BetterHelp specifically is a low-cost option that many universities and organizations partner with to provide counseling to large communities. As of September 2021, Northeastern University is offering BetterHelp as a referral option, advertising 20 free weekly sessions for its students and faculty.
Online teletherapy platforms are merely a fragment of the telehealth realm, and should not be confused with teletherapy as a whole, which is broadly defined as counseling over the phone and online. Teletherapy is widely used, becoming a post-pandemic standard for counseling. According to a 2021 TIME poll, 58% of Americans using mental health services have met with a therapist over video or audio call in the past year.
Drawbacks to teletherapy are widely understood — in the virtual realm, interfaces are difficult to navigate and personal contact is difficult to replicate. Yet in a world where workplaces have migrated online, a remote option for therapy is not too far outside our…