Talkspace Psychiatry connects you with a licensed psychiatric provider who can conduct evaluations, prescribe medication, and provide ongoing support for your mental well-being. This guide explains how psychiatry sessions work when you receive Talkspace services through a sponsored benefit from your employer, school, or city.
NOTE: When you’re ready to sign up for psychiatry, follow our sign-up guide here if you're new, or add it as a new service to your existing Talkspace account.
Your psychiatry sessions: what to expect
A psychiatry session involves either an initial evaluation or a follow-up appointment.
- Initial Evaluation: This first session with your psychiatric provider is typically 60 minutes. This time allows your provider to understand your needs, mental health history and goals, and to develop a personalized treatment plan with you.
- Follow-up Sessions: These sessions are usually 30 minutes long and focus on monitoring your progress, managing medications, and adjusting your treatment plan if needed.
NOTE: If you're not finding the option to book an initial evaluation or follow-up session, see Unable to Book the Correct Session Length for Psychiatry
All sessions are conducted securely via live video within your Talkspace room. While messaging sessions are not available, you can message your psychiatric provider with quick questions about medication or scheduling at no charge. Providers usually respond by the next business day.
How much do psychiatry sessions cost?
With sponsored benefits, you receive a fixed number of psychiatry sessions each month or year, as determined by your sponsor.
Once you have used all your included sessions, you may have the option to purchase additional sessions during scheduling, if your plan allows. This feature enables you to continue your care without waiting for your session limit to refresh. If your specific plan does not allow for extra sessions, the purchase option will not appear.
If you need more sessions than your plan allows, you can explore other benefits or payment options that can help you continue care in our guide: Forms of Payment and Coverage Accepted by Talkspace.
Scheduling and managing appointments
We recommend meeting with your psychiatry provider at least every three months to stay aligned with your treatment plan. Medication refills are also typically prescribed up to three months at a time.
TIP: During your initial evaluation or when messaging your provider, discuss a cadence for meeting that works best for you to ensure you’re checking in regularly.
You can book psychiatry sessions from as soon as 12 hours in advance, up to four months ahead. All appointments must be confirmed by your provider. If a session isn’t confirmed, it will be automatically canceled, and any credits or charges will be adjusted accordingly.
Learn more in our guide: How to Book, Reschedule, or Cancel a Live Session.
Important reminders:
- Not attending a scheduled live session or making changes with less than 24 hours' notice may result in a forfeited session credit.
- If you miss an initial evaluation session, your 60-minute credit will be returned to your account and you’ll need to message your provider to reschedule—your room may not automatically allow you to book another initial evaluation.