Signing up for Talkspace is easy. Through a web browser, simply visit the platform’s homepage and click “get started.” Alternatively. You can download the mobile app, which offers a very intuitive experience. Whichever you choose, you’ll be prompted to fill out a questionnaire to provide information about yourself, why you’re interested in therapy, and what you’re hoping to get out of your sessions. Once you answer these questions, you’ll create an account using your email address and a unique password.
Talkspace then pairs you with a therapist based on your needs, so you don’t have to worry about reviewing a ton of mental health expert profiles and choosing on your own, as you would with a traditional insurance database. From personal experience, this makes the signup and matching process way less overwhelming. When I signed up, I felt confident that I was being matched with a therapist that met my needs, with expertise relevant to the issues I wanted to work on. What’s more, if you do want to switch your therapist, you can do so at any time by navigating into your account settings and selecting the “change therapist” option.
Talkspace offers several forms of therapy and mental health support. With the platform’s subscription-based plans, mental health professionals support you through talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy. In addition to talk therapy, you can also register for psychiatry for an additional cost as well as couple therapy. Session times range from 30 to 50 minutes, depending on availability (though, in my experience, 30 minutes is the standard time). In terms of how you want to communicate with your therapist, you’ll have the option to choose between video calls or messaging. Just note, some therapists have limited availability for video calls, so you’ll want to pay attention to their schedule when determining what is best for you. One other caveat is that phone sessions are not an option, which is certainly worth considering if you’re someone who prefers phone-based therapy.
The Talkspace platform also offers workshops, which are hosted by licensed therapists and held on weekdays on Zoom. Each workshop centers around a specific topic, such as how to navigate conflict at work, how to thrive as a parent, and how to reconcile after conflict.
