mbg Contributing author
mbg Contributing author
Brittany Loggins is a freelance writer covering health, wellness and all things lifestyle.
Image by Jillian Wang / Stokes
July 30, 2022
The prevalence of stress and anxiety in the United States is on the rise, but observed the fastest growth in young people.
Approximately 14% of adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 experience mental illness World Health Organization— and most of them remain untreated.
Fortunately, with modern times, there are also some modern solutions such as online therapy for teenagers. unfortunately find the best therapist for your teenager is not always a quick and swift process.
Below, we’ll learn how to find the right therapist for your teen, as well as learn about the best online teen therapy services.
How to find the right therapist for your teen.
In addition to finding someone who has experience working in the appropriate age range, it’s important to consider your child’s concerns along with the therapist’s specialty. To help parents determine the best way to work with their teen to find a doctor, mbg spoke with Dr. San Hafeez, a New York-based neuropsychologist and director of Understand the mind.
For starters, Dr. Hafeez says it’s important to make sure your child likes the overall idea of therapy. “It’s important not to see a therapist in the middle of an argument,” she explains. “It won’t be productive, and your child will see going to therapy as a punishment.”
Instead, you can gently point out that you’ve noticed some troubling behavior in your child, and let them know that you’re there to support them if they want to talk.
It is best to do this when both you and your child are in good mental health. Dr. Hafeez explains that feeling empathetic opens up the opportunity to talk to your teen about therapy—at which point you can put their mind at ease by clarifying that the therapist’s job is to listen without judgment.
How do I know if therapy is working for my teen?
The best way to make sure your teen gets the help they need from a therapist is to keep an open line of communication. “Ask your child how he feels after class, and avoid questions that only require your child to answer yes or no,” suggests Dr. Hafeez.
Here are some questions she offers you to help you out understand how your child is feeling without going into the intricacies of the classes.
- What do you like most about being a therapist?
- What do you like least about your therapist?
- Do you think you need more classes per month?
- Does the therapist have a sense of humor and an approachable manner, or do they come across as intimidating?
What is Online Therapy for Teens?
Similar to traditional therapy, online therapy services give users access to board-certified psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurse practitioners (NPs), or licensed clinical social workers who specialize in counseling. While some are available for medication, almost all of them offer traditional talk therapy services that are conducted in a similar way to sessions in a traditional therapist’s office. The only difference is that these sessions are conducted over the phone, video chats or text messages.
Review of virtual therapy versus more traditional styles of therapeutic care found no difference in patient satisfaction or session effectiveness. Since teenagers spend more time communicating with friends through virtual channels, virtual therapy for adolescents is especially relevant. One study even found that it can be a useful method of preventing future mental health problems.
How we chose:
Because we focused on services that provide therapy to teenagers, we reviewed sites with therapists who specialize in specific age ranges.
Especially for teenagers, it’s important to have different methods of communication, such as texting, calling, and video chatting.
We looked for budget options both with and without insurance.
We reached out to the Better Business Bureau in addition to customer reviews to gauge overall responses.
mbg’s picks for the best online teen therapy services of 2022:
Pros:
- Different ways of communication
- Pre-set costs and easy cancellation
- It’s easy to switch therapists
Cons:
- Do not accept insurance
- Not suitable for emergency or crisis care
- There are no prescriptions for medicine
Insurance accepted: no
Girder Confirming Care: yes
Communication types: Video chat, Text, A phone call
Betterhelp’s teen-focused division aims to help people between the ages of 13 and 19. Like Betterhelp, it does not accept insurance and prides itself on providing affordable mental health care even to those without insurance. With over 13,000 therapists to choose from, this is the easiest option for those looking for a specific certification or area of expertise from a medical practitioner.
All therapists are licensed, and through an initial assessment, the site will find you professionals who specialize in bullying, eating disorders, relationships, anger and other issues. It also provides separate private meeting rooms for parents and teens that allow parents to check in while still allowing the teen autonomy. They also provide 24/7 support and offer messaging options.
Price: $60 to $90 per week
Pros:
- Great variety of plans
- Audio, video and text sessions are available
- Parents can send a pre-recorded video with consent
- All therapists have extensive experience in treating adolescents
Insurance accepted: yes
Girder Confirming Care: yes
Communication types: Video chat, Text, A phone call
Teens can choose between phone, video or text communication with their therapist — or even a combination of all three with certain plans. Text plans even allow teens to describe how they feel using emojis, which has proven to be an effective and creative way for kids to express their feelings.
This service specializes in 13- to 17-year-olds and even offers a complete guide on their website that offers conversation starters for classes. Talkspace does accept insurance and offers therapists in every state, which can make the insurance payment process easier.
Price: $65 per week
Pros:
- Accept multiple insurance plans
- Specialists for teenagers and children
- Offers therapy and psychiatry
Cons:
- Fee for attendance only
- Only live video chats are offered
Insurance accepted: yes
Girder Confirming Care: yes
Communication types: Video chat
It is harder to find online services for children under the age of 13, however Amwell offers providers for children aged 10 and up. There are both therapists and psychiatrists here, which is great if your child needs medication.
The services also accept a wide range of insurance plans, which you can enter before choosing a therapist. This ensures that the doctors you choose are in your network and prevents any billing complications. Unlike other services, Amwell only offers live video chats, which may be a turn-off for some patients who want 24/7 connectivity.
Price: $109 for a therapist with a master’s degree; $129 for a therapist with a doctorate
Pros:
- Options for joint care
- Can prescribe medicine
Cons:
- Allow video visits only
- On the larger side
Insurance accepted: yes
Girder Confirming Care: yes
Communication types: Video chat
While the $299 entry fee is a bit steep, follow-up visits are $129, which is still cheaper than many traditional office appointments. Before officially registering, you can take a free 2-minute assessment to help you and your child better determine the ideal course of care (and whether the service is a good fit). The company also offers doctors with a variety of specialties including anxiety, depression, stress, and PTSD. Additionally, the company makes it easy to share medical records, which can come in handy when it comes to evaluating different types of medications or treatment plans.
Before matching your child to a doctor, Doctor on Demand narrows down therapists based on your location and needs. You will then have complete control over choosing a therapist with your teen. If they don’t feel connected – remember that finding a therapist can be a difficult process – it’s easy for them to give up and try someone new.
Price: A 45-minute initial evaluation with a psychiatrist for medication treatment costs $299
Pros:
- Chats are moderated and secure
- Resources such as videos and worksheets are provided
Cons:
- Chats and listening sessions do not involve licensed professionals
Insurance accepted: yes
Girder Confirming Care: yes
Communication types: Video chat, Text, A phone call
This service offers a range of options when it comes to supporting teenagers, including sessions with trained listeners, more traditional therapy sessions and support rooms with other teenagers. The latter can act similarly to group therapy, which is emerging type of therapy best for those who need interpersonal support or a deck to better understand themselves.
In fact, the most unique feature of this service is that they allow teens to talk to other teens. These chats are monitored for security, and the site also tracks the number of messages shared with other listeners so it can provide small, important messages. In addition to group support, there are 7 Cups offers mindfulness exercisesvideos, worksheets, and even playlists designed to promote self-care.
Price: Free of charge
Takeaway.
Online therapy can be a great way to help your child feel more comfortable if they want to improve your mental health. It can also make it easier to find therapists with the right specialties that will work within your budget. Don’t worry if you want to know more, we have collected more information about all of them types of online therapy.
