can do that myself, thank you very much.

Hopefully, not all counselors do that, but I've completely lost my faith, and I'm not willing to get scammed ever again.

After 6 weeks of "counselling" and two therapists, I can honestly say that I'm so much worse than when I started. Now, why would I stick with a therapist who doesn't even read my messages?

Also, they offer "unlimited access" to your therapist, but they don't tell you how how often your therapist will be able to communicate with you, could be every 24 hours, every two or even three days. Since when is that unlimited?

Keep in mind that many of these counselors are in reality life coaches who have their own private practices and use online platforms like BetterHelp to get new clients, so make sure their credentials are legitimate. It's easy to get confused with all the LMSW, ACSW, MFT, MS CMHC, NCC, LPC, CAATC, RAS, Ph.D. titles, so do your homework first. You see a Master's degree, but it's possible it's irrelevant with clinical psychology, and in reality, they have more experience in other somewhat related fields.

Also, they claim they have experience dealing with problems relevant to your needs, but that's definitely not the case. No clue as to how they match members with counselors. No wonder you pay $180 a month; the counselors simply don't have to really deal with every online client, I doubt they'd ever find enough time. Their regular clients obviously take up much of their time while the rest of us pay smaller fees in order to get the illusion of therapy.

I feel so much worse than when I started "therapy," because back then I felt hopeful, but now, since I can't afford traditional counseling, I've really hit rock bottom. So, if you're just looking for someone who is NOT allowed to diagnose you (no idea why though), but make some assumptions concerning your issues (if they ever read your messages), then this website is for you. If you're in need of actual help, don't waste your time and money. The worst thing that happened to me was that I opened up and was so unbelievably and painfully ignored. I was tricked into thinking I was being supported by true professionals.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Mar 7, 2018

We are so sorry you had this experience Fotini. You may reach us and contact@betterhelp.com if you'd like to try to find a counselor that might be a better fit. All of our counselors are licensed counselors in their respective states, and we are so sorry if you felt you were not heard by the counselors that were assigned to you.

Helpful Review? 23 People Have Voted

Posted on Feb 27, 2018

How to increase your stress levels

By R. Henn, N/A, Verified Reviewer

I joined BetterHelp hoping that the online interaction would be more comfortable, also because it is cheaper than conventional face to face.

I reached out to BetterHelp when I was in a tough spot, and needed some help to get things in order.

I had my first counselor for about a week. He barely communicated with me, explained nothing, showed no interest, and then forgot our scheduled appointment.

My second counselor communicated more over the second week, reviewed the process and then provided responses in a timely manner. Again, this counselor "forgot" our scheduled appointment.

I now am on my third week with BetterHelp, and I have not had a single one on one session with a counselor, even though I paid for a one on one session once a week.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Mar 7, 2018

Hi R.,

We're sorry to hear about. Please feel free to reach out to us at contact@betterhelp.com so that our support team can assist you! We can also assist you with your subscription plan. We don't charge for the session so we can assist you with this as well!

Helpful Review? 12 People Have Voted

Posted on Mar 9, 2018

Waste of time and energy...

By Charlotte Genoa, Ontario, Canada, Verified Reviewer

After being connected with two counselors in a week, I cannot tell you how disappointed I am. About as helpful as a question in a Facebook status.

As a single mom with no time, I thought this would be a great option. $150 is not cheap, and I'm demanding a refund.

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Company Response from BetterHelp

Mar 13, 2018

I'm sorry to hear you've had this experience. You may wish to contact us at contact@betterhelp.com in order to answer any questions and concerns you have.

Helpful Review? 7 People Have Voted
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