BetterHelp Review: An In Depth Look
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- Опубликовано: 9 июл 2024
- WANT TO START IN THERAPY? In this video I do a deep dive behind the scenes of the BetterHelp platform. Betterhelp.com/drmarks I receive commissions from referrals to BetterHelp.
I discuss the sign up process, what you get and I discuss the reservations I had about it before I looked into it.
Here are some of the features:
For a monthly fee, you get a REAL licensed therapist with whom you can meet weekly by phone, video or chat. You can also send daily messages.
You have access to webinars on various topics. The unlimited texting feature allows you to type out your concerns or questions and get a well thought out response from your therapist. Some of them will help you set goals, give you worksheets, etc. If you use this link you will get a 10% discount on your first month. betterhelp.com/drmarks This is an option I've researched. I get a referral commission if you sign up.
Want to know more about mental health and self-improvement? On this channel I discuss topics such as bipolar disorder, major depression, anxiety disorders, attention deficit disorder (ADHD), relationships and personal development/self-improvement. I upload weekly. If you don’t want to miss a video, click here to subscribe. goo.gl/DFfT33
Disclaimer: All of the information on this channel is for educational purposes and not intended to be specific/personal medical advice from me to you. Watching the videos or getting answers to comments/question, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. If you have your own doctor, perhaps these videos can help prepare you for your discussion with your doctor.
Why are you not stating initially that this is an advertisement? This is a huge dissapointment, and I am considering unsubscribing. As a liscenced health professional you should be very clear on when you have your scientist/psychiatrist hat on, and when you are waring the making money hat on.
Based off the betterhelp advertisement I just watched it's trash and wouldn't be helpful. I just came here to see if anyone else caught on or if the majority is blind like the majority of the world seems to be right now. Now days what is really bad for a person is being called good and what is good for a person is being called bad. This is happening on all levels in society, in all categories, on all topics. We are in the middle of a mass brainwashing session.
This is so disappointing given their unethical business practices. Unsubbing.
Difficultly unsubscribing from betterhelp, selling user data, betterhelp is a terrible service
Honestly, this is deceptive and disappointing. I clicked on this video interested in what Dr. Marks (as a psychiatrist) had to honestly say about the BetterHelp platform. Dr. Marks should state at the BEGINNING of the video that this is a paid promotion so it ensures that all viewers understand, whether or not they read the caption or view the last few seconds of the video when she does.
Her review notes the potential benefits of the platform but notes absolutely NO downsides, even though the comments on this video identify many. Clearly her judgment is impartial due to this paid promotion.
Yes. Thought the same
Phew, thanks for pointing this out. How disappointing that she would not point this out to her viewers, especially considering she is a health professional!
She said she gets a commission from better help for each referral. It's in the description.
@@tcr5241 That's true, and I appreciate that fact. However, if you're watching RUclips on your phone (which most people do) you do not see the description unless you click on it.
Regardless of how clear she is about whether or not she receives commission, I think it is unsettling that she is a psychiatrist being paid to promote a mental health company by disguising it as her opinion or judgment. I see other RUclipsrs or podcasters advertise BetterHelp but they are not mental health professionals, so I'm fine with them. However, her judgment/opinion holds a different weight as she promotes herself as a psychiatrist.
Thank you for pointing this out! Something felt off for me halfway through the video and I decided to look at the comments.
No wonder there are so many broken people who need help but can't get it. The cost is too high. To be fair, the cost of EVERYTHING is too high. We are effectively priced out of life.
sounds like you could use some therapy🤔
In the US around half the population is below the poverty line. Most people don't have enough to cover a $400 emergency; yet are supposed to materialize funds for therapy? Our system is so broken.
You said THAT. Dr. Marks’ videos do assist in my quest for recovery. Counseling is covered by Medicaid. And there are places that will work with you on a sliding scale. It’s hard to find a therapist you click with, regardless of their pay grade. But don’t give up. Keep recommitting to healing, one day at a time.
There are tons of financial literacy and education videos online. The work-around to the system is self-education and breaking out of the system by making personal choices.
Well if the dollar wasn’t being inflated like a balloon to cover every mess politicians make you might have more purchasing power.
Almost had me signing up till the end where you informed us you are sponsored.. doesn’t exactly make this a non-biased review..
My first better help therapist recommended me this woman's channel. Before we had a session together. Seemed extremely presumptuos, but now it makes sense.
Then I found this video promoting the site after...if my next therapist does the same, then consider me the reported 15% of unsatisfied clients.
I’ve been trying to find a reliable non biased review. Got excited when I saw you made one, so disappointed by this.
Right she praises them whole video then bam here's the referral link friggen joke this society is
You could’ve read the description
She really doesn’t, ever hear the phrase “chew the meat and spit out the bones.” She is telling you how to get the best out of this service that she uses.
@@socalbarbie1040 must be sarcasm
That’s such an issue!! You CAN’T reasonably find a non-biased review of this service!! If you Google it you’re hit with ads on top and ads on bottom, and everything in between is blog reviews with affiliate links that may or may not disclose their sponsorship. Their strategy seems to be to flood out the criticism with paid opinions. They’re the fucking mood pod of mental health!
You should've stated that it's an ad at the beginning...i'm immediately a skeptic because no brand will let you say anything bad about them in an ad
The problem with this “review” is that it’s sponsored by BetterHealth itself which is a direct conflict of interest. As an aside: There are also opinions out there alleging sharing of personal data, HIPAA loopholes, or limited compensation to the therapist complicated by the out of session chat for which there may have been no compensation. Hmmm 🤔
This is my concern as well. After they promised me one price and then they prevented me from seeing a therapist to meet the promised cost, I also found out their customer service line won't even explain billing. I plan to report them to the State's Attorney or similar agency. They are shady.
Watch pewdiepies video on this from 3 years ago, back when all big RUclipsrs were pushing it. Then it suddenly stopped after negative opinions, now it’s back in rotation I see.
Sounds like it’s a rundown on what the website is all about. You get what you’re getting into and you don’t have to spend money more it.
This woman should have her license revoked for this video. What she did is completely unprofessional.
I was laughing my butt off at the end of the video when she explained being sponsored by betterhelp. The gal on this one. Unbelievable. This really is mental.
I tried Better Help and the therapist couldn’t have sounded LESS interested. Generic responses to what I wrote. Having heard they are paid peanuts, it makes sense.
It is not a good platform. Buyer beware.
If they need huge money to listen to people and counsel them they should have tried journalism and became talk show hosts, or pop stars.
Scientists who keep making our lives bearable are paid way less per month, and they spend their lives in labs making our GPSs and vaccines.
Everyone should know what they're going into when enrolling an university, and if they're out for the money, there are professions more suited for that.
@@miloradvlaovic counselling is not a particularly lucrative career and usually attracts people who want to help others. Professional counsellors deserve financial recognition and compensation for the many years of study, placement, professional development, emotional burden and risk/responsibility they take on when dealing with people going through bad or traumatic times. Good counsellors change people’s lives. Listening is important but counselling is far more than listening.
Same. Only tried one therapist and wouldn’t discuss anything in between sessions and wouldn’t review the assignments I completed days in advance.
The groupinars may be the only good feature, but definitely not worth the money. It was very strange to try to talk to someone on the phone, no video chat. The activities had nothing to do with what I seeking counseling for.
My experience with Better Help was atrocious. The "therapist" they gave me (who was a house painter and not a licensed therapist) handled my suicidal ideation in such a disgusting way that I thank God I didn't end up killing myself. I think less of a therapist or "doctor" that takes money from these people. Then again, I think very few pros who seek RUclips fame are to be trusted.
How did you handle this thought??
I just got scammed by them
As well. It’s absolutely disgusting. Sorry happened to you as well.
I wanted a black Psychologist. I was asked my preference and I opted black but they kept matching me up with non black people. 3 weeks later I found a suitable match only for them to tell me to "man up" and that they'd been through worse in life. This was all in the first 30mins of the session. It took me a while to heal from this.
@@sammywonder4502 why did you want a black therapist??? Any skin colour should be fine...its the credentials that matter the most. Black...white or whatever it's a skin tone. So what. If the therapist Is good than use them. If not than there's many others.
House painter? What? Can you expand on this
Love how this ended with “I directly benefit from promoting them”
As an European, the prices are insane.
And this is whats affordable here in the US :(
im irish 60-80 is normal price here? or are you talking about their non discounted ones?
@@faye9731 well, where i live you can go to a psych in the hospital for free
@@DrCartof yeah actually i guess we have some free options but the public mental health system in Ireland is really bad so if you want actual help you have to go private
In Europe, everything is free (medical)?
So basically this is an ad.
Thanks for commenting this, I thought there was going to be a decent video on its flaws 😑 going to script a video on it myself because I've read a LOT of employee, client reviews, reddit discussions of its unethical approach. And none of it is discussed because the people who went round calling it a scam were all dodgy right wing popular influencer types who missed all of the reasons.
Like I don't watch pewdiepie or any of those shit heads so think there need to be anticapitalist takes on this.
@@siginotmylastname3969 years ago pewds did call out betterhelp and the yters sponsoring it on their bullshit tho. Not the biggest shithead out there
Interesting. I would think a full BetterHelp roster still pays a therapist less than a full traditional roster after expenses. However, it might also be easier to build a full BetterHelp roster.
Bruh
Chocolate Rain guy?
It pays only a fraction of what therapists normally make.
I’m a PMHNP and yes, I have heard from therapy colleagues who have worked with Better Help part-time that they make significantly less than they do hour-to-hour in a traditional clinical setting. However this could be different than full time therapists with Better Help.
Less pay than in traditional therapy or private practice but the trade off is a flexible schedule and I can work as much or little as I like. That means the potential to make morw is there
I just wish you could choose how many sessions you want each month and only pay per session instead of having a monthly cost with a set number of sessions. I could only afford one session per month (if that) and I'm sure some people would want to have more sessions and could pay more.
Just meet someone in real life and speak with them once a month in that case. It'll help more and be way more genuine
Better help was designed for weekly sessions. With how much it cost it is cheaper than paying for a weekly session for traditional therapy. I believe when I looked into it itnwad around 250 a month. An average for one session of traditional therapy is 100-150. Betterhelp isn't a program to select how much therapy you want. Weekly therapy is optimal and it is set up that way for a reason. If someone wants to pay for once a month them traditional therapy is the best option. Lots of therapist have a telehealth option as well. Good luck
But wait, it says on their website that it "includes unlimited text, video, audio messaging as well as weekly live sessions"
So you can text then whenever you want and have a live session with them once a week if I'm understanding correctly
Is that not true? So that's 4 sessions with unlimited communication... (so they say) how much was it if you don't mind me asking? I didn't even see the option online to choose one session a month, I just thought you get the weekly sessions
Hey Jessie, I hope you’re doing well. Just an idea to try to help but maybe set aside the amount you would be paying for the sessions you can afford and then once you have a whole months worth saved then try it out? There’s lots of codes for 10% off the first month too (me included if you want to check it out)
They also offer financial aid now which can be a huge help (first months and a half free)
Hope you’re doing good ❤️
@@mona-checkoutmychannel7656 you have weekly video sessions and you can text with your therapist any time threw out the week along with phone calls if you need to contact them outside of your weekly scheduled session.
You pay monthly for their service but this includes everything I said above plus you’re able to switch therapist for free whenever you’d like.
They also offer financial aid assistance now which can be a huge help on top of using a referral code for 10% your first month. Hope you’re doing well❤️
Maybe should have started by saying that this is an ad?? I thought it was gonna be an honest review so I'm pretty disappointed.
I tried it with one therapist. I didn't switch to another. I felt I did all this talking and she didn't give me any feedback. It was like I was expected to find my own answers. Lady I've been in my head thinking so much I need someone elses perspective! Plus I actually thought it was expensive for my own income. But I would have stuck with it for the right therapist and it does become a hassle having to switch out especially if you think your gonna end up with more of the same from the next one.
Don't feel bad about switching services or therapists, if it doesn't work for you, then it's in your best interest to look for other options, i used to just deal with my crappy psychiatrist that was being rude to me and not listening to what i was saying but i finally got a new one and couldn't be happier.
Switching can make all the difference, in whatever format. My husband needed to switch _badly_ once (in person). If she had been worried about his parenting solo sometimes because of his anxiety, she'd have a point, but no. It was because he's blind. As if we don't know a half dozen families where both parents have been blind since childhood and their kids are doing just fine. He'd been proud of doing a particularly good job somewhere unusual, told her, and she just wrecked his already shaky confidence about it. The next one wanted the explanations, too, but she listened and learned in one sitting. (People have a hard time understanding how one can use ears instead of eyes and it doesn't take eyes to tell if that diaper is dirty!)
Exactly! When they just listen, I find therapists super pointless.
I'm here for guidance, not for some random person to listen quietly and taking XY dollars
I’m a therapist and had clients that I knew We weren’t right for each other. I have no problem stating maybe I’m not the right therapist for you.
@@addysaw yeah I could be the one listening randomly the most likely I'd give better guidance than a lot of therapists you need to do it
Hmmmm a sponsored review. This removes a lot of credibility in my eyes
I had a therapist once. She kept on telling me she was going to use cognitive behavioral therapy but never actually used it
The sessions are an hour and they can give you a discounted rate based off of your income. The first therapist I had was terrible, very disorganized, yawned through my sessions (excuse me, is my pain boring you?), and did not answer my questions in a timely manner. I complained and got a week free and I picked a different therapist. I love the therapist that I have now and she's very professional and helpful. Is this something that I'll do long term? Probably not but I find that it is helpful to me so far so I'll continue for now. All I have to say is, therapists are people and you have to be your own advocate for what you may need or are looking for.
I had my first session today and it WAS SO AWKWARD and horrible. She basically was just talking in circles, asked me questions I already answered in the questionnaire and we'd have long moments of silence. I was sweaty and anxious at the end of the call... not how you want to feel after therapy. Seeing your comment was helpful and I'm hoping I can find a decent person on the platform.
@@nicolepeaslee5017 yikes I'm sorry you had that experience. It's difficult enough to talk to someone but even more so when it's not a good fit. I would mention something to better help about it and Make it to where you get to pick your own therapist. I read through a lot of their profiles before I chose the one I had and I just got a good vibe off of her picture when I picked her. I think better helpful probably work with you to compensate for the bad session. I hope everything works out for you 💜
Re you still using them.
You're the first I heard mention the discounted rate. I'm not looking to use them, I'm just curious how they work it because I had heard it used as a selling point in sponsored YT vids and saw a lot of people struggling to pay but none offered the financial assistance they supposedly have. How do you apply for it and how do they verify if you qualify?
I'm glad you found someone that worked for you when you on picked your own... maybe that's the key to success with them as it seems that most people don't have a good experience when "matched" by the system.
@@hawkeyescoffee6399 it's been about a year since I used them. I don't remember if they asked me based off my income or I had to contact someone to see if I would qualify for a discounted rate.
I hope you were able to address any concerns and/or found the right fit for you! Mindful healing 💗
Betterhelp is currently being monitored on recent legal issues. People are reporting therapists not showing up for promised appointment times / unproffessional behavior towards clients' struggles, etc. I feel like since they know who you are they made sure you saw the only best parts of it for the sponsorship.
They also got hit with a $7.8 million dollar fine earlier this year for sharing private health information for advertising purposes, a clear violation of HIPAA.
I refused to sign up because I wasn’t guaranteed a no-risk consult with one of their “counselors” (in quotes because I am hearing that some of them are not licensed professionals) before paying any money. When they refused, I walked away. This is technically bad because I have serious issues with disordered eating and can’t work with any registered dietitian until someone helps get to the bottom of what is going on. BUT I am one of the maybe five people left in my city who is smart enough to know that if you don’t do your homework, you’re going to get taken.
I suspect BetterHelp is still afloat only because most of society nowadays is brain dead and have no concept of what doing your homework means. Not you personally, thank the stars.
Better help is a platform that teaches a machine learning engine to better their artificial therapist. Welcome to Robocare
I was interested in getting a psychiatrist's take on this platform. Instead, I got an undisclosed advertisement. You should have declared the conflict of interest in the beginning of the video or in the title. RUclips does give the option to put a disclosure card on the video, but it's not enough for something like this. It could relate to a sponsorship for an unrelated product.
I am terrified of therapy so many doubts of me getting better. Atleast there is programs for people out there. Today's world needs them.
You should have disclosed more clearly that this is a biased review.
She. Is. Being. Paid. To. Say. This.
I used betterhelp and could not find anyone equipped to deal with serious issues I was facing. They were of absolutely no help.
Yeah. I was really hoping that she would really take a deep look into it but it was all just paid advertising. I always feel like it’s a sketchy company I have no idea why specifically that might be.
I also tried it with three different therapists. As someone who had traditional therapy first, better help was exponentially worse. I'm worried that people will try it and think that therapy sucks when betterhelp is what isn't helpful.
Better Help did not sponsor her or pay her. She actually spent her own money to sign up and her time to speak with the therapist and watch the courses. The only thing she MAY get is a very SMALL commission if anyone actually clicks on the link and pays for their services.
Dr. Tracy Marks is one of the most honest psychistrist/providers I have found on RUclips. Just cause you don't know how affiliate marketing works doesn't mean you should judge or try to blast her with misguided and incorrect information! Smh...
@@jazzyj2243 Wrong, They get paid $200 each person who joins.
Betterhelp doesn’t pay their therapist well. Open Path Collective therapist can get paid a max of $60 for individuals and $80 for couples for a 45-50 minute session. The therapist is accepting them under their practice. This may not work for every therapist but it works for me. I have no overhead. The potential client pays a one time membership fee for $59. You can change therapist as often as you need to. As soon as I receive a message from them through Open Path, I respond within the same day to set up a 15 minute free consultation.
So, am I understanding correct, that the client pays Open Path Collectiveonly $59, and then future sessions pay $60 direct to the therapist? In other words you pay only for what you use after that initial $59?
messaging between sessions is really difficult for your counselor, to stop what they are doing (already working/session). if they want to send a thoughtful response, this requires some thinking/reflection on how to assist you, and this takes more energy, than typing it out. nothing wrong with this platform of therapy, but the concerns is how they underpaid or value therapists. like the Dr. mentioned, these counselors are not just coming out of school, some have Phds. or advance graduate degrees/expertise. If I see an MD for 15mins they want to charge $200.. Better Help exploit therapists, and counselors who get paid nothing. please hire your local therapists, use your insurance. maybe you'll pay a copay but the quality goes up!!!
This!! It also breaks down the boundaries between therapist and client if you can expect counseling at any time. Unless you’re in a crisis (at which point you shouldn’t be using an online service like this) the point of therapy is to help you build coping skills you then go out and use, not to vent to your therapist any time you want.
How can you present this as a "review" without mentioning that you are paid for each person who signs up for the thing you are "reviewing"? This is duplicitous. I subscribed to your channel, saw this video's description, and promptly unsubscribed.
The Pewdiepie video criticizing the BH service provides more revealing information that this video manages to leave out while shamelessly promoting BH for commission.
I don't think that it is healthy to have access to your therapist everyday. When does the client learn how to self soothe and be self reliant? There is good reason why there are strict boundaries set out with a therapeutic relationship.
Couple this with the short sessions and the apparently underpaid therapists and I'm not sold on this business model at all. I am a big fan of Dr Marks, but honestly this promotion unsettles me. It just seemed to be conveniently biased.
Unsettled is the right word.
Im using bettet help. My sessions are 45 min long. Only issue i sre w video. Having more access to then builds resillience.
@@Shortkonner I'm really glad that it's working for you. I hear a lot of mixed reviews about the Betterhealth platform, so hearing your good experiences is a nice, positive change. Although I still don't agree that having constant access to your therapist encourages resilience. There is good reason why in a traditional therapeutic setting that strict rules are in place with regards to calling, texting and emailing between sessions. If you have constant access to them then you just don't learn to trust your own instinct or to self soothe. This is a proven fact. That said, there are rarer situations that require a higher level of care and commitment from their medical professionals. So I guess all that we can do is what is best for our personal situation. Good luck to you and I hope that Better health continues to be the answer for you!
@@duck7237 they aren't accessible 24/7 they do have an expected time to reply to your messages. So you can expect a reply in a day or two. typically the platform indicates that they have weekends off so you can't have access to them all the time. But I think it depends on which therapist you get. One therapist I had responded very quickly (but would be late to her sessions with me) and the one I have now responds 1-2 days afterwards but is on time for my sessions. So you don't have direct access all the time. They respond to you on their time. Whatever timeframe that is. Not trying to argue or anything, but just wanted to give a more rounded picture.
@@samusandzeldafan you've kind of missed my point. I know they won't reply instantly. You're being very literal in your response. The goal of therapy is to teach you to be more robust and resilient. Most psychologists have very clear limitations on client interactions between sessions so as not to impede your growth and recovery - whether they reply to you or not.
"I receive commision from referrals" In other words she is taking kick backs for advertising for them.
My appointments are 50mins and most times we go over time.
Better help exploits therapists. please keep this in mind.
@@ZOEYANDFRIENDS673 what do you mean it exploit therapist please explain
Didnt this get exposed as a scam 3 years ago 😂
@Jasmine M What scandal was that?
Dam I should have did my research before buying better help! I just did it last night on a whim. I hope despite the many negative feedback I’ve seen, I hope I have a positive experience
How was it??
I tried BetterHelp and all I can say is RUN AWAY! My therapist seemed to be reading from a script, like when you call customer service for a tech problem and they run you through a set of standardized questions and responses.
And most of my already short sessions were taken up by the therapist trying to figure out how to establish and keep our connection. Such a waste of time and money.
My first therapist session with betterhelp was on a treadmill talking to me. Didnt ask me anything just multitasking during my paid session. Picked a second one and saw this wasn't for me.
My first therapist just kept talking about himself and then one session the connection was bad and he thought I couldn't hear him and he just started cursing at his computer really aggressively. Then I switched to another one.
@@imaginareality hot mess!!
@@imaginareality YES! One of the therapists I had kept talking about himself exclusively!
I guess there's a reason why these people end up being online therapists
These stories are horrifying.
better help doesn't pay counselors well. see your local therapists. use your insurance, is affordable.
The monthy cost of BetterHelp is equivalent to half of average monthly pay in my country so.. like.. I'm happy there are people who can afford it and get help :)
I've tried regular therapy and after 5 different therapists who weren't able to help me (or actually discover my problem) I gave up on therapy. Turns out I can do better with self-help using free resources on the Internet + good books :) getting better every day! It saddens me that my current view of psychotherapy is so negative, but given my experience I don't blame myself. There is no one-size-fits-all.
@@123litera4 thank you for your concern. As I've stated before, I have been to psychiatrists and psychologists and psychotherapy multiple times. Doing the same thing and expecting different results is called madness :p getting diagnosis is not helpful in resolving my issues. I have a few ;) doctors don't know everything. They can only serve in their capacity.
FYI, this an ad. Not a review of the service.
It's better than nothing. 30 minutes is not enough. I get the trend in our capitalistic societies, to reduce what you get while paying the same. Remember when therapy used to be an HOUR, then 45 minutes, now it's 30. It's just not enough.
I use better help and my sessions are an hour
@@marissamorris2530 why say that if your case is an exception and not the rule.
This video is the reason RUclips should bring back the dislike button. Sat through this whole thing bc I really need a new therapist and was considering BetterHelp. I wanted to see the genuine criticisms of the site but all I got was word vomit praise from a "doctor" on RUclips being paid by the company she's "reviewing."
The “negatives” are all directed to the therapist! They pay extremely low and it exploits therapists not to mention it cheapens out the services therapists provide. Also, if the 30 minute session will cost $60-$70 that means they’re charging around the same for a therapist in Atlanta.
It is disappointing how platforms like Better Help and Talk space use these internet figure to do their dirty marketing. As someone who used better help I am very disappointed with my experience. You want real therapy? Go to a traditional therapist. They also provide in person and video sessions. Don’t fall prey to these companies.
1. The live chat is an option for the member to have the session versus just a phone call or video session; some people prefer to write than talk. It has to be scheduled just like a regular session
You must be a doctor to figure that out... thank you for clearing this out sweetheart.
@@rosaliakasolo2315 I’m not a doctor but have been a clinician on Betterhelp since 2018
@@LovesAlchemist that is great. How are you ?
Then what she said on the video was misleading. I’m not saying intentionally misleading, but misleading all the same.
@@rosaliakasolo2315 I’m fantastic 😊🙏🏾 thanks for asking! Hoping you are well during these times
I’ve had a therapist before and I explained that I didn’t feel I was getting anything from it. He asked what I wanted and I said feedback and help. He told me to journal and reflect…….. thanks, guess I’ll go back to hating myself with affirmation that I’m not worth discussing. Further confirmation was when I was told the business was closing and I couldn’t get any information on how to find my therapist in the future, nor did he bother to call. I know, boo-hoo me, time keeps moving. Just felt motivated to share….
It was a completely fresh out of school optometrist that saved my eye. She caught my CSR.
Where as years earlier the experienced optometrist didnt bother listening to me trying to explain to him what was wrong.
I didn't get round to even getting a therapist on better help, I came through advertising when I was down, clicked a few buttons about my issues thinking it was just going go show me some therapists I might be interested in. Then it quickly asked for me to register payment and I closed the window. I was emailed saying 'limited therapists' were available and to book now. Even though I didn't reply, was assigned a therapist. Then told I had messages from a therapist and to sign on. I went on to unsubscribe from their mailing list and honestly the wording is atrocious. Just to get off their mailing list you have to click a big 'QUIT THERAPY' button. Then give a reason, etc. I hadn't even paid. I can only image how someone vulenrable might feel using that language. Honestly I can't attest to the therapists as I didn't get that far, but the experience was like a very aggressive marketing programme (and I should know I work in marketing, trying to get off their mailing list made even me uncomfortable). My advice - seek out a therapist through accredited counselors/psychologists and research them independently. Most do online now anyway post-covid if you're anxious about face to face.
Talked to three counselors on that site, one abandon me, several weeks into our sessions, even betterhelp had to send me an apology e-mail, but refused to give me a FULL refund, only a partial one. I never heard from her till a month later when she asked me how I was doing, I told her she's got balls for leaving me hanging after I answered some of her questions without a single word then coming back asking how I'm doing, bye. A year later I tried the site again, the next one was just not good, third one I stuck with for awhile but I felt like she was just asking the same things over and over again. Will never use that site again.
I was like ok... ok... and then the shameless plug at the end had me screaming
One more shameless plug, I just posted a video on my experience with BetterHelp. Check it out if you want a good laugh 😂
Your absolutely correct that people stop going and don't seek new help if the fit isnt good.Then theres that fact that if your down,leaving the home can feel physically and psychologically a Huge undertaking.This is progressive.Excellent
You don't get weekly sessions, actually (many people get 2 or one a month, because counsellors are always overbooked). Read the BBB complaints. Also, the messaging service is pretty much useless - they have a rule of not compensating if the counsellor writes twice as many words as the client or vice versa. That's how counsellors don't care about messaging. No one tells the client that. Plus a hundred other reasons to not choose that company.
Programs like this are budget -- by the time the organization takes their 50% cut you are getting a therapist who is working VERY cheap. Why would they do that if they could have their own clients, either cash or with health insurance? A decent therapist wouldn't work for a service like this. Now that therapists are working through telehealth, there is very little overhead. Great therapists often offer sliding fee scales for the uninsured. I am not interested in a 30 minute appointment with a newby who is working for close to nothing because he/she doesn't have the skills and experience to maintain a normal practice.
So was this an ad? Dr. Can you sign up as a provider and tell us if you think their pay structure would pay you livable wages?
I never comment but i would not recommend better help. I've had traditional therapy as well sometimes it is just a bad match. BUT My experience was they kept recommending ppl that were not my preferences which were a black woman, non religious. A white man who only provides Christian counseling def doesn't fit those preferences. Once i finally found a black woman she was VERY religious. I later found out from my doctor I was suffering from postpartum depression. When I would express how i felt and my concerns she kept telling me how i was feeling was completely "normal" and every woman feels that way after giving birth.
This kind (maybe this one?) gets recommended in my online post-partum group pretty regularly for those who either cannot find a therapist anywhere near them or the one therapist isn't someone they can't work with. Good to know that you find this program solid.
There are some others out there like Talk space that have a similar model of the monthly subscription. I had a negative association with Betterhelp for reasons not mentioned in the video. The company had a lot of popular youtubers who had nothing to do with mental health promote it (they still do) and that spawned talk about it being a scam, etc. So I wanted to keep my distance from all of that. Then when I talked to a real person who used it, I re-evaluated why I had a negative opinion about it and realized it was mostly because of a few hate videos I saw about it on YT.
When I got on the inside of it, it was a very solid experience and I regretted that I thought negatively about it for so long.
Thanks for posting this informative video I always wondered about online therapy
Isn´t constant messaging feature (potentially) creating a lack of boundaries between the therapists and their clients? That sounds kind of unhealthy to me.
As a "patient" I will state that everything Dr. Marks states is true BUT what she and BetterHelp fail to disclose is that, like Netflix and many businesses these days, BetterHelp is a subscription or retainer-based model: you are not paying for each session and you can only schedule 1 session per week; therefore if you feel you can take a "break" for a week or two for whatever reason, you are still paying the same amount for the month and can't "make up" for a missed weekly session.
That is huge. Doesn't seem like it's "hard to find cons" at all.
Thanks for this review Dr Tracey💯 I appreciate your honesty admitting you had some automatic bias towards it, but investigated and found it was more than you thought, and sound. I have a regular therapist but was considering something like this in addition. Was hesitant for all the reasons you mentioned, but now considered it a valid option. Thank you again, was so helpful!👍😊
Thanks a lot Olivia. That’s a great summary of exactly my impressions 😊
@@DrTraceyMarks as a doctor I think its reckless of you to make such an ad
@Nyasha Chifamba It's not a prescription, it's a review. I disclose my financial benefit.
Thank you for this honest review of the platform. I was wondering about them, more for my teenage daughter really than for myself (I've had my fill of therapy sessions for now). The only hurdle might be that even if her English is really good for her age (we're not native English speakers) she might face some challenges communicating with a therapist in that language when discussing more complex topics. I always found that being able to express myself in a foreign language was a freeing experience. It has allowed me to lift the mental bars behind which much of my upbringing had locked my freedom of expression... Feeling free to think and say things your parents wouldn't approve of is important when entering therapy. I want that for my daughter too...
Yes Dieezah having someone she can express herself would be a good thing. I seemed to remember as part of the screening process being asked about language preference. They may have someone who speaks your language. Maybe you could reach out to their customer service as ask about that before signing up.
i like that you talked about your bias going in. great review thank you so much.
Thank you for looking into this for us!
Sure thing Rae! 👍🏽
I tried this once a few years ago and didn't have the best experience. But I love the idea of therapy where I can write my thoughts before I share them, and send messages in between sessions. Might try giving it another shot.
Hi Michelle. Yes, you can have a similar not so great experience with an in person therapist. I think it's really good for the person who likes to write out their thoughts. If you try it again, I hope it goes well for you this time.
thank you for this! im thinking about doing telehealth and traveling and this sounds like it might be great for my future options.
Better Help saved my daughter. I’d recommend it to anyone!
Dr. Marks your a treasure. You do so much for the mental health community. This is information I needed.
Be confident to not just accept whoever the portal "matches" you with, but take a moment to choose the option to actually SELECT your therapist/counselor and you'll see ~100 options or so and you can look up each therapist online through other profiles or their LinkedIn and find one that specializes more in what you're looking for from the start. I did and I think it's going to be a GREAT match going forward.
I don't think I realized I could even do that. After this first session, I am DEFINITELY doing my research and switching.
This is great advice! My first therapist was great, so I don’t think it’s all bad. My second turned out to be a SW, not a therapist & she was not helpful at all. It gave me sm more trauma I just gave up the idea of getting professional help until I start making real money. I feel much better now but it def fueled my hyper-independence
Sessions are not limited to half hour although they are scheduled in half hour increments. Therapists have the option to leave the next slots open so the sessions may go for an hour or more. Betterhelp has just changed their payment structure however to limit sessions to 45min which is the typical length of a session, 45-50min with client 10-15min for notes/prep time.
That is sad just very very sad. I just watched 6minutes of advertising. While I wanted to hear an honest opinion. I almost physically felt the scriptness of this video.
I tried better help for about half a year.
Even though the therapist i gotten was generally nice, i didnt feel like they were really able to help me wiht my problem. I felt like they werent realistic about what they can and cannot do. I wished they would have clearly analysed my situation and my probems and forwarded me to someone more experiences with these issues. They kept saying "this isnt my expertese but lets try" and in retrospect that should have been a red flag. I didnt wish to switch, even though i could have, because they promised we are going to get through this.
The moment i told them that i will not subscribe for another month, they cancelled all our appointments that we had left for the month. I expected to kept talking to them until the very last day, since i DID pay for that month after all. But they pretty much straight forwardly told me its pointless because we wont get anything "big" done in a few sessions. It really made me feel like i meant absolutely nothing to them, and wasnt seen as a person suffering that needed help.
The live chat feature is great. But the therapist i been connected with has not used it as an ADDITION to sessions. If i wanted to have a live-chat conversation i had to make an appointment and it was an alternative to a session. Maybe you re lucky, but if you arent, you still have to wait a week until your next session.
The sessions were sadly not as helpful either. Since i have trauma it has helped me to talk to someone about my trauma and be "heard" but in regards to input, there was barely any. I wasnt told anything new, not provided new insight or anything of value. Beside talking to someone, which was its own value. I could probably talk to a stranger and it would have been equally helpful.
I seen therapists in person too. In comparison to that betterhelp wasnt worse, but you have to pay for it yourself and your insurance doesnt cover it. I live in Europe, and insurance is free for me as it is paid by my employer. So for me having to pay out of pocket was significantly more costy than just going to an insurance-covered therapist.
For me betterhelp was an alternative because i already seen therapists IRL but none helped, and it is hard to find someone available in your area that is covered by insurance and will take you in. At betterhelp you pay and you receive sessions guaranteed. But just like IRL therapists come in all qualities from shitty to meh to ideally good. Have yet to find the good ones though.
But I think there should be a better alignment of clients and therapists.
I will probably try again IRL and if that fails betterhelp would still be an option once i have enough money to afford it. But i will make sure to demand someone who DOES specialize in what i need.
It sounds like you may benefit from seeing a therapist who specializes in trauma-focused issues. There have been a lot of advancements recently in the treatment of trauma, which means many therapists who have been practicing for some time might not have the expertise that matches your problems. For example, if you've never tried EMDR before (even though it's been around for awhile), that might help you. But EMDR is not the only effective treatment model: there are certainly others. It's not usually realistic to expect issues related to trauma (especially, but not necessarily, multiple traumas) to resolve quickly. A therapist who has expertise in this form of treatment should discuss expectations for treatment with you. I don't know where in Europe you are: I'm in North America and the types of areas therapists specialize in can be very different, depending on what area of the country/state/province/territory you find yourself. Good luck.
In terms of choosing a therapist, I think it’s important that therapist specialize or have fields of interest. Nobody is an expert in everything.
My issues is that platforms like these do not offer specific counseling for ppl with chronic illness and/or disability.
It’s all about the money, no one really cares about your problems. So heartbroken at the end😢. What a country we live in ..
Interesting, thank you for your honesty!
You’re welcome
I may look into this for help with addressing my driving phobia was never quite the same after a car accident several years ago.
Didn’t work for me
Seems like a biased review if you are endorsing them- sadly you might be telling the truth- but these days I can't trust something this expensive when the video ends with "click the link below in the description and i can makes some money"
Hi dr marks, I just recently signed up for thrive networks but noticed some interesting things like no available therapy appts on weekends, does better help offer this?
The trouble with most therapy I had was I already knew those coping methods...not because of clicking. Therapy doesn't help much for me but art journaling helps some times. I just have to fake it till I make it some times too.
Placebos can help if done right. Nocebo are bad.
Faking is not always bad but pretending can get through things some times.
first place I looked thanks for the info. I'll look more but a good start
thanks for posting this
This is perfect because I always remember my biggest talking points afterwards when I not stressed
Interesting! I have used this platform for a while, and my therapist gives me 50 minute sessions.
I credit her for a lot of my healing from trauma.
That's great Erin. My therapist also said she will go longer than 30 minutes. I didn't know if that was just her or not. Since the website says 30 minutes, I stuck to that with this review just in case not all the therapist do longer sessions.
Do the therapists have the ability to diagnose through better help?
@@oliviac5125 no they dont
@@oliviac5125 My therapist cannot diagnose me since she is not a doctor. She has her Master's degree in Psychology. I do not think providers can diagnose when services are not provided in person. If you require a diagnosis, a psychiatrist or psychologist could do this for you in an office and clinical setting. I have a diagnosed mental illness. My BetterHelp therapist has recommended I see a local in-person therapist and medical doctor alongside her.
This was so insightful thank you for making it
Thank you Dr Marks for your comments
I greatly appreciate your thoughts on this service. While I have been using the platform for over a month and I’m enjoying it, it’s always nice to hear a professional opinion. Thank you so very much! 🙏
Many of my clients came from better help and better help paid her for this.
Going to take the plunge and check into it.
Thanks for the professional review. I'm thinking of going into private practice following maternity leave and considering Better Help as a way of providing care.
Dr marks, you lost all credibility once you admitted you were being sponsored by them. I literally cannot find anything out there that doesn't seem like a sponsored review or objectively is. I feel like I cannot find impartial information on betterhelp. That is a gigantic frustrating red flag and you should reflect on how you are contributing to that.
Yes
I wish you would have said it was sponsored at the beginning, I wouldn't have bothered watching the ad
Always been skeptical of Better Help, for the same reasons you listed, and im suprised how helpful the resource really is. The best part is honestly the pricing, as someone who has grown up with financial problems, as well as mental health problems, i know how especially important mental health care is for the poor. Whether it's because of their financial situaltion that they're mental state is in need of help, or their finacial situation is caused by their poor mental state (or a combination of the two), I'd wager poor people are arguably in more need of mental assistance than their financially better off counter parts. But with the expense of therapy, especially to those uninsured, therapy is often out of the question. Even people in my family have had to put off therapy or were reluctant to get help due to the expense of it; and admittedly i am too despite knowing how desperately i need it. Tanget over, it's good that it turns out Better Help makes talking to a therapist a bit easier and more accessible, especially with the pandemic!
You sound like a paid actor
My first therapist was from Betterhelp in the fall of 2019. She was good but since she was faith based it ended up not working out. My next two therapists both used Telehealth which is a similar online video app that a lot of therapists have moved to. Finding the right therapist is possible but it takes time just like IRL regardless of platform.
Thank you for sharing this information!
You bet!
Thank you so much for the feedback. Question. Do they take flexible spending card as payment ? I mean they should
Great video! I used psychology today to find my therapist. But it’s so difficult to find a psychiatrist! I’m a minor which doesn’t help.. every place in town is full, only for adults (I’m really close to 18) or isn’t licensed to prescribe.
Hi Doctor Tracey Marks..
I need your help how to slow down the activity in my default network mode...I have brain zaps too...please help me...my mind is always on the fast mode.....
I eventually found a brilliant therapist in the UK. I'm didabled and chronically ill so it's difficult for me to get out. She's incredible. The ability to messaging and journalhas really helped because I've been able to get support and understanding of how I'm feeling during the week.
Also with my disability I easily lose my train of thought and forget what I want to say so being able to write it down in-between sessions enables me to get erm better help.
I get a whole hour for my sessions.
One drawback, it took me a long time to find a good therapist, but it easy to change. You can't do that on the NHS.
Thanks for the review, however, would be more appreciated if it was mentioned that this is promoted.
Do they take insurance?
My biggest concern with finding a therapist is know their political position (not democrat vs republican). I am pretty sure that is something a therapist is taught not to do but may be difficult sometimes. Also is the risk. I have several security clearances, and other things, so a therapist could have a significant negative effect on my life. So I would have to do a cost benefit analysis of the threat to the benefit before cosidering it reguardless of public stigma.
A "trust" issue? You bet! Which reminds me of the line, "Just because your are paranoid does not mean someone is not out to get you."
What are your thoughts about CBD for depression and or anxiety? I've just found your channel and I don't know if you've covered this already