What is Talkspace Therapy: Features & Benefits

2. Personal Preference: Choose a Therapist Who’s Right for You

One of the most challenging parts about starting therapy is searching for a therapist who fits with your needs, practices the type of therapy you’re looking for,  and clicks with your personality.

To assist you with making this important connection, Talkspace enlists an advanced algorithm, to gather initial information and make the match for you based on many variables, answers to your questions, and the challenges you bring up. Depending on your location, you’re presented with a selection of knowledgeable, licensed therapists to choose from. Each therapist has an extensive bio that includes any condition specializations (i.e. depression, anxiety, PTSD), a bit of personal background, and often introductory videos as well.

Talkspace has a network of thousands of licensed therapists, providing coverage to all fifty states. Our therapists are trained to practice a variety of different types of therapy, including: cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, mindfulness, psychodynamic therapy, and couples therapy, to name a few. You’ll be sure to find a way to practice the therapy you desire with a therapist who meets your needs. Choosing from multiple therapists — and being able to easily switch therapists in the app if they’re not quite a match — helps assure that you have the best online therapy experience possible.

3. Message Based Therapy

How we communicate has fundamentally changed over the past decades, with the bulk of our interactions coming via text-based messaging. We believe that you should be able to chat with your therapist however you like to communicate. After all, you need to feel comfortable to open up, and if messaging feels like the most natural way to communicate, we want to support that with mobile therapy. 

If you choose to pursue message based therapy, you can make use of asynchronous messages, which is our traditional message based model where your therapist will reply to you throughout the workweek. Besides text-based messaging alone, you are also able to send videos and audio messages to your therapist through this plan. Audio and video messaging is great for responses or discussions that require greater depth, or if you simply feel like going hands-free. 

Alternatively, if you want immediate, synchronous messaging with your therapist, take advantage of our Talkspace Live Chat feature for an extra fee. 

4. Video Based Therapy

Since therapy can be bolstered by emotional and physical cues, we also offer live video sessions. This method is more similar to a brick-and-mortar therapy experience while letting you enjoy the other benefits and conveniences of online therapy. 

When you need to get something off your chest, being able to send a message at any moment, through any channel, ensures you’re at your most comfortable during therapy.

5. Live Chat: A New Format for Therapy Sessions 

You deserve flexibility to take your live sessions in whatever format meets your needs. Those who are on a Talkspace plan which includes live sessions can now utilize our new live chat feature. With the live chat feature, we strive to empower you even further by providing you with flexibility and control over how to receive your mental health care in your preferred format. 

Now you can select from one of three unique formats for your live sessions: by video, by audio, or by live chatting with your provider in real-time, for the duration of your live session. 

Feel like doing one session by text, and another by video? No problem. Live chat is the same high quality discussion as any live session, with the added convenience of typing and chatting by messaging in the Talkspace app. Enjoy the same exceptional care with even more choice. 

Here’s How it Works:

To get started, simply log in to the Talkspace app, schedule your next session, and select “Chat.”

1. When it’s time to book your next session in the Talkspace app, you will have the chance to select which format you prefer: video, audio, or live chat. Select “Chat,” and your session is booked.
2. At the time of your scheduled session, simply log in to the Talkspace app and tap the “join session” button that appears in your room. Your therapist will meet you there and your session will begin. 
3. Conduct your session with your provider as you normally would, typing messages back and forth in real-time as if you were speaking via audio or video. Your therapist will be right there with you throughout. You will know when your session is complete with the timer; your session will end at your standard time.

Looking to start your therapy journey today? Sign up here to get started.

6. Talkspace Go

Talkspace Go is an online, self-guided mental health support program. You can take self-guided therapy sessions, attend live online classes led by therapists, and receive daily prompts for self-reflection and insights through the app. Take time to learn, reflect, reduce symptoms of anxiety or depression, and increase self-awareness. There is also a version of Talkspace Go for teens that provides content and guidance on the topics affecting teens most.

7. Update Your Way to Pay & Keep the Same Provider

Now you can easily update your payment method or add a new therapy service without changing your Talkspace provider. 

You’ll be able to change your current payment method, whether that be to a different insurance provider, out-of-pocket, an employer, or EAP, and stay with the same provider you’re used to. As long as your therapist is still qualified to treat you under your new plan or payment type, you can update that information simply through your Talkspace account.

8. In-App Assessments & Clinical Progress Tracking

If you want to track your progress and growth in therapy, brick-and-mortar therapy doesn’t provide great options. Talkspace offers a way to visualize your growth, keeping you focused on next steps throughout your journey with a therapy progress tracker.

As you build a relationship with your Talkspace therapist, you track your progress in our “client journey” timeline. This timeline guides you through the initial stages as you begin therapy and your therapist gets to know you, through your first steps in online therapy, and as you make progress toward the goals you agree on at each new phase of your progress.

9. In-App Mental Health Exercises & Tools

Learning new skills takes practice! In the app you will find guided self help exercises put together by Talkspace clinical experts to help you with a range of situations. If you’re looking to reduce stress, try our deep breathing exercise. Want to increase your awareness? Do so by cultivating each of your five senses and appreciating the present with our unique exercise. 

You can also learn how to identify negative thoughts and improve your coping skills with our “Navigating the Negative” exercise, which helps you identify a negative thought to overcome and learn techniques to shift that thought over time. There are many other exercises to take advantage of and you’re sure to find the perfect one for you. These exercises range in varied lengths from one to fifteen minutes and are created to serve a wide array of needs that compliment you on your mental health journey.  

You can find these tools in the app on your dashboard under Therapy Tools > Exercises and can use them at any time.

10. In-App Workshops

All Talkspace users get free access to live workshops on the Talkspace Self-Guided app. The workshops are anonymous, educational, and guided experiences held via Zoom by licensed therapists. The workshops have been specifically designed to help couples, parents, and individuals navigate areas like communication, empathy building, gender identity, anxiety, depression, burnout, work stress, and parenting. 5-6 therapist-led live workshops take place every week during which licensed therapists answer anonymous questions from the group and personally follow up with participants. Additionally, each class is recorded and then added to a library of on-demand classes to access at any time. There are currently over 100 classes available on demand and available to Talkspace clients.

11. Privacy Features 

At Talkspace, your privacy and safety are a first priority. We go to great lengths to ensure both you and your data are kept safe and confidential. 

Our technology is fully HIPAA-compliant and therapy sessions are kept completely confidential between you and your therapist. 

All chat data is encrypted on our servers, as well as all communication between our software and the servers. On the Talkspace app, you’re required to enter your password and also have the option of creating a unique passcode for extra security. Furthermore, our iOS app uses Touch ID and Face ID on enabled devices.

12. HSA/FSA Account Benefit For Talkspace Services

“Can you use your FSA or HSA for therapy?” This is a common question that many people wonder about, and the answer is yes — in many cases you can use FSA or HSA for therapy. We recommend that you double check with your HSA/FSA provider to see what information they need to accept Talkspace therapy; it might be as simple as an itemized receipt or a “super bill,” — which you can easily get by emailing customer support at [email protected].

To use your FSA/HSA on our platform, all you need to do is enter your card details when you provide payment information as you would for a normal credit card. Using HSA or FSA dollars for Talkspace online therapy is a great way to save money — with these accounts, you’re using pre-taxed income you’ve set aside for health care costs.

If you’re wondering about the difference between the two accounts and which you might have, you’re not alone! FSA accounts (Flexible Spending Accounts) are more common, while HSA (Health Savings Accounts) are supplementary additions to HDHP coverage (High-Deductible Health Plan). FSA accounts expire at the end of each year, while HSA accounts allow the money you contribute to roll over year to year. Check out this guide for more details on the two accounts.

Take the Next Step

If you’ve been thinking about trying online therapy, Talkspace is here for you. Online therapy can help you feel happier, healthier, and works to improve your well-being. Everyone’s therapy experience is unique and Talkspace continues to build technology and communities to support you on your way to better mental health.