Where Can I Find Online Family Counseling? Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Is there any free online therapy?

Free online therapy can be a difficult thing to find, but it isn’t impossible. Online counseling services are becoming more and more common in recent years. Free online therapy often involves signing up for an account and then be paired with a licensed professional counselor with who you will have counseling sessions using a free chat app, instant messenger, email, or even texting. Some nonprofit organizations and religious institutions offer online therapy counseling options, which may or may not meet your needs.

It might be easier for you to find free counseling in the form of group sessions, but this isn’t likely to suit the needs of a family that is searching for help from an online counselor. In addition, many group counseling sessions are more support-centered, meaning that they do not have to be led by licensed professional counselors. Someone who is not trained in therapy might not help a family deal with and move past the issues that led them to search for free online therapy.

You may be looking for an online platform that offers therapy, including cognitive behavior therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy, sex therapy, or some other type of behavioral therapy. Online therapists provide various therapy programs and counseling programs and offer online for your own unique therapy process. Research shows that online therapy programs and online counseling programs online therapists provide are just as effective as in-person counseling.

When you do find free therapy online, you’ll want to be sure that you read the fine print. You’ll want to be sure they are offering confidential online therapy counseling. In addition, any sites may say that their online counseling services are free; they may mean for a short period, like a free trial or one free session. If this is the case, you will end up either having to pay for the counseling sessions after the free period or be left trying to find yet another site that offers free online therapy.

Can you get free counseling?

If you are having trouble finding free online therapy, free counseling may be easier to find within your local community. Your local Department of Human Services will often have free counseling available to those who qualify due to income. Families who have Medicaid may also qualify for free therapy visit a limited number of times per month. If you’re a church member, check with your church leadership to see if you can set up meetings with a member of the clergy, who often consider counseling sessions with church members to be a part of their job. If your family is open to group counseling sessions, you may be able to find a free local support group that offers free counseling sessions.

Is there any free psychologist?

Because psychologists are required to have a doctorate level of education, psychologists usually charge for their services. Many professional counselors (such as psychoanalysts or therapists) have master's degrees instead. However, counselors and psychologists of all education levels must meet the standards required by their states' professional licensing boards. All BetterHelp counselors and therapists have at least three years and 1,000 hours of hands-on experience. It's important to note that online therapy is typically more affordable than in-person therapy. Both of these professionals offer marriage counseling and can also help with family issues.

If you are a student, a college may offer free therapy options for students to fulfill this part of their schooling. While not all will offer completely free services, those who charge a fee are typically much less expensive than traditional counseling services.

What is the cheapest online therapy?

Traditional therapy counseling services or therapy programs can be expensive without health insurance. Therapy typically costs up to $250 per week. If you can’t find free therapy programs or a free online therapy option you like and are instead considering finding paid online therapy counseling services, there are many affordable counseling offers to choose from. The best online therapy typically is less expensive and offers both marriage counseling and family counseling, among other counseling services. Some may be offering a free trial, which can help you decide if their therapy counseling is right for you.

To figure out which of these therapy counseling services are right for you, check their rates along with what kind of therapy they offer. One may not offer marriage counseling or family counseling. Choose one that suits your needs and your budget.

Are there any free counseling apps? 

While free online therapy is still relatively new, there are at least a few options available that offer free counseling sessions via an app. However, the catch to these services is that their free options often don’t involve a licensed therapist or trained counselor. Instead, they rely on volunteers who often receive basic training in listening techniques to offer free services. This is quite different from therapy counseling, which gives you tactics and techniques to deal with and most past your issues. An app that offers free services may also have paid options for counseling sessions with licensed or trained professionals, which are better suited to providing marriage counseling or family counseling.

Is the BetterHelp app free?

If you’re trying to find free therapy, you’ve probably run into BetterHelp. While their fees are less than a traditional therapist, they do not offer free counseling services. Their counseling sessions do cost money, whether you use them online or via the app. This means they are not a good choice for those looking for free online therapy.

Do 7 cups cost money?

7 Cups does offer free online therapy or free counseling via an app. However, 7 Cups’ free services are with “trained listeners,” not a counselor. So while they say they have free counseling, the person you will be connected to will not offer suggestions on dealing with your issue. This makes them a poor choice for complicated issues that require marriage counseling or family counseling.

How can I get free counseling? 

If you are looking for free online therapy for mental health and want to ensure that you are going through a licensed therapist, some websites can help you. While face-to-face therapy sessions are harder to find for free, the best online therapy and best online therapy chat groups are more abundant and available at all hours of the day and night. 

Mental health services with licensed professional counselors are also available via text chat too. Some sites and counselors offer unlimited messaging therapy for those who battle stress anxiety and depression anxiety. 

Does Talkspace cost money? 

Talkspace puts those in need of mental health services in touch with a therapist today, if necessary, for those who are looking for affordable online therapy, couples therapy, or long-term talk therapy. As effective as face-to-face counseling, Talkspace is a great place to find the contact for counselors and patients in need of mental health care. 

Is counseling free? 

Not all counseling is free. Many in-person therapy costs and payments are collected when you regularly see mental health licensed therapists. In contrast, most insurance companies cover mental illness and mental health therapy services; not all cover the cost 100-percent. In addition, not all people have health insurance. 

If you need to talk to a therapy today and know you do not have mental health coverage to see a licensed therapist, you can opt for online therapy to find live video counselors and trained listeners.  

How can Talkspace help me with start therapy? 

If you need to talk to a therapist online, therapy Talkspace online therapy is a great start. Talkspace is an affordable therapy option that connects licensed professionals with looking for a therapist online. 

Can online therapy help with depression?

Therapy online through therapy programs or counseling programs therapists provide, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, can help with depression and other mental health conditions. Online therapy programs are just as effective as in-person therapy or counseling. 

If you seek treatment for depression, your online or in-person licensed professionals will start with conducting a depression test to determine what treatments may be best for you. One of these might be cognitive behavioral therapy. Seeking mental health care should never make you feel like you did something wrong or are not normal. Online therapy for depression and in-person licensed clinical therapy and counseling are here to help.

Whether in-person therapy or online therapy for depression, treatment is designed to be available when you need someone to talk to or feel like you may be in a life-threatening situation. People around the world utilize therapy programs even minute of the day.

Even just a chat can be great for:

1. feeling as though someone is there for you, whether online or in-person
2. getting advice in times of crisis from a professional counselor, and
3. getting insights about your actions from someone who knows a lot about behavioral health and can help you develop methods for handling your emotions in healthy ways.

• What is the difference between marriage and family therapy and counseling?

Both marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors need a master’s degree to practice and are qualified to diagnose and treat mental health conditions. Yet, there are some differences, which are many based on the clients they treat. Marriage and family therapists focus on issues within the structure of families and relationships, and not just the individual. They typically specialize in couples or children and adolescent therapy to manage common family problems. Marriage and family therapy’s objective is to resolve problems within a family or relationship, creating a happier family dynamic. They use a systemic approach. Mental health counseling focuses on individuals with specific issues using many different therapies such as cognitive-behavioral, systemic, and psychodynamic approaches. They may specialize in drug addiction counseling and individual’s mental and behavioral conditions. A mental health counselor’s goal is to improve or change behavioral habits that affect an individual’s mental health.

• Is family counseling worth it?

If you experience problems within your family unit, family counseling can be a powerful source of support. Family counselors are licensed professionals trained to help couples and families manage problems within their family relationships. Sometimes in relationships, it’s beneficial to have an outside perspective or a mediator to hear the issues at hand and give their input. Family counselors can provide a different approach to issues that the family or couple may not have considered. Family counseling can be very educational and help the family or couple understand each other and improve communication styles to help them work through any issues they may have in the future.

• How long does it take to become an MFT?

AMFT, or marriage and family therapist, works with individuals within their relationships and family units to improve and strengthen their relationships. Marriage and family therapists often specialize in adolescent therapy when working with families. They are licensed to diagnose and treat a multitude of mental health disorders. A marriage and family therapist must acquire either an accredited online master's degree or a university in a related field, typically in psychotherapy and family system studies. ACU’s online master of marriage and family therapy takes two years to complete and is one of the best online master’s programs. Most programs accredited online or in-person require at least two years of supervised field experience and the individual to pass state board exams. These state board exams may vary based on the state that they are practicing in. Marriage and family therapists must be licensed in the state that they practice in. Marriage and family therapists need to continue education courses to keep their licenses current. There are many accredited online courses for continued education. If you’re considering becoming a marriage and family therapist, accredited online courses are a great option for those already working and have many things on their plate, such as dealing with their own families. Some of the best online colleges and best online master’s degrees for marriage and family therapy are easily within reach.

• Is a counselor a therapist?

Counselors and therapists often use these titles interchangeably. Both professions focus on managing mental health issues and finding ways to cope with them. While both counselors and therapists do share similarities, and you may find a therapist referring to themselves as a counselor and a counselor as a therapist, there are subtle differences to their approach and treatments. Counselors tend to focus on a specific issue and use practical methods and problem-solving to find solutions. Counselors can specialize in various fields such as clinical counseling, administration educational counseling, or adolescent psychology counseling, to name a few. A behavioral counselor is most similar to a therapist and focusing on mental health disorders. There are also career counselors that specialize in helping individuals choose a career path. Counselors do offer similar therapies as therapists as a way to achieve an individual's mental health goals. Some specialized counselors only need a bachelor’s in counseling, while others require a master's degree. Compared to counselors, therapists tend to focus on your feelings and views on the world and how you interact in it. They determine the root cause of an individual’s mental state and work on changing thinking and behavioral patterns.  It may not be so important to focus on the person's title helping you as much as the treatment itself. If you can find the right counselor or therapist that can help you overcome any mental health or family issues, that is what’s important.

• What is the difference between counseling and therapy?

Both counseling and therapy involve overcoming mental health issues, and they both share the same core values and may use similar therapies. Counseling and therapy are often used interchangeably and share similarities, but there are some key differences. These differences are based on their skills, education, and job responsibilities. Counseling may focus on more specific issues for a short-term period, while therapy tends to be long-term and focuses on behavior and thought processes. Counselors need at least a bachelor’s in counseling, but this varies depending on the state and the particular job. Counseling focuses on the individual, problem-solving, and a more practical approach. For example, career counselors focus on individuals' career paths and guide them through their professional lives. Therapy focuses on interpersonal relationships focusing on an individual’s inner and outer worlds and how they feel. There are many accredited online courses for both counseling and therapy.

If you're still wondering if online therapy is right for you, please contact us at contact@regain.us or check us online at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest & Tumblr.

For more information about mental health, please see:

• SAMHSA(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
• SAMHSA Facebook, SAMHSA Twitter
• Mental Health America
• MHA Twitter, MHA Facebook, MHA Instagram, MHA Pinterest
• WebMD
• WebMD Facebook, WebMD Twitter, WebMD Pinterest
• NIMH(National Institute of Mental Health)
• NIMH Facebook, NIMH Twitter,NIMH YouTube
• APA(American Psychiatric Association)
• APA Twitter, APA Facebook, APA LinkedIn, APA Instagram

Where can I get immediate help?

For mental health emergencies, please contact the resources below for immediate help.

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Trevor Project Lifeline: 1-866-488-7386
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
• NAMI Helpline (National Alliance on Mental Illness): 1-800-950-6264
• National Eating Disorders Association Helpline: 1-800-931-2237

For related articles about online family counseling and confidential therapy, please see:

• The Pros And Cons Of Free Family Counseling
• Family Counseling
• Top 10 Reasons Why You And Your Family May Need Family Counseling
• Family Therapy Online: Is It Right For You And Your Loved Ones?
• Family Therapy
• Strategic Family Therapy And How It Can Help You & Your Family
• Solve Family Problems With Counseling
• Family Values: What Values Should I Instill In My Family?
• How Children And Family Services Can Assist A Family
• The Benefits Of Having Extended Family Nearby
• 3 Easy Ways To Improve Whole Family Fitness
• Two Ways To Make Family Planning Easy & Successful
• The Benefits Of Family Counseling
• Family Counseling: How To Resolve Conflict
• Does My Family Need Family Counseling and Where Can We Go to Get It?
• Family Therapy Techniques: How Family Counseling Works
• What Is Family Support And How Can It Help Us?