Why Online Therapy is a Smart Financial Choice

Mental health has been in the news a lot lately and it seems like you are seeing these online therapy sites all over the place. But many people still do not understand what online therapy is and why it is beneficial. It can be a bit confusing as to how you can get help from an actual therapist or psychologist without actually going to see them. However, you need to know that not only is it possible, in most cases it is much more effective and costs you less than traditional face to face therapy. 

Online Therapy is So Much Easier

One of the main reasons that people choose online therapy is because it is so much easier and more convenient than going to see a therapist in person. After all, you do not have to make an appointment, wait several weeks (or even months) to see the therapist, and then juggle your work and other duties to spend an hour with the therapist about something that was bothering you a month ago. Being able to shoot your therapist a text or instant message on chat when you need to is so much better for everyone because you can do it while you are in the middle of the crisis or emotion and your therapist can answer when they have time. No matter whether you are up in the middle of the night worrying about something and need to vent or if you are at work and cannot get away, online therapy is there for you 24/7 no matter what. But there is another benefit that people may not realize and that is the cost savings.

Traditional vs. Online Therapy Costs

Everyone knows that seeing a therapist can be costly and that is one of the main reasons people avoid going. In fact, a traditional brick and mortar face to face therapist can cost from $200 to $400 per hour. But online therapy with betterhelp.com only costs between $40 and $70 per week. No, that is not a typo, that is per week, not per hour. And you can message or text your therapist as much as you want anytime day or night with no extra charges. You do not just have one hour to try to explain your life problems, emotions, and feelings. You can talk to them whenever these things pop up and, similar to journaling, writing down your thoughts and feelings is therapeutic on its own so just texting or emailing your therapist is therapy. 

Passing on the Savings

Back to the cost, though. The reason that online therapy is so much less expensive is because your therapist no longer has to pay for an office, staff for the office, or the other office expenses such as utilities and office supplies. In addition, they do not need to worry about transportation, and they can treat more than their usual six to seven patients per day. When they see patients for an hour at a time, they are limited to only seeing a certain amount per day. With online therapy, they can talk to as many people as they need to every day and they are not on a set schedule so they can treat as many patients as they want. More patients and less expenses for them means that they can pass on that savings to you and you get to save money too. Which is good because financial problems are the most common reasons that people tend to see their therapist about in the first place. 

  • Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.