How Does Talkspace Work?

Depending on your plan, you'll have access to Talkspace’s messaging sessions, live sessions, or both.

Messaging sessions are asynchronous, meaning that you and the provider don't communicate in real-time. However, you’ll have access to your private therapy room 24/7, so you don’t have to wait to share what’s on your mind. You can send text, video, or voice messages to your provider anytime something comes up — whether you’re commuting, at the office, or in bed. You can expect to hear back from your therapist within one working day, during their business hours, five days per week.

If you receive Talkspace through Employee Assistance Programs or your health insurance (Behavioral Health plan), you’ll choose when you’d like to initiate a messaging session with your provider.

Live sessions occur in real-time and are pre-scheduled with your provider to meet for an audio, video, or chat session at a designated time. You're always welcome to discuss scheduling availability with your provider directly in your chat room.

For more information on how asynchronous messaging and live sessions work on your plan, check out How Do I Start, Schedule, Update or Cancel a Session with My Provider?

Talkspace messaging sessions are asynchronous, providing you with the flexibility to communicate without the need for real-time exchanges and enabling you to express your thoughts and feelings at your own pace.

With messaging, you can expect a response within one day during your provider's working hours, five days a week, which may include weekends. To optimize your experience, discuss your schedules with your provider and set expectations for response times.

For those receiving Talkspace through Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) or health insurance (Behavioral Health plan), it's important to indicate when you'd like to start the therapy session by following the steps in this article: How Do I Start, Schedule, Update or Cancel a Session with My Provider?

If you have any quick questions like scheduling or live session availability, you're able to message your provider directly without initiating a messaging session. If prompted to book a session, simply exit the prompt by clicking or tapping outside of it.

Absolutely! We know how important it is to trust the care you receive. That’s why Talkspace partners with major research institutions to ensure our treatment methods are not only effective, but also grounded in the latest science. You can explore our research collaborations and findings here: talkspace.com/research.

If you’re interested in learning more, here are some additional articles that highlight the breadth of telemedicine and online therapy: