Does Betterhelp really offer ‘better help’? – My honest review

The third post for my Therapy Series. In today’s post, I sink my teeth into Betterhelp. Is it worth your hard-earned cash?

After coming across this platform through many of my favourite bloggers on YouTube, I felt “influenced” to give it a go. A site which prides itself on its ability to match you to a therapist within days and to offer unlimited communication between client and therapist, webinars and weekly sessions, I was curious and gave it a go.

If you are someone that is looking to join Betterhelp, it may be worth doing some research. In this week’s post, I will be giving my honest review of BetterHelp therapy.

THE GOOD

Competitive Pricing

Betterhelp offers therapy at competitive prices (prices start from £40-£70 a week) which is a lot cheaper than other methods of private therapy as sessions can start from £50 an hour and increase depending on what it is that you struggle with.

Brilliant Relatable Webinars

My favourite feature of this platform was the vast webinars that the site had on offer. From advice on perfectionism to information on managing ADHD symptoms, there were informative webinars suited to people with all kinds of difficulties or interests. I liked the interactive aspect of the webinars where other members could ask questions live to the specialist delivering the sessions.

Moreover, I particularly liked the feature where you could catch up on the webinars by watching a recording of it at a later time.

Flexibility

Betterhelp therapists also are a lot more flexible when it comes to the timings of therapy sessions. I found it particularly easy to find sessions that suited my timetable but also make last-minute changes to sessions when needed.

Flexibility was also there when it came to finding alternative therapists. As mentioned in my previous post, the ability to change therapists is essential when making the most of your therapy sessions. This is something that is easy to do with BetterHelp.

THE NOT SO GOOD

Limited Specialist Therapists

One of the main and probably the most concerning issues I found with Betterhelp was the lack of specialist therapies offered by BetterHelp. I came across two different therapists who both offered Person-Centred therapy which was too surface-level for what I was looking for.

I found myself often frustrated with the lack of specialist support that I expected from such a vast platform that it advertises itself to be.

Therapists – Toss a Coin

Finding the right therapist can be quite difficult on the app. The luxury of choice offered by the platform contributes to its downfall. There is more of an emphasis on quantity rather than quality which I found to really impact their quality control processes. I believe that the site needs to be more strict with their site and have a more rigorous selection process on which therapists they allow on the platform.

I had two therapists throughout my year using Betterhelp:

The first therapist was based in the USA so the timings were a little funny. For example, my usual therapy slot was during evenings sometimes as late as 9 pm due to the time difference. My therapist started off offering 45-minute sessions but started reducing them to 30-minute sessions. I found it a little frustrating as sessions are advertised to be at least 45 minutes long. I also found it frustrating to only have therapy sessions over the phone with my therapist as having face-to-face interaction is something I opted for and expressed to my therapist.

After a month, I decided to switch my therapist which was easy to do. I was matched with a new therapist within 24 hours and had my first session another two days later. Because my therapist was from the UK, I felt more comfortable with not having to explain a lot of things from scratch as my therapist had an understanding of being British. My therapist was experienced in supporting people with stress management, anxiety and depression which was what I was looking for at the time. BetterHelp therapists have a bank of resources that they can share with clients such as diaries, questionnaires and tasks in order to gain a better understanding of their clients.

Better Finance Options

Another thing I would like Betterhelp to improve on is their options for payments. Since they only offer monthly memberships, oftentimes I found myself having three sessions of therapy a month rather than four. It made it unfair to have to pay for a whole month worth of sessions. Moreover, as time went on and my symptoms felt a lot better, I found myself not wanting weekly sessions. But since I was paying monthly, I felt the need to schedule a session to get my money’s worth. Having flexible pay-as-you-go options should be open to those that have used the platform for a long period of time.

FINAL VERDICT

*drum roll*

It really depends on the kind of support you may need and how long you are willing to wait for it. If you are on the NHS waiting list and are in need of support for generalised anxiety, relationship, grief, major depression, or stress, then yes. It may be the right platform for you.

However, if you are struggling with an eating disorder, PTSD, personality disorders, self-harm, OCD and other anxiety disorders or other mental health disorders, then I recommend you seek specialised support by contacting therapists directly through a register. The support offered by Betterhelp may not be as thorough as you may need.

Is it value for money? If you look at what is offered within the monthly packages and the sheer vast amount of resources, webinars, unlimited communication with your therapist and the online journal offered by the site then absolutely.

Betterhelp has a lot to improve, but I feel like they are on the right track. Therapy is now becoming a lot more suited to the busy, working, digital-preferring adult which explains its popularity and they’ve managed to grasp that.

For more support:

If you or anyone is suffering from suicidal ideations, or threats to harm themselves or others then please call 999 or your local emergency services. You can also check out the following services currently offered in the UK:

  • Samaritans – Call 116 123 free from any phone 24/7 365 days a year
  • SANEline – Call 0300 304 7000 (4.30 pm–10.30 pm 7 days a week)

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