For a therapist, working with BetterHelp offers some great perks. If you’re a clinical professional looking for more ways to expand your clinical practice online, BetterHelp may be a great opportunity.
BetterHelp provides therapists of varying certifications and methods with an opportunity to grow or create their own businesses as online therapists. And better yet, they offer clinical professionals the opportunity to be their own boss with zero overhead costs.
Through the BetterHelp platform, therapists can offer online therapy to clients all over the world. Clinicians can take on as many clients as they want, and they have the option to be as flexible as they want. There is no minimum requirement for how many sessions or hours per week, however, it is encouraged that therapists dedicate at least 10-15 hours a week for the purpose of rapport and client satisfaction.
BetterHelp works a bit differently than many other clinical agencies. First off, payment for online therapy runs on an engagement-based compensation model rather than a per-hour rate. Therapists are not held to a one size fits all model, and they are able to create their own schedules and expand opportunities for income.
Many of the most successful clinicians with BetterHelp utilize the multiple different communication and media channels that are offered in their all-in-one technology platform. That means throughout the week, clinicians can easily check in with their clients using whatever tools are preferable for them and their clients. This includes holding regular sessions via video, phone, and/or live chat to check in and create consistency with existing clients.
To grow your online therapy client base, there are two keys. The first is to consistently accept new clients. The second is to provide great services. The way it works is that BetterHelp pairs clients with clinicians and allows for secure messaging options on a 24/7 basis. Clinicians are able to establish clear guidelines and expectations with their own clients and have the freedom and flexibility of running their own private practice online.
As far as how much you can make as a clinician, it depends. Some can earn up to a few thousand dollars per month by following these two keys listed above and the determination to grow their business.
Those who are interested in attaining more specific details on compensation as a BetterHelp online therapist should complete the Clinical Case Study Assignment. This is reviewed by the BetterHelp Clinical Team and is one of the first steps of the application process.
The compensation a clinician can make is based on their engagement with clients. BetterHelp offers a calculator tool called the Earnings Estimator Calculator to help give a more accurate idea of how much you could make as a counselor using this platform.
Once you’re approved as an official BetterHelp clinician, you can track payments on their online dashboard. BetterHelp also doesn’t require counselors to fill out any paperwork in order to receive payment– their system does that automatically.
Of course, there are many different platforms that offer online therapy. BetterHelp and Talkspace are two of the most well-known of these. Some distinctions between BetterHelp vs Talkspace are that you don’t have to focus on any of the administrative tasks such as billing, accounting, marketing, operational support, etc. One thing BetterHelp prioritizes is allowing their clinicians the opportunity to focus 100% on counseling.
Also, a difference between BetterHelp vs Talkspace is that they don’t collect any fees from the counselors, so there are no overhead costs.
BetterHelp expanded to join Teladoc Health in 2015, and since then it has become the largest and most reputable e-counseling platform in the world. It is a great resource for therapists who want to broaden their client base and shift to online counseling.
