Why Patients Are Suing BetterHelp (3 Class Actions)

[@NithinJune]

The second part of the video “the problem with online therapy” misses some key context relating to mental health care in America. It’s rediculously difficult (in many areas impossible) to find an in-person therapist much less one covered by insurance. When I finally was assigned a provider through my insurance my _only_ option was online. Further, The point that betterhelp doesn’t have psychiatry is kind of irrelevant Better help is an online _therapy_ platform, not a telehealth medical service. If you try to work through issues with a psychiatrist they will tell you to talk to your therapist. Psychiatrists prescribe medicine they are completely different from therapists. They aren’t a therapist who can prescribe they are something all together different that you would want alongside a certified therapist. Third, the point on insurance-not taking insurance likely isn’t better help’s fault. This is something that even independent providers also refuse. When I was looking for a therapist there were countless who told me that they just don’t take insurance. It’s because insurance companies routinely deny claims, nickel and dime providers and clients, and are generally hard to deal with. Think about it better help would love to take insurance, they would make so much money. But the cost and complexity of the insurance companies BS isn’t worth it for them. I’m not here to defend betterhelp, they seem like a company that has extremely unethical data practices and other issues as well. But there is definitely an unaddressed need for mental health care that might only be able to be addressed in a virtual environment.

[@LogicallyAnswered]

Valid points ^^

[@Lord_Rug]

You l

[@ClintBrubakken]

Also most therapists are not under a non profit or not for profit. Many work for profit companies, that have the same goal of maximizing profits.

[@rheawelsh4142]

@@ClintBrubakken The difference is that Teladoc, the parent company of BetterHelp, is publicly traded, so unlike your local therapist they're obligated to maximize profits, which will inevitably include massive breaches of privacy because that's the way every public company pads their bottom line

[@sarahwatts7152]

Plus there's a lot of people who need to do online rather than in person therapy - people who have a hard time leaving their homes or people who are just plain short on time. In addition, if you have a niche living situation, you're more likely to find someone who understands you on an online forum, as there is more choice when location isn't such a limiting factor.

[@llydrsn]

Skillshare, Audible, Betterhelp, among others. Man, I admire your courage in going after these companies and holding them accountable. This despite those companies being among the most prolific ad buyers for KZbin channels. That is integrity: calling a spade a spade, regardless of any possible consequences.

[@alhazred3555]

it's just a matter of time before he goes the Jake Tran way

[@aldheild14]

Can't wait for the Raid: Shadow Legends episode

[@TheFakeGooberGoblin]

Wtf audible do???

[@Warriormon87]

Better Help always gave me the vibes of an enabler who rather than help you work through your problems will just affirm what you already think affirming you are never the problem in your own life, while furthering their own agendas.

[@imactuallyded]

Is audible listed because it’s Amazon? Or did I miss something?

[@dadasdadas-k4k]

The fact that you PAY for a service and they still sell your data , especially when its related to medical service is beyond insane. And the fact that they didn't got destroyed for that, means humans have now officially became cattle.

[@only_fair23]

Yeah, usually I don't care about provacy and shit but, in this case, the entire point of it is to be private.

[@tazeschwifty4363]

We've been that way for awhile now

[@Demsky83]

Been cattle and sheep for a very long time unfortunately

[@MattJDave]

Saddest part is, so many people think the farmers aren't there to slaughter them. They are, each and every one of them.

[@TheGoodContent37]

You are cattle without even knowing it. I bet you anything you want this is true.

[@kingslead8369]

That's depressing. I can't imagine someone's suicide being sold for money, but they find a way. They always do.

[@Resetium]

Everything has a price to these pigs.

[@ashwinnaidoo796]

Result of living in a capitalist dystopia

[@jamesflames6987]

Why? Finding patterns in suicide data could save lives.

[@tenslider6722]

@@jamesflames6987 while emptying your bank account lol

[@Resetium]

@@jamesflames6987 That's different from what companies do.

[@arthrfleck]

I’ve had a few different therapists in BetterHelp in the past, and they were all extremely unhelpful, and even dangerous. There was one that, hen I told them I had psychosis and needed help, went on a whole one hour rant on how I was a “starchild”?? And I had a “soul family” that wasn’t on earth?? Another one made me go through exposure therapy when I didn’t ask for it. It was like talking to a brick wall. None of them seemed qualified at all.

[@ShojoBakunyu]

So in other words they're exactly like finding a therapist IRL? Because that's my exact experience in a single post as well.

[@FloatingSpark]

You should absolutely report that "star child" nonsense therapist, that is unacceptable. Unless you brought the subject up yourself it is extremely unprofessional of them to have told you about it.

[@mariosblago94]

@@ShojoBakunyu finding a good therapist feels like throwing a dice. Some are excellent and life-changing, some are average, some are straight up useless or harmful. Not all programs are created equal, and it's sometimes obvious when a therapist went to a garbage online school or something... With how little BetterHelp pays, I assume they have mostly the bottom of the barrel.

[@capybaracake]

Yeah you could definitely run into a starchild therapist IRL. They’re just easier to scout from the get because they usually have a certain aesthetic they stick to.

[@arthrfleck]

@@capybaracake LMFAO YOURE SO RIGHT.

[@bennyboy5949]

I was never gonna use it anyway, glad there’s a valid reason now lol

[@Deriv44]

Same for me call me old school but if I having a therapy session I want to do it live in person in a private room

[@trollinape2697]

@@Deriv44 I mean for just normal conversation, at least in my opinion, is way better person to person than through text, phone or call or even a video call.

[@n3wt]

i didn't get a notification for this video 😢

[@mrlately7253]

Therapy is still good if you need it. Just not better help

[@Iris_and_or_George]

Why would that make you glad? I would also not use it but, it saddens me because other people do need these kind of services. I would've preferred to be proven wrong.

[@thefitbros9435]

This is why I make it a point to never use anything advertised by youtubers, there is always some shady shit happening.

[@beaulieuc8910]

well said, I never use anything creators use other

[@JamesBurdon-gu5yu]

​@@beaulieuc8910Creators don't use it lol they use the money to go to a private specialist therapy outfit

[@mind-of-neo]

I swear to God my spidey senses for sketchy companies in marketing are insane. I can usually tell pretty quickly something is off about a company just from their marketing. Better help always seemed untrustworthy to me...

[@kravalier]

I feel you so much on that!

[@justinklenk]

Ditto.

[@linuxguy1199]

Online therapy just sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

[@SamBakn]

especially who they target usually are mostly people who have been brainwashed easily in the past

[@chocolateearrings]

Me too. And all those youtubers who endorsed it didn't do their due diligence.

[@JJ-1866]

The fact that some of my favorite creators keep accepting sponsorships from them is so disappointing honestly :(

[@oreotookie]

They seem to be going after smaller creators because the big ones have quit accepting their sponsorships. At least, that’s what I’ve noticed with the creators I watch.

[@Always.Smarter]

The reality is that you just can't trust anything that someone has been paid to say. Even though it is their responsibility, many youtubers do little to no research on the companies that sponsor them, it's just a way for them to pay their bills.

[@sarasands5]

Agreed. This.

[@Princess_Blue380]

They mostly didn't know about this or didn't use the website.

[@SkeletalDweller]

I remember back then that people called out betterhelp and the whole thing exploded but after that died down youtubers still kept sponsoring them.

[@horizon319]

Getting in to see a psychiatrist rather than a psychologist, or LMHC type counselor, is extremely difficult. There is a shortage of psychiatrists and they often don't provide actual talk therapy, they only prescribe and adjust medication for the average person with depression or similar level mental health issues. They often don't have the time to spend with patients that are not in a hospital or severe state of crisis.

[@danameyy]

It’s also worth noting that Psychiatrists are not therapists who you can just vent to about whatever you want, they are there to provide medical options for treatment of disorders. That is not at all a bad or negative thing (I have been seeing both Psychotherapists/counselors and Psychiatrists, and been on medication, for many years!) it’s important to recognize it’s not like Psychiatrists are just more-qualified therapists. The two different careers serve different, albeit sometimes overlapping, purposes, but one is NOT a substitute for the other.

[@doctorshell7118]

Psychiatrists aren’t usually therapists, they are MDs and their role is to prescribe medication and treatment which may or may not include a referral to a therapist.

[@sideshowbob8220]

That's because most people need to suck it up and quit being a pussy. Theres nothing wrong with you.. Unless you fought in iraq or grew up in a 3rd world country you've got nothing to whine about. There I said it

[@horizon319]

@@doctorshell7118 That's very true. It is the rare exception when a psychiatrist can provide therapy to the average person beyond medication review and such.

[@emily_8687]

Thanks for pointing this out! While the video was overall well presented, that point was less a point against the company and more of a standard practice.

[@vivh2227]

My first session with a Better Help therapist was so humiliating. It was so bad that I missed my second scheduled session due to anxiety. Wasted $100 doing that. And it has turned me off from therapy since then, I don’t trust I can find the right therapist for me anymore.

[@silentpeep9033]

Why was it humiliating?

[@jamesericdunphey]

@@silentpeep9033 That's just kind of what happens when an application is scraping the bottom of the barrel for "therapists". You get people who have no business being "therapists" suddenly involved in another person's mental health treatment plans. There's a certain tact that needs to be had, that tact is lacking when there's no quality control over "therapists".

[@Shockwave224]

Find a local mental health clinician near you instead of using these apps, I promise there’s therapists for you out there!

[@pheonixMHTri]

I'm really sorry to hear this. I know it can be hard. I'm currently studying to become a therapist and it always upsets me hearing stories like this. I want to just say that you can do it, you've already taken a big step in simply asking for help, even if it didn't go as you wanted. You've taken the step forward before, you can do it again. I wish you luck on your journey.

[@animak757]

I'm really sorry for you. In my experience some of us find really hard to find the right therapist. It toke me 10 years, 7 tries and 2 countries (because I moved) to find a therapist I felt confortable with. It's hard to no lose hope, I wish you the best.

[@brendanwiley253]

Never trust an industry that advertises "Thinking you don't need our help is proof you need our help"

[@m0L3ify]

I saw a life coach advertising their Inner Critic webinar the same way. "If you think it's too expensive, that's just your Inner Critic telling you that you don't deserve to heal." Like...my dude...no. The cost of that webinar was a very hefty tax on people who hadn't been paying attention to any of his previous videos about gaslighting. It was grim.

[@wiandryadiwasistio2062]

@@m0L3ifytrue. unless you’re a ceo or a billionaire, it’s not expensive. for me, i’d rather buy a nice meal or a flight ticket than this ‘therapy’ thing

[@chronicallyme2657]

Thank you for this video…I’m a therapist and what Better Help is doing is inexcusable, unethical, and just plain immoral.

[@LustStarrr]

Have you seen Mickey Atkins' videos? She's spoken out about BetterHelp from a clinician's perspective a number of times.

[@kateapple1]

What you guys charge is no better 😂

[@Imperiuroman]

​@@kateapple1at least its better than getting unprofessional help

[@RusticRonnie]

@@kateapple1but they are licensed and trained professionals, that actually give you the opportunity to get real help

[@shemo_ghoul]

As a therapist, what do you think of this creator’s opinion on the difference between psychologists and psychiatrists? “Psychologists are just people you can talk to” - I found that part hilarious.

[@MrBendybruce]

I really hate it when some of my favorite content providers start shilling companies like this. I don't know, it kind of damages the authenticity and makes it feel like they are really just in it for the money, Especially when they do the slick segues into the advertisements, which only serves to highlight how they have manicured the content to fit the advertising.

[@jessy1982]

Also when we know the insane amount of money these youtubers make. I mean, they make enough already, do they NEED a sponser EVERY video, or is it just greed at this point? Can't they make some videos for the sake of their "passion"?

[@MrBendybruce]

@@jessy1982 I don't want to be overly judgmental about this, and certainly some youtubers probably really do need to run in stream advertisements in order to make a proper living. That said, I strongly suspect that the content creators who are targeted by these advertisers are the ones that already have a very large following and thus already likely have accumulated a significant amount of wealth. When you consider how high interest rates are right now almost right across the planet many of these guys could simply live off the interest alone. I know this for a fact because I actually became visually impaired shortly after the pandemic and had to leave my job. Fortunately I had saved enough money throughout my life that I am literally able to live off the interest of my savings, and in no way am I even anything close to as rich as most of these guys. Honestly I do think in most cases it's about simple greed and materialism.

[@eonstar]

@@jessy1982 KZbin is a job for a lot of youtubers, not simply a "passion". And not all youtubers make an insane amount (youtube has been getting scummier about how they pay people). I honestly doubt a lot of the channels who had better help as their sponsor knew about this. Especially the ones that actively use it. They're also having their data sold as the consumer.

[@jessy1982]

@@eonstar I was mainly talking about the ones that do make a lot of money who milk their viewers for donations, merch and sponsors to get richer and richer.

[@KillahEU]

@@jessy1982 Asking big youtubers to not take sponsors is like asking big musicians to not do concerts. After all, they're so big and sell so many records why do they need to also make people buy tickets for live performances? Can they not just sing on stage for free for the sake of their passion? Do they need to do it? No, but why wouldn't they if they're in that position.

[@NatalieMarie917]

BetterHelp has a VERY poor reputation among licensed therapists, I can tell you that. And of the therapists who are on there, I’ve heard way too many stories and complaints of therapists not behaving ethically or performing up to the basic standards of practice (e.g., not keeping notes, abandoning clients, not showing up for appointments, multitasking, etc).

[@MrSomethingred]

Good work on all but the last segment. Psychiatrists arnt therapists, and psychologists arnt a sub-par replacement for a psychiatrist, they are different jobs. Seeing a psychiatrist is more like seeing any other doctor who prescribes medication.

[@sltwtr806]

agreed i was scrolling to find this.

[@starfoxdelta]

Yeah, when I heard him say this I immediately became straight faced

[@SilverSkitty]

Therapist here, BetterHelp offered to pay me $25 a session while they pocketed the remaining $55. They’re ripping off clients AND therapists. So glad the lawsuit happened!

[@spokenword3927]

All these people attacking the therapists in the comments is crazy, especially after seeing how yall get treated

[@sethstewart9704]

Used them once. The person I got matched with just kinda talked at me for an hour. I went on to get advice for ADHD. What I got was an ADHD-suffering lady who went on multiple tangents every time I spoke.

[@jht3fougifh393]

That sounds really frustrating, to say the least. Sorry you had to deal with that. Hopefully you can find someone to actually help you out with ADHD stuff. I know how hard it can be to find methods that work for you. Good luck.

[@rav04o2]

I don't know you and your story so this may really not apply to you, but I was recently diagnosed with ADHD (I'm 39 and I never would though that would be a case) and my life got significantly better after starting medications. You don't need therapist to figure out if something is going on. Adult ADHD have slightly different symptoms. Look for article that lists symptoms and provide real life examples

[@beaulieuc8910]

thanks @@rav04o2

[@the7569]

It is crazy to me that over the past year I have seen KZbinrs doing ads for better help. Does everyone just not remember the huge scandal from only like 3 years ago? Where they were hiring literally fake therapists? All these people that were doing ads for them got called out, and they had to apologize and it was a huge deal. And now I see tons of KZbinrs who have done ads for them in the past like year. Do people just not do fucking background checks? Honestly, I'm unfortunately glad to see that they are still in hot water. Because hopefully another scandal will make people remember how evil this company has been, taking advantage of those who need help the most

[@ashwinnaidoo796]

I know right?? Like how did everyone just forget about that it was a huge deal and raised a conversation of the ethics of sponsorships. Some KZbinrs who got called out last time are shilling them now to..

[@ArDeeMee]

They probably pay as well as RAID.

[@dashcamandy2242]

I was scrolling through the comments to see if anyone else remembered that scandal, and the KZbinrs who shilled for BH that preferred to side with their sponsor over their fans' personal experiences.

[@imp-tweekakarainbow_washov8991]

they magically forget because money !!! yayyy-

[@mattdixon5699]

Most psychiatrists don’t actually practice psychology, they only handle the medication for mental disorders, which isn’t always a solution. Psychologist are the professionals that are licensed to provide therapy, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders. You wouldn’t just go to a psychiatrist most would have you see a therapist first

[@cmsgiahatch]

Glad to see this. That part of the video treated psychologists effectively as "lesser versions" of psychiatrists, which isn't true. Different roles that can compliment each other.

[@olenickel6013]

Not every psychologist is a therapist. In fact, most aren't.

[@LilyPillow]

I thought most psychologists aren’t even in the therapy/psychiatry fields

[@katangel115]

Ive had 3 therapists. One was in person, in a hospital, and he was so incredibly unhelpful the entire time. Didnt help me at ALL, just sat there and listened and just confirmed whatever I said before the end of the session. No tools, no coping mechanisms, nothing to work on, nothing to challenege my already negative thinking. But the two therapists Ive had on BetterHelp have helped me make leaps and bounds in my mental health comparitively. I was actually given work sheets. Coping strategies that I could try when upset or anxious or severely depressed. They tried to figure out the reason why I was thinking like this and work on the cause, not only the effect. While it cucks that many people in the comment section have had shitty therapists on the site, they also could have changed therapists and tried another immediately

[@_mar1elle_edits]

Great! They’re also stealing your data 🤑

[@thisperson5294]

Bad therapists do immense damage. Part of which is making people very wary of therapy. Well done for getting a good one. Very lucky.

[@KevinsGuides]

Good points but I think you could have used different terminology in your psychologist vs psychiatrist segment. Most therapists that you talk to say they’re therapists, not psychologists. The term “Psychologist” in USA usually indicates they hold a doctor of psychology, (PsyD) which is a clinical degree. While they can’t prescribe meds like psychiatrists, they are often even more qualified than psychiatrists to diagnose clinical mental health conditions and work closely with psychiatrists. Additionally, plenty of insurance companies do offer online therapy and psychiatrist access - just not through BetterHelp.

[@olandir]

This is what I was coming to the comments to say. Also, most people need a therapist, not a psychiatrist or at least should see a therapist/psychologist first. They need a person to talk to and help them sort out the stress of their lives or figure out their depression. They can help you determine if your next step really is to go to a psychiatrist (who can prescribe meds) because not every issue needs meds. I see my therapist every other week and can sit and talk to him for an hour. I only see my psychiatrist once a quarter and it's a quick 30 minute session to determine if I'm doing fine with the prescribed meds and if they need to continue / change. The two serve wildly different purposes but both are needed.

[@godsofwarmaycry]

@@olandirRight? It's like he pulled some of these "facts" out of... the ether

[@MsJordanElaine]

This.

[@danielmgiant]

I completely agree with that comment. The psychologist vs. psychiatrists argument in the video felt very poorly researched and totally out of place. First, not every person who goes to therapy needs to see a psychiatrist, and second, a therapist is trained to notice signs which point that patient could benefit from medication. In that case, they can recommend the patient to make an appointment with a psychiatrist. Both professions have different scopes, and although in some cases therapy and medication are combined, I don’t see how that could be construed as criticism of Better Health.

[@user-sl8wr8gm1z]

(To the uploader) Don't just click the heart button, pin this comment. You created unnecessary confusion to your viewers. Many of people with mental health issue need therapists. Not every one of us needs meds.

[@firstlast2241]

"Physiatrists are actual medical professionals" vs. "Physiologists are more or less just professionals you can talk to" is an interesting way to down play an 8 year masters degree and also be wrong about 2 different jobs while assuming the answer to everything is some variation of 'take these drugs and your cured!'

[@rhonnieminnie]

That part...he failed to do accurate research....

[@aryrianafennell5197]

I stopped listening after that. He’s very wrong.

[@Dg-to8hs]

I just stopped at this part as well. Its just wrong.

[@sirtra]

It's a true statement. A psychologist may have studied for many years but they don't have a medical degree nor can they prescribe or even recommend medication. They literally are merely someone you can talk to. Name one thing beyond talking which they can do for a patient? Not all Phd's are equal and the vast majority of Psychology graduates fail to find employment in the field, let alone one with direct one-on-one patients. It is what it is.

[@ToyokaX]

@@sirtra The point is drugs are not always the answer. In fact, in many cases they makes things worse for the person in question in the long run. talking to a psychologist and tryin to understand yourself and your issues is much better than paying cash out of the wazoo to be told 'take this drug to stop feeling depressed"/

[@RenStrider]

It's gotten to the point where anything shilled to me on YT I more or less auto blacklist. No disrespect to the creators that gotta eat, but yeah

[@LogicallyAnswered]

😔

[@NONO-hz4vo]

Fair enough. I can't think of an in-video ad that I have seen that I thought was legitimately going to help or even be a good product. I used to watch a diesel mechanic who mentioned how much he loved the cordless ratchet he had. The company that made it told him to stop... At least I knew he really liked it.

[@sixstringedthing]

I still trust recommendations from a couple of creators based on the research that I've personally done into the companies/products/services they accept sponsorships from, and where I know that the creator is negotiating the sponsorhsip arrangement personally with the company involved rather than simply accepting a "brand deal" from a marketing agency/network or "letting my agent handle all that stuff so I can focus on making content". It's your face in the video, it's your voice in the sponsored ad read, doing your own research into this kind of thing is part and parcel of being a good youtuber these days. You don't get to pass that responsibility and the trust of your audience off onto anyone else. The number of creator who actually take the time to do this is vanishingly small however. :(

[@jessy1982]

@@sixstringedthingAt the end of the day though, even if they do the research and it's not a sketchy company, do you think it's not a bit morally ambigious that they are using your relationship with them and trust in them to get you to buy something you might not have before? Like getting a specific VPN just because it's advertised by a youtuber you like, when you wouldnt have bought it otherwise?

[@FentonHardyFan]

@@jessy1982 Where do you personally draw the line? After all, advertising is always about encouraging people to buy things, and especially to buy things that a person is not currently buying. (If you already drink Pepsi, there's no reason to advertise the drink to you.) Do you find it ethically questionable when an NFL player appears in TV advertisements? What about a radio show/TV program/sporting event "brought to you by Company?" Do you find product placement in movies to be morally ambiguous? People form strong emotional connections with fictional characters. And a movie like Back to the Future doesn't disclose at the start that various companies paid for product placement. KZbin has some of the strictest rules requiring videos to disclose at the start that the video is sponsored, and to make it clear what the advertisement is for. Do people with KZbin channels have the ability to successfully market products and services? Yes, of course. I don't personally view it as more objectional than any other advertisement. The main thing is that a company should not be allowed to lie about its product, and that rule should apply to any form of advertising, not merely online advertising. Personally, I have no issue with a KZbinr including an Express VPN ad in their video, but I hate constantly being bombarded with advertisements for sports betting on the radio and during ad breaks on Hulu. Because it seems Express VPN is actually a functional VPN that does what it advertises, while sports betting is a morally bankrupt industry that preys on those with low incomes. If someone I watched on KZbin suddenly started taking sponsorships for sports betting, I would also be quite frustrated; as in, I would probably try to contact the KZbinr and ask their channel to stop shilling for the bookies, levels of frustration. (Fortunately, I don't think any of the Hermitcraft members are likely to do that to me.)

[@pythonxz]

My experience was horrible with my therapist. She seemed to not give a shit. She wrote and spoke like a teenager. She had no interest in actually listening to me and just wanted me to fill out what was essentially worksheets. I felt like she was unqualified, despite what it said under her profile.

[@thechugg4372]

Same tbh, but I've seen 20 therapists in my life and most of them seem to have a hard time giving a shit.

[@Nemesis9K]

Mine would send out weekly newsletters that felt like spam to me and removed the authenticity of the exchange by seeming like she was more interested in what “the group” heard of her life, rather than what you had to say. I almost said “we” - that’s the screwed up thing about it. I shouldn’t have to mute my feelings to my therapist for the sake of some larger “group” that I cannot see, nor can she share any details on, and all we have in common is that we have to listen to her weekly rambling life stories.

[@roygbiv163]

My therapist has been great. The first one I was assigned I did not like at all. So I switched. Don’t give up on therapy due to one or two bad counselors on BH. Shop around.

[@SaintShion]

Honestly this is just a standard healthcare issue. As a disabled person I can’t emphasize enough how many stupid dr.s I met when I first got sick. They’d tell me I didn’t have the diagnosis I came to treat, despite having labs w blood work that proves it. Being a dr doesn’t make someone smart or competent

[@capybaracake]

@@IRNoahBodyyou did that at a therapist? Usually they’re not licensed to diagnose ADHD, I had to go to a psychiatrist on multiple different occasions to get my diagnoses, paid a pretty penny out of pocket too.

[@Bhethar]

Man, thank god there’s people like you exposing this disgusting schemes. It’s depressing how better help is violating the base oath of psychological care, privacy.

[@purplegalaxies2149]

It honestly shocks me that a session with a therapist is 90 dollars and yet that alone is considerate “affordable”. Here in Sweden, you pay 10 dollars per session (which is usually once per week) and then 30 to 50 dollars if you want to talk with a doctor. I’m seriously glad I do not live in America

[@premo8564]

175+ per hour for private sessions. and thats bottom of the barrel here. it is absolutely dogshit. went through insurance, got sent an app they approved. NOT betterhelp, to clarify, but y’know, i dont think i wanna text my therapist. we tried betterhelp out of pocket before, because frankly ive been a mess for a really embarrassingly long time, and yea that didnt work for me either.

[@jarred4005]

My therapist is covered by the school. But he cost 200 per session outside of school :((

[@CurtisCT]

Well, it depends on your insurance. One mistake a lot of Europeans make is to view the US as one country, when in reality it's a union of 50 states, each with its own economy, own politics, own health system, own system of justice, etc. It would be like viewing all of Europe as ONE country with ONE system, etc. - which of course makes absolutely no sense. So there are hundreds of health insurance companies in the US, each with their own rules and rates, etc. Some health insurance might cover therapy sessions, some might not. Some might only cover 50% of the costs, some might cover 80% of the costs, just like the different health insurance systems in Europe. For example, you say in Sweden you pay $10 per session. Here in Austria, you pay nothing if you go through the national health insurance. HOWEVER, if you decide to see a private therapist, then you pay the same as in the US, if not more. My point is, you can't make a blanket comparison because we're dealing with different countries with different systems in the case of Europe, and different states with different systems in the case of the US. As a college student in the US, I never had to pay for dental care or therapy sessions because all of that 100% covered by my parents' health insurance, under which I was covered until the age of 26. So you paid $10 per session in Sweden, I paid $0 in the US. See why blanket comparisons are a bad idea?

[@nealreiersen6823]

The worst part is that although the client pays $90 as a therapist is got $20 from better help when I provide that service. When I started with them I accepted it because I thought they were cheaper but they are not. My cash rate is $95 a session with no commitment like there is with better help.

[@cicciuzzu5032]

Sweden has some of the highest taxes in the developed world. Your copay just may be very low, you are already paying handsomely for your sessions indirectly. No country in the world is perfect, please be aware and conscious of that!

[@CtrlAltDelite]

Just like the dating apps. Stay away from these "help" platforms.

[@littledudefromacrossthestr5755]

True

[@JesseKielbasinski-v1y]

Says who your mom? (Smile)

[@JesseKielbasinski-v1y]

No, to truly comment; on topic at hand, I'm certain with first hand experience it would be violating hippa and it happens in real life not just over your phone yes sorry but definitely industry standard ethics... Very true

[@JesseKielbasinski-v1y]

Got my own personal inventory I take often as is necessary and learned first hand helped alot it's called. E for Emotional S for Social I for intellectual P for physical E for Environmental F for Financial O for Occupational S for Spiritual All areas of health and or wellness to set up, balance your scope, find the depth, and achieve realistic goals in each area. Just an in general term helps keep me poised to be moist. Moist Lol

[@kristin3872]

Psychologists can absolutely diagnose mental health disorders. In some states, they can even prescribe certain psychotropic medications. Psychiatrists, on the other hand, provide medication management.

[@theworddoner]

Once I heard about them sharing medical data with advertisers. They were persona non grata to me. I try to steer anyone I know who needs mental health therapy away from them. This company needs to go bankrupt.

[@LogicallyAnswered]

Savage

[@kaynkayn9870]

Like most startup, it is most likely running on a negative given all the ads they have been running lately. I saw IASIP podcast do it and 2 other youtubers. They are trying to grow big right now, so if their spending doesn't turn into customer then that's the likely conclusion.

[@AikiraBeats]

I used them once and it felt really scummy. Like I was going through something and they just didn’t seem to put in effort. I like the idea of therapy being accessible to everyone, but this was done wrong .

[@KiRenRed]

Feel out this gratitude sheet, bye 😒 Like they just recommend the same things you probably already do. I feel like all these self help things are just to keep you here, for now. Good luck once you finish your session. Better help might be better help but I feel like it’s still not help.

[@BrendanTisdell]

In Australia (and many other countries) psychologist is a protected and regulated title that can only be used by qualified professionals with experience and training in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health conditions. Advising your viewers that a psychologist is just "someone to talk to" is doing a disservice to your viewers and is an inaccurate representation of psychology. Regarding better help, other major problems with the platform include expectations it places on mental health workers to be always available to respond to clients - setting up potentially unhealthy dependence on therapist contact, and controversies regarding appropriate and adequate compensation for therapists.

[@sirtra]

It's a true statement. A psychologist may have spent years at university getting a degree, but they are still merely a person you can talk to. They have absolutely no medical training or certification. There's a reason psychology majors are the butt of many jokes in acadamia. It's ironic how sensitive Psychology graduates and students are about this.. you'd think they would have better control of their emotions 😉

[@corbeaudejugement]

​@@sirtraexcept a psychology degree is a medical degree. they can't prescribe medications, but psychologists are still doctors.

[@corbeaudejugement]

@@sirtra you're so hilariously wrong it's unbelievable. psychologists are doctors. they can formally diagnose you. wtf are you on right now i'm not talking about a PhD. i'm talking about a PsyD, which is a medical degree.

[@sirtra]

@@corbeaudejugement a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D or D.Psych) is *not* a medical degree nor does it make someone a medical doctor (MD). You should be ashamed of even implying such nonsense.

[@corbeaudejugement]

@@sirtra when did i say it made them an MD? i said it made them a doctor. not all doctors are MDs

[@lunarcarousel]

As someone who is a paraplegic, going to therapy in-person is not an option for me. I am doing fine work with my therapist online (not through a commercial service, but it’s still telehealth) and have been seeing her for going on 4 years. It’s incredibly ableist to insist someone is getting “less than” without an in-person connection.

[@kiki10446]

Yes!! Thank you

[@ajsrf]

Doesn’t matter what you want to call it. It’s obvious to anyone who ever experienced that kind of services that in-person is always better. If you have a disability and that makes it impossible for you to get in-person care and you’re able to get good care online, great for you. Get the best you can get, the person who can go there in person will still have it best. That’s like saying that not being able to walk can be as good as being able to walk, it can’t. Ever.

[@ghoulishtoad]

I don't think he implied it's bad it's just obvious you're gonna get better care irl cause they can read ur body and face. I'm autistic and need irl and everyone in my area only does telehelth or online. It's extremely frustrating. both options need to be available

[@capybaracake]

@@ghoulishtoadtele health therapy isn’t usually just phone calls, it’s like FaceTime appointments, so the therapist can still read your facial expressions and body language.

[@ghoulishtoad]

@Partyhatpossum Yeah but I cant read theirs

[@googleinc6033]

Actually Psychologists can also diagnose you, the difference is that Psychiatrist can also prescribe drugs, you do not need to see a Psychiatrist straight away, if anything it is not recommended, you better start with a therapist and that person might redirect you towards a psychiatrist if you need.

[@Katinahat293]

I’m glad you’re talking about this because I keep seeing huge KZbinrs promote them and be sponsored by them

[@Joeyw-2203]

So many bad reports about this organization, particularly from licensed therapists. Allegedly, they do unethical marketing like put up dummy pages claiming to represent a named licensed therapist, even take out advertisements in the name of that therapist, but all the links go back to BetterHelp. They supposedly hire people internationally, so your certified therapist might very well be working in a scam call center in Nigeria. I also wonder what "certified therapist" even means, because unless they qualify which agency is certifying their supposed therapists, "certified therapist" could mean just about anything. In the US, for example, any member of the clergy is allowed to practice certain therapy and counseling functions, so presumably anyone with a mail order theology degree is a certified therapist. That's perfectly legal in the US.

[@selfastudy]

I don't see why an American should be worried about a therapist from Nigeria when America is basically the Nigeria of first tier countries.🤣

[@sirvalhart7464]

My first session was with a lady in Spain who ran a spiritual 'wave-healing' cult (she had the whole $700 getaway to an island commune with robes kind of thing). Absolutely WILD lmao (I'm from Australia so the time-zones were atrocious)

[@Nick-zm2vm]

I remember years ago that better help was facing criticism because their therapists were terrible and unprofessional. I distinctly remember one story of a therapist conducting a session while they were grocery shopping.

[@gocepravulov6262]

Once again, amazing video. However, the segment in psychologists vs psychiatrists is a hudge miss. Although both are in the same field, which one of them has their own part to play. It's the same as saying that software engineers are just a bunch of guys who write code while the real workers are the hardware and electrical engineers. As a psych student, but also a guy who constantly watches your videos, I think you meant no harm to anyone, however I think you missed that one completly. Otherwise, these are amazing videos, just keep going! 🎉

[@phitsf5475]

Psychology student detected

[@mutawi]

Psychologists here, was about to write the same. What is a psychiatrist gonna do - throw pills at the screen? Betterhelp is for therapy, not for medication.

[@mutawi]

@@user-gc9gk6or4l The necesity of meds for a given treatment, as well as the severity of the condition are unrelated to the need for therapy. Or perhaps rather: There are many things that can be fixed through therapy alone, but fairly few things which can be fixed solely with medicine, when it comes to mental illness. To manage those conditions which require medication, therapy is generally a required tretment component for lasting succes.

[@francisvlade4880]

The part comparing psychiatrists to psychologists is really inaccurate. Psychologists are typically better, honestly. Psychiatrists will only talk to patients on average 15 minutes and then just recommend some medication that they have diagnosed as best. Psychologists will talk for an hour and only refer a patient to a psychiatrist if they truly believe medication is needed. Otherwise they will help them through their problems without it and actually develop close connections with them. Psychiatrists end up making more money because they just speed run as many patients as possible while psychologists go far more in depth with their cognitive behavior therapy and put a ton of time into each individual person they see.

[@vickimaccallum]

A while ago, I would have agreed with you but I have a great psychiatrist who works alongside my psychologist to understand my mental health. The first one I went to had been super quick to (mis)diagnose, prescribed over 5 meds per day that were worse for me than anything. My current works with other options first, and meds come after if necessary. All decisions are made with my psychologist, doctor (GP) and myself. I really urge people who have had a situation like my first seek a second opinion.

[@thaisgregorio2734]

Yeah, that comparison really passed me off. It was so wrong and harmful, if feels like he doesn't understand the different approaches and made it seem that treating yourself with a therapist is worse than with a psychiatrist. Many people need both

[@egal1780]

Please give us one promise: you'll go against the trend and never sell out. Please. (I don't expect you to do so, it's just the classic "either you die as a hero, or live long enough to become the villain".

[@LogicallyAnswered]

Yeah, I only plan on ever pitching something I make. Hold me accountable if I pitch something else.

[@egal1780]

@@LogicallyAnswered I like that spirit. That's because you could fall victim to something similar like Jake Tran. But this is what we like to see and want to support. And I guess that this kind of thinking is also going to be really helpful when it comes to denying those sponsorships, because you're positioning yourself to fully avoid those temptations. I hope that you're eventually going to go down as a hero (when the life cycle simply ends), and stay as that for as long as we find this wonderfully produced content.

[@JLydecka]

His response makes me see he will sell out at the right price 🤦‍♂️ enjoy the channel while it lasts.

[@egal1780]

@@JLydecka let's be honest, That's true for everyone. I Just Hope that sketchy companies will rather Just Go and Run These Sponsored Segments somewhere Else, because they're More driven by the Money. At least it's Not dismissed or ignored. Though yes, that certainly leaves quite a Lot of room for Interpretation. But only time will Tell how Things will Go. I mean a Lot of Channels that Produce great content haven't Sold Out, but there's of course never that guarantee.

[@OJUUSECURITY]

@@LogicallyAnswered which country do you reside in? Will you be open to teaming up with an honest tech start-up?

[@bonita2873]

Even in a mental health clinic you will still see a psychologist. They will give you a psychiatrist if you need medication and you will only see them once a month or so but you'll see the psychologist for the most part to do the other part of therapy

[@MsJordanElaine]

There are lots of clinical psychologist and other mental health professionals who can diagnose and/or prescribe. Psychiatrist aren’t the only ones.

[@iggy_the_enby_iguana532]

I appreciate you covering these important topics! It is so scary that there's almost no way for the common person to know things like this when signing up for something like therapy when they clearly just need help. We need major mental health reform in our country, among so many other things!!

[@remote_joy]

I love how you pull these companies apart! 🎉❤🎉 amazing, engaging, entertaining channel!

[@LogicallyAnswered]

Thank you jezebel!

[@culan_SCP]

@@LogicallyAnsweredwait, if betterhelp is selling data, WHY IS FACEBOOK BUYING IT?!?,

[@Howabouthere]

​@@LogicallyAnsweredPlease don't ever stop exposing these evil companies❤

[@TheDisasterMaster2]

Better help isn’t only expensive for its users, it’s expensive for its therapists too. They pay the therapists next to nothing for the sessions they provide and many therapists have to find second jobs on top of therapy… which is an emotionally taxing pursuit as is regardless of the fact it’s expensive to become a therapist. I’ve been leaving this comment on KZbinr’s videos who are sponsored by better help for years now and I’m glad there’s finally some light being shown on this, but I’d love to see someone do a deeper dive into how the therapists are being exploited not just the patient

[@aared]

A majority of therapists on platforms such as these, and commonly the ones you find independently practicing as well are actually LPCs (Licensed Professional Counselor) which is not the same as a psychologist The training of an LPC is primarily geared toward providing counseling (interchangeable term with therapy) whereas psychologists can provide counseling, their training usually leads them to research, teaching, or psychological testing (such as for ADH, autism, or learning disabilities). The fields are related and draw from each other but not the same Psychologists are usually more expensive but if your child sees one for support with Autism, it might make sense for that to be who your child also receives counseling from instead of finding another counselor

[@TrulyMadlyShallowly]

One note: most of the privacy issues ARE actually illegal in Europe. I suspect their medical practices will also attract scrutiny at some point in the future

[@myscreen2urs]

To be fair, you can't expect an online therapy service to be equipped with people that can prescribe drugs. That would cause a lot of issues for the company and the users. Psychiatrists are kinda the last people you see if you have issues that can't be resolved from talk therapy alone and that likely requires a referral from your personal GP.

[@piss7610]

When people are depressed they will anything to find help. You cannot play devil's advocate to a service taking advantage of vulnerable people, that's just evil

[@boots1622fan]

medication is not a 'last' option. please stop stigmatizing it. therapy AND medication is much more effective than either taken alone.

[@Ellman1231]

As a clinical therapist (or counselor, if you like) who was one of the providers on BetterHelp for awhile, I want to support some points here as well as clear up some things the video misrepresented and that need clearing up. I'm sorry for the length, but this shit needs saying. TLDR; if you are considering therapy please don't let this video discourage you from seeking services. I know it's hard to find a good one, but I can almost guarantee you it's worth it in the long run. If you're already against therapy in general and using this video as a reason not to consider it, this likely won't change your mind, but you might learn something anyway. The most important idea I want to clear up is the idea that online therapy doesn't work. This is simply not true, and misinterprets data. The data seems to show that, overall, most people will do better with in-person therapy. It does NOT say that there is no benefit at all to online therapy, or that everyone will do better with in-person therapy. When the pandemic started, I literally would not have been able to work with my clients at all (most of whom were dealing with substance use disorders and mood issues like Bipolar Disorder or Anxiety Disorder) if we coulnd't use online video therapy. Now a good chunk of them would rather have been in-person. However, my coworkers and I also found that once we started doing online sessions, our clients showed up more often and canceled less. Because they didn't need to find a babysitter, find a ride across town, or call off of work to see us. Some of them lived in rural areas several towns away, or hundreds of miles away with no good options for therapy, but could see us using this technology. They could more easily fit it into their busy life schedule. It made therapy more accessible for people that wouldn't have been able to get to it otherwise. Also, many of the teenagers I worked with as well as adults with high anxiety actually PREFERRED online therapy, because the it made the process of engaging with another person less awkward and in-their-face. Some of them eventually built enough comfort and trust with me to begin coming in-person once we could start doing in-person sessions again, but some of them stuck with online and have enjoyed it. I currently have about 60 clients in my practice, and about 80% of them prefer to stick with virtual, even though I have an office location they can come to in-person. Some of them take a hybrid approach, where if they can get to the office they'll do that but if they're held up by work or a home issue, they can quickly switch to a virtual session instead. The real factor of therapy being effective is whether or not the person seeking therapy feels understood and comfortable around the therapist, if they think this person "gets" them and their problems and can actually help to some degree. If they don't think so, it doesn't matter if it's in-person or online, it's not going to work that well. Which brings me to the fact that video calls out "online therapy platforms", which seems to imply ANY form of mental healthcare that is provided online. Plenty of legit hospitals, psychiatrist offices, non-for-profit organizations, community clinics, and therapy practices offer online therapy. It became a MUST during the pandemic, as otherwise there was literally no way to meet with people and provide care. However, most of them will use either their own proprietary software or contract with a company that provides telehealth software to these companies. For instance, I see clients through a small practice with about 7-8 other therapists, and the owner of the practice uses a software called Simple Practice, which offers both telehealth options (browser or app), as well as sets up client portals for documents, billing, and charting. The profit margin for these software builders is not in getting more and more clients in therapy, but in providing an effective, user-friendly way to conduct therapy for therapists, which is then used by clients. The target for profit is the providers, not the clients in need of care. If you use one of these programs to see a therapist through an established mental health business or healthcare company, you are way more likely using software made by a company that will NOT share your data with Meta or TikTok. BetterHelp does a TERRIBLE job of informing first-time clients what therapy actually is and isn't, what to expect not just from the first session but the process in general, realistic expectations to have, etc, but there's a few ways in which this video doesn't help. For instance, let's talk about the differences between a therapist and a psychiatrist. A therapist can have a doctorate or masters degree, and have many titles, but if they're licensed in the state they practice, can definitely provide a client with diagnoses as well as recommend/provide treatment they're trained in. They can and do also refer people to other providers like general doctors, physical therapists, and psychiatrists. A psychiatrist is going to prescribe medicine, but rarely (these days) provide any form of talk therapy. In fact, depending on the mental health issue a person is dealing with, it's often the case they will do well by taking medication AND getting therapy at the same time, not just one or the other. In that case, it's very helpful and recommended for a person's therapist, psychiatrist, doctor, etc, to talk to each other in order to make sure everyone's on the same page. BetterHelp doesn't really tell you ANY of this, at least not at the start when it'd be helpful, but the video should have done its due diligence and cleared this up. The points about the lawsuits and the sharing of information technically being LEGAL but not being ETHICAL are right on. This is somewhat part of the problem of these platforms, that they are not healthcare companies or organizations trying to expand access to services, but tech companies trying to make money off of healthcare. Their ethics stop at the point where their legalese TOS keeps them from getting sued and maybe extends to where there is public outcry over their practices, but only afterwards and not before. The more macro part is that actual good healthcare, both mental/emotional as well as physical, is not a huge generator of profit. If you have an illness and go to a doctor/hospital, recover, and stay healthy (except for maybe annual checkups), you are not a good repeat customer. If I'm providing you with good therapy, the whole point is for you to learn new skills or ways of dealing with your problems well enough that you don't need me anymore. It's not a business model that generates a gazillion dollars a year with unlimited growth, at least not if you're doing it ethically. Now, long-term, if everyone has access to good healthcare, the earning potential of our population long-term is amazing, and so many of our economic/social issues could be fixed. But that earning potential/long-term profit is going to be spread among all of us as a whole, not going to one company or even a few big corporations. Which is why some form of universal healthcare is opposed by so many on the left, right, and middle of the political spectrum. There's no good money in it. Finally, anytime I see a video on BetterHelp I see comments from people saying they had a terrible experience with it due to bad therapists. When I was on the platform, a good chunk of the clients I would see would tell me I was the 3rd or 4th therapist they'd seen, and they were quitting the service if I didn't measure up (no pressure). The problem is that compared to insurance, group practice rates, or salaried positions, most therapists make extremely low money per session with BetterHelp. There's a tiered payment program where for every 5 hours' worth of sessions you do in a week, the payment for each new session goes up, but that only incentivizes taking on way too many clients to work with effectively in order to make mid-to-good money. The therapist doing $70 hours' worth of work per week (where the tier program tops out) is going to be burned out quick, and not a good therapist for very long, and STILL isn't going to be paid as well as they would in other places. So what does this mean? The therapists working on the BetterHelp platform are likely either new/just starting out (like I was), bad therapists that have maybe burned bridges/can't work anywhere else, or burned out and not willing to change their situation. Sometimes you get good therapists who know the situation and use it as supplemental income with just a few clients a week. But I know that as soon as I found this stuff out about the platform, I worked hard to move all of my clients over to my group practice (where their insurance was accepted and there was a sliding scale based on income) and quit the platform. If you've read this far, thank you for your time. Please comment/email me with any questions. Again, please don't let this video put you off of therapy.

[@jjacobmdelac]

Therapy is not the issue, and I go with you when asking people not to use this video to discourage them from seeking therapeutic assistance. However, as a trained but unlicensed psychologist (yeah I stopped paying for my license), I am not too certain about those online therapy services, it's already difficult enough to find a good one in the real world, and I sense that in the virtual world, all those who couldn't make it in the real world or starting their career register themselves with companies like Better Help to give a service that raise red flags in terms of quality and professionalism without mentioning confidentiality. This could be severely damageable for those seeking real, and personalized assistance. I personally would never recommend Better Help to anyone, unless, they are truly in a situation that prevent them from reaching out to a genuine therapy service, I'd even help them out myself despite the fact that I am now unlicensed. I read your whole message and I totally agree with you. :)

[@kidd32888]

Sorry your post is very long and I didn't read the whole thing but I'm my experience, I really don't feel they are differences between in-person and online therapy. I found online therapy is helpful so I do agree even online therapy maybe less effective, it is still way way better than nothing at all.

[@Ellman1231]

@@jjacobmdelac Thanks for the reply. What's it like practicing without the license? Are there any new headaches you have to deal with vs when you were maintaining the licensure?

[@Ellman1231]

@@kidd32888 Definitely better than nothing at all, as long as you have a good therapist you connect with.

[@jjacobmdelac]

@kidd32888 ​ If you had taken the time to read it all, you would have noticed that he never said that online therapy was wrong, to the contrary, he has been working for Better Help, therefore, he isn't saying that it's wrong. If it worked for you, great, whatever floats your boat. But in my experience and knowledge, you can talk and talk and talk and yet you think that you're okay, but psychiatrists and psychologists have other means than the VOICE to analyze and help a patient. It's called the non-verbal, and that counts as much as talking. Which is not something you get from online methods.

[@sieuzice]

You need to research the difference between psychologists, psychiatrists and psychotherapists and the requirements for each certification.

[@godsofwarmaycry]

Why? It's easier to just talk about things without research

[@NicNakBraun]

Mythical Morning brought me here for promoting BETTERHELP as a sponsor today..people are not happy. Good video!!

[@absolutelypitiful3837]

I don't think that the real issue is online therapy. The real issue is that many people need therapy but can't afford it, so Better Help is their only option.

[@DyceFreak]

Mushroom spores are pretty cheap

[@godsofwarmaycry]

@@DyceFreak Yes, what could possibly go wrong?

[@rob_sj.2636]

Better Help, the cheap (read affordable) alternative for health therapy at the very modic cost of your privacy (read your own very soul) and dignity. 😂😂😂

[@bruce-le-smith]

the walmartization of therapy? 😅

[@ChemEDan]

@@DyceFreak Extracting DMT from mimosa hostilis is even easier.

[@Warriormon87]

Better Help always gave me the vibes of an enabler who rather than help you work through your problems will just affirm what you already think affirming you are never the problem in your own life, while furthering their own agendas.

[@dylanwhite6539]

I almost used them. Even got a “massive discount” since I’m disabled, but I chose to go through my insurance instead and found a much better therapist.

[@HazFrostYT]

This should genuinely be ILLEGAL, I cannot believe a company blatantly taking advantage of depression is still up to this day. Thank you for this extremely valuable video, I hope it spreads to as many people as possible.

[@davidturcotte831]

Psychiatrist - Can write prescriptions. Is an MD. Spent less time studying psychology. Psychologist - Understands psychological techniques using cognitive and behavioural therapies to achieve a personalized psychological goal. Typically holds a PhD in clinical psychology. Spent more time studying psychology. If you are having an online therapy session, you want a psychologist. If you want someone to write a prescription, any MD can help you with additional information provided from your psychologist. A psychologist can make a diagnosis. Better Help uses therapists. Depending on your location, this could be someone who woke up this morning and decided they are a therapist or it could be someone who holds a bachelor's degree or master's degree in psychology/social work. Therapists are good for people who need to talk to work through problems. I was a behavioural therapist until the government decided my certification in behavioural psychology wasn't good enough and social workers with basically no training in my field know better than I. In the case of behavioural therapists, instead of working through thoughts they work through actions and focus on the topic of the learning of behaviours. So far as I am aware, Better Help does not employ behavioural therapists.

[@Addictedtocollecting01]

It's even more depressing that getting help has become a even more complicated...

[@NatalieMarie917]

With most counselors offering virtual sessions now, there really isn’t much need for these types of services. There are directories to help search for therapists who offer sliding scales, and insurance typically covers video sessions now. And it’s not subscription-based, so you don’t have to worry about being charged even when you weren’t able to have a session each week.

[@becca53444]

This! My current therapist is online and she’s been wonderful. Only charges me $25 a session after I explained my employment situation. If you’re in the US, just look for therapy groups in your state and you can use any you like. They just have to be in your state for legal reasons.

[@doeheart7118]

Only thing I have to say is some people prefer online therapy due to some people like having a phobia of leaving their house (I am almost developed this fear due to ptsd lol) or disability’s or they just aren’t able to make it to a office easily

[@hbic4242]

Most local therapists will do online sessions now which helps tremendously

[@TheCrowReviewer]

I love this channel so much, I wish you all the best Mr. Hari. 🎉

[@LogicallyAnswered]

Thanks man!

[@benvreed]

They are terrible. My sister-in-law knows a lot of the Uvalde shooting families. She asked this company if they would help provide grief counseling, as many of them couldn’t afford it. They said no.

[@Always.Smarter]

and there's nothing wrong with that. there are plenty of legitimate criticisms to be made about the company, you don't have to resort to this.

[@brettlaw4346]

How they would manage to advertise services that would require HIPPA compliant systems without the users having HIPPA compliant systems seems like a case of criminal enticement.

[@Medic8808]

Simple rule of thumb: if a service is being marketed as a healthcare provider, then that provider is REQUIRED BY LAW to follow ALL HIPPA STANDARDS AT ALL TIMES. If the provider fails to follow HIPPA standards, then the provider is guilty of medical malpractice by willful patient endangerment, as as such is not a legal healthcare service. ESPECIALLY if any payment is being provided by state assistance

[@maggiem6209]

I've been to many different therapists. I never had a session on BetterHelp, but I did have a few sessions with an online therapist I was recommended. It was the worst, most-humiliating experience I've ever had in therapy. Frustrating, she didn't listen to me, kept talking over me, kept trying to ask me about unrelated family relationships when I was there for trauma coping. I always feel like being online with my therapist is cheap and not helpful. Wasted too much money before I decided to go to a life coach instead. Worked out much better for me.

[@magicmanchloe]

I have always been, skeeved out and concerned about these types of online therapy platforms. I’m sorry to see my concerns were well founded.

[@catholiccontriversy]

Still baffles me how ad data is "valuable" and bought and sold as such. Like, in theory I understand (if you knew what people would be more willing to buy you could sell them an ad), but for some reason I get a ton of ads for dating sites despite the fact that I'm married and all the ad data that is supposedly collected on me says so. Then the ad data where I say "this is what I am interested in" and practically begging to get served ads it, I never do. Someone is seriously getting ripped off when buying my data.

[@andresciahooten9598]

That’s why when I was (and still is) getting therapy, I had went to a hospital. A hospital that has their own therapists

[@samueldubik4418]

I always use the common sense with stuff like this. Their business plan is to help their patients. As long as they are helping, they make money off of you. Once you're cured you don't need them anymore so they won't make more money. It's not in their best interest to actually help you.

[@princessinmittens4783]

I'm happy someone decided to bring this topic up. I've heard little negative feedback about these guys but what I had heard was not good and I believe this. Thank you.

[@kristianwells8830]

I think the funniest thing about Betterhelp is that just a few years ago KZbinrs were shilling this dangerous platform, there's a huge expose and everyone stops and apologizes. Now recently all these same KZbinrs start promoting the platform and big surprise: they are still a scummy platform. I get that trying to be a professional KZbinr is hard, but man is that some bad optics.

[@jamesericdunphey]

I really wish someone was keeping a list of the KZbinrs that keep doing this crap. I know quite a few of them got suckered in by Established Titles too.

[@Lurker1979]

HIPAA violation. I work in a mental health employer and we got grilled on HIPPA when I was hired and BetterHelp is clearly violating HIPPA. A major no no. Both ethically and legally.

[@MattJDave]

'Selling out' - Ad break immediately happens. You sly dog, I'm onto you. Also, fun fact, Mumkey Jones presented with all the traits of Elliot Rodger to see if a betterhelp 'therapist' would pick up on the extremely obvious warning signs of a potential threat, and surprise surprise, they didn't.

[@gaz312]

As someone qualified I wouldn't touch them with barge pole or recommend them. The adverts almost always have some condensing borderline emotional voice giving them "Advice" in how they're supposed to feel and behave. That's not how modern counseling is supposed to work. It's about them finding whats right for them as a unique human not me dictating my ideology and forcing it onto them.

[@cassandralayman831]

I just want to point out one small fact, psychologists can actually diagnose they just can’t prescribe meds. Imo if you need actual therapy psychologist is a better opinion, they tend to spend more time speaking with you and helping you work through your issues. Psychiatrists are good for the treating the issue with medication, though a lot of PCP’s will prescribe the same medication. Both of my kids went through thorough testing with a psychologist for their diagnosis. Now with that being said better help seems like a crappy place to go to for therapy. I attempted to go through them once until I seen they didn’t take insurance. Every since then I constantly get emails from them. No reputable place is gonna pretty much beg you to use their services. After watching this video I am very glad I never used them, what their doing is so unethical.

[@CsQ_RandomRepository]

I remember big youtubers like Philip DeFranco getting into hot water due to BetterHelp controversy. It's only obvious how bad this is in retrospect, but my god were their responses to the situation just downright horrendous.

[@9ernation543]

Yea that was years ago. How did it come back?

[@robertbull6895]

Thank you for sharing and bringing the reality of commoditised healthcare to light. Be aware that your reference to required skills and professional qualifications for providing mental health services and support may not be correct in all countries. It is certainly important to be sure that any mental health professionals you choose have the skills and experience you need 🙏😊

[@NatalieMarie917]

You don’t need to see a psychiatrist for diagnosis. You’re actually probably better off seeing a psychologist, licensed mental health counselor, clinical social worker, etc. who often conduct longer, more thorough interviews and/or psychological testing before providing diagnoses. Psychiatrists tend to have a lot more time constraints (due partly to a shortage in psychiatrists relative to the people who need their services-or at least _think_ they need their services). I definitely wish there was less confusion around the options actually available for mental health treatment.

[@blazingstar9638]

Glad you made this👏👏👏 It’s like everyone forgot about NerdCitys exposé on this corporation, or weren’t on yt yet

[@SuperCosmicMutantSquid]

They're the Kamikoto Knives(or however it was spelled) of therapy; cheap but presented as a luxury, especially towards desperate people. A lot of creators I like have advertised for this and while it doesn't make me blacklist them (that's pointless to me) it makes me consider and think about WHY they'd take the offer. A lot of these creators often talk about the struggles they go through and many comments from their viewers give hints that they're people who need help. BH seems like an outreach that could help people who can't or often don't know who to contact and find a therapist but the shady practices have been known for a while. Despite that, I still think what protects them is that just the overwhelming need of help for a LOOK of people now and as a result, people will think that BH is their own option even if they're told of the issues. It's sad and scummy but I feel BH will only be called out once more people call them out or, sadly, something bigger happens to them that launches them into mainstream attention, FORCING them to come clean which then will finally have to face something.

[@ArcheezTV]

Good job bringing the topic up! While it might seem frightening, that your data could be used for profit you must understand this: 1. Most of the data is quantitative and used for building audiences based on specific interests. This allows them to target similar people who might need help. 2. It’s a business, which of course will seek out new customers to be sustainable. In conclusion, if they won’t use data they won’t be able to find people who need help as efficiently. The CPA (cost per aquisition) will rise pushing the company to bankrupcy. What will happen to people who beed help if they go bankrupt?

[@npumphrey7585]

My only thing on your critique, which I am a fan of, and maybe it's just been my luck, but every psychiatrist I've seen had been a dismissive, pill pusher who didn't care about my issues or concerns. Everything they did made my life worse. The therapists, and psychologist I've seen did a million times more to help me than any psychiatrist could ever hope.

[@imzjustplayin]

Exactly.

[@ShanniBananni]

I think many people aren't clear about what psychiatrists are including the person who wrote the script for this video. Psychiatrists are doctors who specialize in mental health issues. They are specialists like cardiologists, dermatologists, or neurologists. They're MDs. They only manage medications. Some choose to provide therapy, but that is not their primary function. You have to go to a therapist for therapy. Therapy in the US can be provided by a psychologist, a social worker, a mental health counselor, a marriage and family therapist, and other licensed professionals that I can't remember right now.

[@Memesdude11]

How about we stop trusting companies that primarily pay influencers to advertise their products?

[@lexov7981]

I do love this channel, but you dropped the ball massively in your explanation of the differences between Psychiatrists and Psychologists. You’re right, psychiatrists are the only ones that can prescribe medication, but alluding that this is the “right” and only medical path just falls into the medicalisation that’s prevalent in American healthcare. No, not all mental health support is require medication, in fact the vast majority don’t. Ofcourse in the most severe and medically diagnosed conditions, psychiatrists and medication is the only viable support. Even worse, you seems to misconstrue “psychologists” with “counsellors”. The idea that “Psychologists” aren’t medical professionals is totally false; to become a psychologist you need to receive a PhD in psychology. The idea that someone with a PhD in mental Health is some random basic-educated person is utterly false, they are academic professionals, they just don’t prescribe medication (once again, vast majority of mental health doesn’t require it). In fact, even Counsellors must be at least Masters level. Even the section claiming in-person is better than online is totally dubious. The answer is inconclusive as there are many other factors at play (a significantly more experienced and better psychologists with the right tools online is better than a lesser experience counsellor in person). Once again, big fan of your channel, but these misinformation makes me wonder if you’ve done something similar to this in other topics that I don’t know much about, which is a shame.

[@tristan2102]

man people will never learn, second time better help are called out for being bs. I remember a little while ago, I stopped watching philip defranco because he defended them after the first time they got called out.

[@Metal_Maxine]

I'd be even more worried if they started sharing data with credit agencies, medical insurers etc

[@RayMak]

We can never satisfy everyone

[@easyaccessjeans]

To be sure, psychologists can absolutely diagnose and are often far better equipped to treat psychological issues that either don't need drug intervention, or as supplemental to drug interventions. Autism spectrum disorder, for instance, is often well-managed without the use of drugs. Typically, a psychiatrist would not be the person you'd want to see for this. 🤷‍♀️

[@theRCenby]

glad I came across this video before paying for the service. only reason I haven't been able to is because of money and not being able yo afford any sort of therapy. thank you for posting this before I did

[@thegray5730]

They've always been a fad site more interested in brand deals with KZbinr's pushing their community college educated, psycho-babbling "therapists" on impressionable fans, so it doesn't surprise me one bit that they betrayed all their customer's privacy.

[@troybaxter]

Most of these companies that advertise heavily on KZbin are definitely shady. The only ones that I can attest that are worth their salt are Grammarly, Lucidchart, and even though I haven't used them yet but have used other similar brands, Hello Fresh. Most other companies that advertise as heavily as Betterhelp are scammy.

[@theeditor6690]

Les Carter, the narcissist expert, promotes BetterHelp in every video on his KZbin channel 'Surviving Narcissism.' How is it that these people are not aware of this? You can't awaken someone who is pretending to be asleep, they are all complicit. This old man gives so much lectures, wisdom or insight on love, trust, conscientiousness, integrity, and so on.

[@Chihirolee3]

Part of why I don't seek mental health care at all. When I was teenager in foster care, I learned that nothing I said was confidential in therapy. It destroyed my trust towards the mental health care system.

[@flcamera]

So glad to see someone talking about this, since it's outting was from the right wings nutz. Few (I speak to) believe there is darkness below the surface as well as a not to sneaky but buried truth it's also an A.I. training tool

[@teknoh]

Now I'm glad that when i first heard about them, i couldn't afford them. Now i can, and now i won't waste my money lol

[@melpomene1492]

Psychologists are not medical doctors, but they are doctors. They can diagnose and treat mental health conditions (but not prescribe medication for them). In the state of California (and I am sure many others), of you have a court ordered psychological examination, the court wants a diagnosis and the person you see is a psychologist, not a psychiatrist.

[@DaOberstCh]

Really great video right up until you incorrectly discredited and insulted an entire profesion. Pyscholigists are a protected term in the US and require as much and as extensive education as MDs. A basic google search would have told you what PsyDs require.

[@godsofwarmaycry]

Same with claiming online therapy is less effective. Really makes you wonder how much research goes into these videos...

[@Lilliaace]

I was with you with everything EXCEPT the psychiatrist vs psychologist. MOST psychiatrists, at least in the USA, are only there TO provide mental health medicines. Appointments consist of a basic medical history, list of symptoms, why you feel you would benefit from the meds, and then the trial and error process of finding what brand and dose of meds work. They ARE NOT interested in counseling. The most "counseling" you get is "any bad side effects?". That's why we have psychologists, so they can do the actual counseling to help learn new behavior patterns and thought processes.

[@godsofwarmaycry]

"Online therapy is less effective". Source? There is none, because you made it up. A quick google search would have been enough to not make this mistake. Also, psychiatrists are not strictly better than psychologists. If you need help with your self-esteem, a qualified psychologist (or therapist really) would be much more helpful. Not to mention that psychiatrists can be quick to prescribe very strong medications with significant side effects. Overall, good points around data privacy, but terrible takes on everything else. Please do better. If I notice so many issues when I'm fairly knowledgeable on a topic, it makes me doubt you when you make videos on a topic I don't know much about. Sharing your sources would be a good start. Or at least having them for when you make a truth claim. Please - you have a responsibility towards your audience. Do not spread wrong information.

[@lexov7981]

I just posted a comment that’s literally another version of this. Can’t disagree at all, makes me really question the authenticity and accuracy of this channels reporting when his spreading misinformation about the differences in psychologists to psychiatrists or claims that online therapy is better than in-person.

[@jashmaniar6488]

I was almost going to use it. Thank you.

[@thehangmansdaughter1120]

Why anyone would be stupid enough to take therapy online is beyond me. You're not building a trusting relationship with a therapist in this situation, you're handing over your deepest thoughts to a corporation. What did people think was going to happen? A corporation doesn't really care about customer's wellbeing? They just want to make as much money as possible? Say it ain't so!

[@pixeljurnee]

I worked with patients online who were physically incapable of getting out of their home on their own. Many with painful or debilitating physical limitations that made them unable to move or elderly persons who could no longer drive and their family was unable to provide consistent transportation. For those clients, they would have been unable to receive psychotherapy services otherwise....I didn't work with BetterHelp, and never would. But all online psychotherapy services are not the same.

[@ghoulishtoad]

Victim blaming 101. The mentally ill are not known to have forethought about the future usually 😂 Ur dumb

[@rainydaygaming5507]

Another thing about going locally is you can usually still see your therapist virtually if you're not able to do an office visit. I saw mine in-person through 2019, then we just kept with virtual visits because it's a lot easier on my schedule to be able to just have that call.