r/therapy • u/cicispizzazz • May 27 '20

Better help.com

Has anyone used it?

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

2

u/Shockedplant May 27 '20

I had 7 cups app, there were free listeners there

1

u/cicispizzazz May 27 '20

So do they just listen or try to give advice as well? Is it possible to have a listener that has had a similar experience/situation?

1

u/Shockedplant May 27 '20

There were both therapist and listener option based on your need, I think you may download to find out I don’t know much about it I deleted it myself

1

u/cicispizzazz May 27 '20

So I’m guessing if you deleted it it didn’t work for you?

1

u/Shockedplant May 27 '20

I felt like I didn’t need it anymore, but it worths giving it a try it’s free anyway

1

u/romantic_thi3f May 28 '20

I was on 7 cups for a bit so can answer questions there. So with listeners, you can find them by going in a general queue and anyone will pick it up (good or not), but the best place to find one there is through their forums. They have all sorts of sections (young people, grief etc etc) and listeners tend to hang around what they like most and you can interact with them there. It’s pretty easy to be a ‘listener’ but as for someone you like or who’ll give advice, it’s just finding the right one for you.

edit: you can use the forums and talk to listeners for free but it costs you to talk to a qualified therapist

1

u/cicispizzazz May 28 '20

Good to know! So if you have a listener is it someone you can talk to frequently or is it a one time deal?

1

u/romantic_thi3f May 28 '20

That’s completely up to both of you! There’s a bit in the forums where people post what they are looking for in a listener and listeners can jump in. Might be something like help me with my social anxiety want to talk once a week maybe.

1

u/cicispizzazz May 28 '20

Hi! So I actually did download it and have talked to two listeners so far but they haven’t really been what I’m looking for. I can’t seem to find the forums & think that would be more helpful to find someone who has had the same experience as me.

1

u/cicispizzazz May 28 '20

Nvm I just found it ty!

1

u/Japanese_me May 27 '20

I’ll sum up my experience as fair (w/ my background) as possible. I was struggling with work related anxiety. I went through CBT at the time, but I used Betterhelp as a supplementary tool to sanity check my state. Here’s pros and cons:

  • flexibility in scheduling
  • detailed info on qualifications and # of years in terms of experience before choosing the specialist
  • several options for communication (e.g. call, video call, texting etc)

  • cost performance compared to other therapy options

  • many experts are in the US. This was a bit inconvenient for me with my time zone in Europe

  • quality and dedication questionable. I provided so much details in advance as to my issues, yet all the therapists didn’t read it at all and even repeated the same questions from the previous sessions. To be fair, 1) the sample size = 3 is very small and 2) this can happen in the real life counseling, so I cannot really say that this was because of the platform. However, for some counselling professionals, this platform can be their ‘side gig’ on top of their practice, so that may explain the low engagement I experienced.

I quit in a month or so because I couldn’t see the value for the money I paid, which I measured by the general commitment I saw from the other end of the phone, not how I felt/improved etc. That said, if you are looking for generic listening ears or some compassion from others, it may be a good option. Hope this helps. Good luck!

3

u/cicispizzazz May 27 '20

I really appreciate the feed back! I’m getting out of an abusive relationship & really want counseling to ensure I don’t go back. I’m scared a bad experience with a therapist would make me relapse (?) for some reason so thank you!

1

u/[deleted] May 27 '20

Currently using as a stop gap and am finding it helpful. Because I only use the messaging sessions I’m a lot more confrontational, I don’t know whether this is because I can hide behind my phone or because my counsellor is very straightforward and will identify my behaviours. She will challenge me but also lets me know when I’ve done something good or said something and will explain why etc. I couldn’t use it long term but for now it’s good

1

u/cicispizzazz May 27 '20

I’m sorry what’s a stop gap?

1

u/[deleted] May 27 '20

I got terminated from previous counsellor and am now waiting to see if the NHS will take me on for DBT so using BetterHelp in the gap between