This app is fantastic for those who need help sooner rather than later. I do prefer & recommend an in person therapist, but often it can be hard to book in, or a month between visits. This app allows help much sooner with daily check ins & instant communication. It's like texting a friend.
No support, no response, few options, don’t waste your money
No responses and no therapy, good luck getting a good therapist on here these days, disappointing.
I had a really good experience on Talkspace, I used it when I was working overseas and didn’t have the time/money/transport to go to face to face therapy. My therapist would send really long/detailed/personal messages, including books she recommended, quotes, websites etc. I saw another reviewer said they received short/impersonal messages but that was not my experience at all. I think it’s to do with which therapist you get, when you pick your therapist you have a choice of 3 and basically how they write their bios is how their messages will be. I chose the therapist with the longest bio, one of the others had a really short bio so wouldn’t have been my pick.
I really struggled on my year overseas but fortunately in the last 4 months of my stay and when I discovered Talkspace I was able to turn everything around and create some really positive memories.
I never normally review apps but I had such a horrible experience with this one that I wanted to warn others. 1) there is no way to cancel you subscription!!! I have emailed the customer support team and have gotten no response I have even messaged my “therapist” no response and they continually try to bill me for another month when I have made it clear in written form I want to cancel THAT IS STEALING and from vulnerable people that just need help it is extremely unethical. 2) the therapist I had took hours and hours to reply and often sent one sentence question to massive paragraphs I would send him. This did not benefit me the SMALLEST bit and would never ever recommend this horrible app to anyone. They are just scammers they are not out here to help people and they target the most vulnerable, they should be so ashamed of themselves.
I cannot rave about this app enough. Have always considered seeking therapy but couldn't justify the $$ or have time working 60+ hrs a week :( Personally I'm highly emotionally reactive so I needed something or someone to help me get a grip... let me tell you my therapist on this app is a dead set legend! The tools he's given me and the discoveries we've made together are insane! I can text him 24/7, anywhere, anytime. I've never done an app review before but I'm so much more emotionally happier and healthier that I had to. I'm in Australia so it's about $200 a month but compared to $100 an in chair session that's a lot better. So freaking happy!
My therapist was nice enough, yet not particularly helpful in areas I needed them to be. Areas I brought up were brushed over until I had to be completely direct. There was nothing personal about it. This could have been due to the minimal contact (around two text messages a day). Once I stopped responding I was barely contacted after a week or so to ask if I was ok. I went to a therapist in person and got more from them in one session than I did in a couple of months on here. I wish I’d put my money towards seeing a therapist in person than using this.
The service is innovative, you get connected with a qualified therapist and exchange messages approximately daily.
However people should be aware of the billing practices of this service. You are billed monthly ($100), and once signed up there is no way for you to cancel your subscription aside until your therapist approves your cancellation(!). Given the cost involved I'd prefer some more control over my account. As I was unaware of this, I didn't manage to cancel before the next month rolled over by one day, and I was billed a full month with no refund (not even partial) offered. Caveat emptor.
Tried it for one month, was billed for two months. They won't refund unused time.
The therapist was nice enough, but found her responses formulaic and impersonal. Also with the time difference I was waiting often 12 hours for a reply so it was a very stilted conversation, not the real time help I was hoping for. Felt the type of responses I was getting I could get from a friend or for free from various internet self help websites. Not worth the price which was $160AUD per month. Think better put towards an hour with a face to face therapist.
The idea behind this app is excellent. The counsellors seem to want to talk about their own lives non-stop. They can be insensitive, unethical and offensive. What do they care as you are one of dozens of people they speak to in a day... if they reply at all. After my time on talkspace I felt way way worse. Much more depressed than before and rejected. The high subscription fees could have been better spent literally anywhere else. If you are struggling to cope in life there are much better resources out there. Avoid this app and look for better help.