Online Therapy Platforms
A few weeks ago, I was asked to do a blog post about these online platforms that keep popping up. I am not going to name them, but I am sure most of us know them. We hear them advertise on the radio, in the middle of our favorite podcasts, on television, and their ads pop up across social media platforms.
This post isn’t going to include what NOT to do or even what to do. It’s not going to bash these companies, as everyone has different experiences with them. This post will give a brief overview (emphasis on brief) of some of the platforms’ concerns. It is not my intention to tell people what to do or create issues for the platforms. However, I do think it is important for individuals to be informed and then they can do their own research and make their own opinions and decisions. I would like to also state that the points I make below are generalizations and are not specific to any or all of the platforms that might be out there.
Online options. Pre COVID-19, these platforms offered the convenience of online therapy. Phone, video, or chat options that were private and secure. Thanks to COVID, many therapists now offer these services.
Convenience. Many individuals turn to these online platforms because of the convenience they can offer. Most providers are not allowing chat or text messaging as part of their services and these platforms do.
Affordable services. Many of these platforms offer significantly reduced rates, and discounts, and partner with insurance companies. Many of these platforms offer different packages based on your needs and your financial situation. Mental health treatment can be expensive and these platforms are attempting to bridge that gap.
Access to mental health treatment. If you are in an area where there are limited mental health options or what you are struggling with requires a specific skill set, finding a provider might have been difficult.
Questionable ethics. Every state and license is different. I have said this before when it comes to telehealth. Just because a provider is using these platforms doesn’t mean that their ethical codes go out the window for their state and license. Unless things have changed, to my knowledge there are no governing bodies on these platforms. Providers are hopefully abiding by their legal and ethical codes both for their license and for their state(s).
Anonymity. Some of these platforms allow anonymity. That might sound appealing to the individual seeking services. However, it opens up liability issues for the provider. A person’s full legal name needs to be part of their medical record and in the event of an emergency, the provider needs to have access to emergency contacts and know who the person is that they are speaking to.
Low pay. This isn’t the problem of the patient, or is it? These platforms typically have strange algorithms for their pay structures and usually pay per word (chat features) or per minute (video or phone). Most of the pay comes out to a fraction of what a provider can make off of these platforms, which leads providers to take on more patients, and before they know it, they are seeing 10+ people a day and can’t keep them straight. Too large of a caseload leads to mistakes and burnout. That isn’t helpful to the provider or their patients.
I am not saying don’t use these platforms nor am I saying that these platforms are bad. I am encouraging anyone currently using these platforms or thinking about using them to do their research and make a decision that works best for you. There are ethical providers on these platforms that joined to supplement their income and to provide services for individuals who might not otherwise have access to services. Be an informed consumer with all your treatment!