Carly’s App of the Week: Talkspace

By Carly Bauer, Marketing Coordinator at Heinz Marketing

For many, it can be hard to find an outlet to deal with and process emotions, especially as situations and environments change. Going through the first year of the pandemic, we didn’t know when things would get back to normal, what the ‘new’ normal would look like, and if things were going to get worse. It was impossible to plan for anything that was more than a week in advance because everything was constantly changing. The lack of consistency and reliability was emotionally and mentally exhausting, at least I know it was for me. 

That’s why Talkspace has been a very helpful app during the pandemic as we continue to deal with unexpected changes and an unknown future.  If you have never heard of it, Talkspace is an online counseling platform that provides users with support from a licensed counselor, all through an easy-to-use and HIPAA-compliant app. 

It’s convenient for busy schedules, more affordable compared to traditional sit-down sessions, you’ll get matched with a licensed counselor located in your state, and will have ongoing support through secure messaging and live video sessions.

Additional benefits include,

• 24/7 access to your counseling room
• No commute time or scheduling hassles
• Flexible plans to match your needs and lifestyle
• A wide price range to fit every budget and accepts most insurances
• Easy to switch therapist
• Affordable high-quality care

Getting set up on Talkspace is fairly simple. The first thing, once you download the app, will be to take a quick online assessment. Questions go over what experiences you have had in the past with therapy and if it was helpful, what reasons you are inquiring about and your goals for doing therapy, what aspects interest you in a counselor and other preferences.

After filling out the assessment, matches will be selected for you to choose from. Each counselor has a profile and availability schedule you can view before selecting. Each profile includes a short bio, types of certifications, number of years in practice, when they joined Talkspace and their focus areas (addiction, anxiety, grief, self esteem, stress, PTSD, OCD, etc.).

Once you’ve selected a counselor, you choose the best plan for you. You can even switch plans or cancel at any time after subscribing. Plans include text, video, and  audio messaging with guaranteed daily responses 5 days/week. Some plans include Live video sessions from once a week to multiple video chats a week, depending on what you need. After you’ve selected your plan, message your counselor and begin your sessions!

I am a firm believer that therapy should be a normal thing in society. Nothing has to be severely wrong, you don’t have to go through a dramatic trauma to go to therapy. Therapy can be a huge benefit to help identify emotions you’re feeling but don’t know what they are or why they are there, it can help you figure out how to act on those emotions, and be a good outlet for stress and anxiety from work, home, and life in general. 

If you are in a space where you are needing someone to talk to, not sure how to resolve issues with loved ones, or need help with handling certain situations, please check out Talkspace.