Reviews (1)

I started using BetterHelp because it was free with my insurance; however, it doesn't feel right or helpful.

In its defense, I have never received counseling of any type, but the two counselors with which I've interacted felt distant and superficially sincere. In a way, BetterHelp feels like a forum for providing counselors an opportunity to connect with clients for the counselor's benefit (I'm guessing monetarily) rather than a forum for patients to connect with counselors.

I realize the last sentence seems inherently problematic, but I stand by it. My first counselor was not available for phone of video chat. When I expressed my desire for those options I was told "I don't do that," and "my profile said that before you picked me". Which (for the record), I did not pick her. The website paired us up after I requested a gay, male, counselor with experiences in relationship and intimacy issues (this counselor was not male or a member of the Queer community or knowledgeable about male intimacy problems)...interesting...

My second counselor (picked by me) was available for phone and video communication, but had limited opportunities (scheduling more than a week out for any appointments, and 2 or more weeks for some times). Though she was also not gay, or male, or a member of the Queer Community, I picked her because she has a Ph.D. (one of my current struggles) and experience with "men's issues" (thinking this was a euphemism for Erectile Disfunction). Ultimately, I found out she "phoned-in" her Ph.D. by having a third party collect data for her, though she was proud to tell me she "didn't pay for [the third party] to do her data analysis". She also didn't have a clear grasp of qualitative research, which is my current area of focus.

Both of these last paragraphs are about the people, and not the service, but in many ways, they go hand in hand. BetterHelp is a platform that connects people. If the pool of possible applicants is rubbish, [spoken in best Yoda voice]...so too the service shall be.

It's important to know the platform on the computer and the phone look and work great! They send you notifications, you can schedule and discuss online, and journal your thoughts and feelings. Ultimately, it should be great. But if you're looking for a deep, and meaningful connection with someone who wants to understand you or provide additional support, this might not be the place.

For example, I have no idea how counselors are paid on this platform, but I received several "hallmark-esk" motivational greetings from both counselors which held no bearing on my current situation. One example was...

"Write in your journal every day. Focus on writing your story. Write down three things you are grateful for every day. The three things I am grateful for today are: my amazing family and friends, my love for writing, [and] my faith."

Seriously?! Which card/commercial did she take this from? Are you getting paid per text? Because I haven't talked to you in a week. Also, I requested a non-religious counselor. Not that my counselor can't be thankful for her faith, but she did use it as a lens through which to understand my relationship...which was ultimately problematic as we have differing views on open-relationships, polyamory, and marriage. The counselor was accepting of my beliefs and respectful, but our interactions required continual correction regarding the fundamental nature of relationships and marriage, etc.

My irritation with specific counselors aside, her message has nothing to do with me or my care. I objectively do not journal and have not talked to my counselor about journalling. I can extrapolate the expression "Write your story" to my life, but in the same way I can extrapolate any promotional slogan: "Just do it", "Dew the do", and "Have it your way". These sentences are effectively superficial pleasantries which make me feel I'm not unique in any way.

Overall, BetterHelp feels like a great opportunity for individuals looking to make some money on the said as a counselor, and therefore, the candidate pool of counselors is pretty shallow.