Best Online Family Therapy 2023: Top 5 Effective & Affordable Services
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- Written by Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, MS, RDN, LD
Medically reviewed by
Dr G. Michael DiLeo, MD
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BetterHelp
- Over 25,000 licensed therapists available
- Messaging, live chat, video chat, and voice call available
- Offers many different forms of therapy
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Calmerry
- Flexible subscription plans
- Free to switch counselors
- Seamless cancellation policy
40% Off Coupon: HEALTHCANAL
Talkspace
- Offers medication management
- Many providers to choose from
- Accepts most insurance plans
- Tiered plans offered at different prices
$85 off your first month: HEALTHCANAL85
In a world that appears to be spinning faster each day, prioritizing your mental health is more important than ever. While technology at our fingertips can add to our mental load, it can also help us manage it.
Online therapy programs can make the process of finding mental health care that much easier. You can find individual virtual counseling from a licensed professional right in the comfort of your own home.
The same applies to family therapy online. In-person counseling might be challenging to schedule around each family member’s commitments.
Online marriage and family therapy programs allow you to schedule your counseling sessions at a time that serves you and your beloved family best, and you can do it all from the comfort of your own space.
This article will closely review five of the best online family therapy providers to help you find the mental health professional that best addresses your family’s needs.
Best Online Family Therapy in (November. 2023)
- BetterHelp – Editor’s Choice
- Calmerry – Most affordable
- Talkspace – Best program with insurance accepted
- Amwell– Most comprehensive telehealth
- Teen Counseling – Best online counseling for teenagers
What Is Online Family Therapy?
Since the pandemic, psychologists are seeing an increase in the demand[1] for anxiety and depression treatment, and more practitioners are leaning toward telehealth services[2].
With anxiety and depression on the rise, we’re seeing it translate into family conflict. Online family therapy is a feasible option for resolving conflict within the family.
Meeting with an online therapist gives families access to care from a licensed mental health professional at a time and place that fits their specific schedule. Similar to online sessions for individual therapy, virtual family therapy connects the clients to a licensed online therapy provider.
Recently conducted comprehensive research shows[3] that virtual mental health services offer the same benefits as in-person care. Internet-based therapy companies aim to support those in need of counseling.
Speaking with your therapist online can be less intimidating than seeking treatment at an in-office clinical practice. Family therapy can include teen therapy, couples therapy, and group therapy sessions.
Many mental health professionals can even prescribe medication and manage the continuity of the prescription. Meeting the needs of families with mental health concerns is feasible via virtual care[4].
Who Should Start Family Therapy?
No two families are the same, and mental health concerns don’t discriminate, so many households can benefit from family therapy sessions.
Whether you have concerns regarding certain mental health conditions, broken family relationships, substance abuse, or marriage struggles, a licensed family therapist can offer you and your family helpful counseling services.
Common family concerns that may benefit from professional medical advice include
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- Behavior difficulties
- Family conflict
- Mental illness
- Emotional abuse
Each family member may also benefit from individual counseling. For example, your online family therapist might suggest individual therapy sessions if they want to explore a deeper history of the experiences that have contributed to your current concerns.
Of course, talking with your primary care provider before starting virtual counseling is important to ensure it is appropriate for your needs.
5 Best Online Family Therapy & Counseling Services in 2023
BetterHelp
BetterHelp offers online counseling via three different platforms. You can meet with a therapist online regarding your individual needs, your relationship needs, or your teenager’s needs.
- Over 25,000 licensed therapists are available
- Messaging, live chat, video chat, and voice calls available
- Offers many different forms of therapy
- You must submit your own insurance claim
BetterHelp is considered a prominent leader among virtual therapy providers. After filling out a short medical history questionnaire, you are matched with one of their 25,000 qualified online therapy providers.
They have three different platforms geared towards the individual, the couple, and the teenager. They are prepared to help their clients navigate health issues such as depression, stress, and anxiety disorders.
Unfortunately, there is no insurance accepted, but you can submit your own insurance claim with the receipt they provide for your sessions. It’s a simple process for most insurance companies, but checking your policy before meeting with a family therapist online is prudent.
Calmerry
Calmerry is one of the industry’s best internet-based therapy services that also provide family therapy to help resolve conflicts within families and treat other mental health issues.
- Flexible subscription plans
- Free to switch counselors
- Seamless cancellation policy
- No insurance accepted
- No prescriptions or medication management
Calmerry provides two forms of communication with your therapist: text messaging and video chat. Comprehensive research[5] shows video chat therapy offers the same therapeutic relationship as in-person therapy.
After completing a short medical history survey, you will be matched with a licensed therapist from your state, which could include a clinical psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed marriage and family therapist, or licensed professional counselor.
Whether you plan to seek treatment for relationship struggles, emotional abuse, anxiety, or any other mental health condition that could affect your family’s harmony, Calmerry can connect you with a qualified therapist online.
Unfortunately, Calmerry does not offer written prescriptions or medication management. If prescription medication is required, you will need to seek it elsewhere with a doctor or nurse practitioner.
Calmerry also does not file with insurance companies, but they offer different subscription plans starting at just $45 weekly for family therapy.
Talkspace
As one of the industry’s leading online therapy services, Talkspace is one of the best platforms that can connect you with a family therapist online. They offer medication management and accept most insurance plans.
- Offers medication management services
- Many providers to choose from
- Accepts most insurance plans
- Tiered plans offered at different prices
- Live video chats are not available with all plans
Talkspace stands out in the industry for its high-quality and affordable care. They offer counseling services for individuals, couples, and teens, and they can handle prescribed medications within their psychiatry services.
After completing a brief assessment, you’re matched with one of their qualified therapists available to meet with you by phone, messaging, or video chat.
Talkspace offers various subscription plans that provide different levels of counseling.
For example, some have daily messaging availability, and some have scheduled live video chat therapy sessions. You can also choose a combination of the two or unlimited messaging therapy. However, you get to choose the plan that best fits your family’s needs.
Amwell
Amwell is a telehealth platform that looks at the whole patient. You have access to quality therapy, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support, and urgent care.
- Offers medication management services
- You choose your therapist
- 97% client satisfaction rate
- Only operates within the United States
If you are looking for a marriage and family therapist to address family concerns, Amwell has a plethora of therapists ready to offer you and your loved ones professional care.
Amwell is a comprehensive telehealth platform that includes some of the best online therapy services in the industry. In addition, patients have access to providers with skilled training in most areas of healthcare.
Amwell boasts a 97% client satisfaction rate for its therapy services. In addition, you have the ability to choose your therapist online, which helps you feel more connected to your care plan.
Amwell also offers care through their downloadable app, making it even easier to stay committed to your therapy journey. Your insurance plan may cover therapy from Amwell, but their services are extremely affordable and may even be cheaper than your co-pay.
Teen Counseling
If your teen needs guidance in the form of online counseling, Teen Counseling has thousands of therapists ready to offer their help.
- Two separate session environments for parents and teens
- Over 14,000 therapists are available
- Four forms of communication are available
- No insurance accepted
- Doesn’t include prescriptions or medication management
Teen Counseling is an online platform that focuses on counseling individuals between the ages of 13 and 19 years. It is part of BetterHelp, the world’s largest therapy service. There are over 14,000 licensed clinical social workers and therapists ready to offer professional care for a wide variety of concerns.
Their online therapy service can help teens who struggle with mental health or social issues, such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, stress management, self-esteem, bullying, and more.
Parents and teens can both be involved in the therapy process, but Teen Counseling provides each with their own session environment.
As a result, teenagers can have confidence that what they share with their therapist online will generally remain confidential, but there are limited exceptions. Parents can trust that their teenagers will receive quality care from a credentialed professional who was chosen based on their individual needs.
Four forms of communication are available, including video chat, live chat, messaging, and phone calls. Unfortunately, there are no forms of insurance accepted with Teen Counseling, but they offer affordable services between $60 and $90 per week.
Benefits of Online Therapy for Family
Online family counseling offers many benefits. Whether you aim to meet with a licensed marriage and family therapist or a family therapist who specializes in working with young people, working with a therapist online can help you develop the tools to resolve family conflict, overcome substance abuse, or navigate any other mental health conditions.
Other benefits of meeting with a family therapist online include
Accessibility
Because online therapy can be accessed right from your phone or computer, it is highly accessible. Life is busy, and once you start accounting for everyone’s schedule, trying to nail down a time for an appointment can get tricky. And that doesn’t even account for the travel time to and from a counseling office.
Virtual therapy sessions are also beneficial for those who live far from in-person counseling options. Technology allows you to meet with a licensed therapist, despite the distance.
Affordability
Online counseling doesn’t have the same overhead that in-office therapy requires. There is no rent, building maintenance, or property insurance to include in their overall costs. Many online therapy companies also accept insurance.
It’s essential to check with your health insurance company before scheduling an appointment. Even if your health insurance plan isn’t accepted, the out-of-pocket cost for many internet-based therapy companies is still less expensive than an in-person therapy session.
Added Comfort
For some, in-office therapy sessions can be intimidating. They require serious vulnerability, sitting face-to-face with your therapist.
Finding a family therapist online that you can meet with via video chat allows you to seek services from the familiarity of your own home, i.e., in a “safe place.” Young family members may feel especially grateful to meet with a counselor from their familiar space.
Convenience
Life can get extremely busy, and it only seems to get busier with each family member’s commitments. Meeting with a family therapist online eliminates the commute to a doctor’s office.
In addition, having the freedom to meet with your chosen therapy provider at a time that suits the entire family increases the likelihood of success.
How to Choose The Best Online Family Therapy Services
The best online family counseling service may vary from family to family. Finding the right marriage and family therapist online may involve a few different factors.
Form of Counseling
First, it’s important to decide what form of counseling fits your family’s needs. For example, do you need group therapy or individual talk therapy? Different companies provide different forms of treatment.
Form of Communication
Next, what form of communication best suits your communication style? For example, your teen may prefer text messaging with the family therapist, but you may prefer video calls. Make sure you feel effective in your communications.
Psychiatric Services or Medication Management
Do you need psychiatric services or medication management? Some companies offer medication management, while others do not. If medication is required, consider how you go about filling those prescriptions outside of your counseling sessions. You should know that prescriptions are written by doctors or nurse practitioners in the psychiatric specialties.
Insurance
Lastly, does your insurance cover online therapy? If you cannot file with your insurance, consider the cost of treatment or subscriptions when choosing a marriage and family therapist.
If therapy is out of the budget, search “free family counseling near me” for possible complimentary services.
Or consider calling the National Alliance on Mental Illness[6] for cost-effective counseling options.
Final Thought
Families don’t come with instruction manuals; sometimes we need guidance from an outside perspective. A family therapist can help you and your loved ones navigate broken relationships, anxiety, stress, abuse recovery, and so much more.
No matter the reason you’re seeking therapy, the best online family counseling platform will allow each family member to express true vulnerability as their “cry for help.”
Online counseling can offer several benefits, including affordability, convenience, added comfort, and accessibility. Working with a family therapist online might even be covered by your insurance policy.
This article does not take the place of medical advice, and virtual therapy is not recommended for emergency situations. Be certain to speak with your doctor to determine the right plan of care for your individual needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, some of the best online therapy programs offer family therapy in addition to individual counseling. Many virtual therapy options allow you to work with family therapists, such as licensed marriage and family therapists or counselors trained to work with young people and their behavioral health.
Online therapy can be very affordable, despite insurance denial of coverage. Psychiatric services will incur higher costs, but the average cost of working with a therapist online is less than $100 per week. If the cost of therapy doesn’t fit your current budget, your local Department of Human Services may have free counseling available.
The best virtual therapy company may vary among individuals based on counseling needs. You may want to consider insurance coverage, the ability to choose your own therapist, the forms of communication available, or if you’re taking medication.
Yes, many online therapy platforms offer their services through an app. Connecting with a family therapist online is easier than ever with the coordinating apps available.
A few online therapy companies, such as Talkspace and Amwell, accept insurance. However, most family therapists online offer affordable services through subscription plans. In fact, the cash price for some services may even be less expensive than your insurance co-pay.
+ 6 sources
Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here
- in (2020). Psychologists Report Large Increase In Demand For Anxiety, Depression Treatment. [online] https://www.apa.org. Available at: https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2020/11/anxiety-depression-treatment
- 2021 COVID-19 Practitioner Survey (2021). Worsening mental health crisis pressures psychologist workforce. [online] https://www.apa.org. Available at: https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/practitioner/covid-19-2021
- McLean, S.A., Booth, A.T., Schnabel, A., Wright, B.J., Painter, F.L. and McIntosh, J.E. (2021). Exploring the Efficacy of Telehealth for Family Therapy Through Systematic, Meta-analytic, and Qualitative Evidence. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, [online] 24(2), pp.244–266. doi:10.1007/s10567-020-00340-2.
- Lange, A.M.C., Humayun, S. and Jefford, T. (2022). The Feasibility of Providing Remote Functional Family Therapy with Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Method Study. Child & Youth Care Forum. [online] doi:10.1007/s10566-022-09692-y.
- Wagner, B., Horn, A.B. and Maercker, A. (2014). Internet-based versus face-to-face cognitive-behavioral intervention for depression: A randomized controlled non-inferiority trial. Journal of Affective Disorders, [online] 152-154, pp.113–121. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2013.06.032.
- Nami.org. (2022). Home | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness. [online] Available at: https://www.nami.org/Home
Written by:
Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, MS, RDN, LD
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
