How does Talkspace therapy 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 do not 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. Find out more at What are live sessions and how they work? 

If you receive Talkspace through a U.S. health plan or your employers, you can learn more about what counts as a session at What are the different types of Talkspace partnerships?

During our sign up process, you'll be asked a few questions about yourself and your preferences for therapy. Our proprietary matching algorithm will pair you with a provider within an average 48 hours based on a combination of factors including preferences, needs, and therapist capacity. If eligible, you may be able to book your first live session during the sign up process, which will then match you with an available provider. 

Once matched, you can review extensive information about your provider, including their years of professional experience, areas of expertise, read through a description of their clinical approach, and more.

If you'd like to work with a different provider, take a look at this article to find out how: How do I change my provider?

If you have a specific provider in mind, feel free to contact us with their first and last name, and we'll be happy to check if that provider is available.

You’ll maintain an ongoing relationship with the same provider as long as they’re an active member of the Talkspace network.

Absolutely! Over the last decade, research studies have shown the effectiveness of online therapeutic conversation.

Studies demonstrate messaging therapy can be as effective as traditional therapy for the treatment of the most common emotional and behavioral health issues such as depression, anxiety, chemical dependence, stress, PTSD, and more.

Here are some articles that only begin to detail the breadth of the telemedicine and online medicine field: