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If you’ve been looking online for a therapy service, you’ve probably heard of Counseling on Demand and a dozen other platforms. We know the first time can be overwhelming — should you choose this service that promises to “help you take charge of your life once again”?
We know a thing or two about online therapy, so here’s our unbiased review of Counseling on Demand.
What Is Counseling on Demand, And Who Is It For?
Counseling on Demand online therapy is a fusion of traditional, in-person therapy, and the convenience of online communication. The founders of this platform realized that everyone has moments when they can’t wait in line at the therapist’s office to get help. They are on a mission to help you and others take charge of your life once again.
Helping you regain control of your life seems like a tall order. What with your stressful life and myriad of challenges you face each day? However, if the Counseling on Demand reviews on the website are anything to go by, many have benefited from the service.
Here’s what some of them had to say:
“I’ve been to several other counselors before, and you have been the first that I’ve connected with that gave me a sense of hope for change. Thank you!” – JL
“Thank you for helping me to confront the things in my life that had been holding me back. Counseling with you was very comfortable and safe.” – PT
But, this is not a guarantee that Counseling on Demand is the right service for everyone.
The platform is suitable for people looking for help with:
✔️ Depression
✔️ All anxiety disorders
✔️ Relationship issues
✔️ Separation
✔️ Divorce
✔️ Online addiction
✔️ Drug addiction
✔️ Panic disorder
✔️ Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
✔️ Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
✔️ Religious issues
✔️ Life coaching
✔️ Dysthymia
And some people shouldn’t use this online therapy platform. Seek alternative (and preferably emergency) services if you:
✔️ Are thinking of hurting yourself or others
✔️ Are in a crisis
✔️ Are under 18 years of age
✔️ Don’t have a reliable Internet connection
Which Therapy Services Does Counseling on Demand Offer?
Counseling sessions on this platform are held via two primary channels: chat and video. Each of these channels has its pros and cons, so you need to be well informed to make a choice.
Chat
This is the most anonymous type of therapy you can pay for online — the counselor doesn’t get to see your face or hear your voice. The privacy guaranteed by text therapy can encourage you to open up about your most troubling issues.
On the flipside, text therapy can be somewhat impersonal. You may have a hard time feeling connected to your counselor.
If you’d like unlimited counselor support via chat on the Counseling on Demand website, you’ll have to opt into the Premier subscription plan for $375 per month.
Video Therapy
Video therapy guarantees the convenience of online communication and the personal touch of face-to-face counseling. You get to talk directly to your counselor, and they can get helpful verbal and non-verbal cues from the session.
You’ll have to find a quiet, distraction-free place for your sessions. To get unlimited counselor support via video on Counselor on Demand, pay for the Premier subscription plan for $375 per month.
How Does Counseling on Demand Work?
The first thing you’ll notice on the website is the free complimentary counseling session. Think about it — it’s a risk-free, no-commitment peek into the inner workings of the platform. Way to find out whether you’ll get value for your money!
We took the plunge, signed up, and here’s how it went.
Sign Up For Complimentary Session
We filled out a form, giving out these details:
✔️ Name
✔️ Email
✔️ Phone
✔️ Referral (where we heard about the platform)
✔️ Condition
✔️ Behaviors
✔️ Thoughts
✔️ Feelings
✔️ Physical conditions
✔️ The story
We felt that the optional “tell me your story” box gave the sign-up process a personal, and somewhat intimate touch. It’s a great opportunity to honestly share what’s bothering you and get a counselor who can relate.
Once you sign up, you’ll wait 48 hours to hear back from the service. In our opinion, 48 hours is too long to wait to get online therapy, especially when you need help right away. So, we sought a different option.
Buy a 60-Minute Session
If you’re looking for a one-off session, Counseling on Demand has a 60-minute offering that might be worth trying. It costs $90.
To get this single session, follow these steps:
✔️ Choose a counselor from the drop-down menu
✔️ Add to cart
✔️ Provide billing details
✔️ Book your session
The 60-minute alternative seems like a quick way to get services on the platform. The only downside is that you’d have to choose a counselor blindly from a list that doesn’t display their experience or qualifications.
However, you can first check out all the counselor profiles on the home page before heading over to choose from the list and buy the sessions.
Choose a Subscription Plan
Whereas the complimentary introductory offer is designed for the service to understand your needs better, you can skip it and head straight to a subscription. Counseling on Demand has 3 subscription plans described below.
Basic Plan
For $70 per month, you get:
Counseling via video conferencing
✔️ 30-minute session
✔️ $90 per hour additional sessions
Care Concierge
✔️ Email scheduling
Access to the Enthrive® app
✔️ Wellness score
✔️ Collaborate w/ counselor
✔️ Goals setting
✔️ Video prayer responses
Plus Plan
For $215 per month, you get:
Counseling via video conferencing
✔️ Two 60-minute sessions
✔️ $90/hr additional sessions
Care Concierge
✔️ App scheduling
Access to the Enthrive® app
✔️ Unlimited counselor support via video
✔️ Wellness score
✔️ Goals setting
✔️ Video prayer responses
✔️ Collaborate w/ counselor
Premier Plan
For $375 per month, you get:
Counseling via video conferencing
✔️ Four 60-minute sessions
✔️ $90/hr additional sessions
Care Concierge
✔️ App scheduling
✔️ Unlimited counselor support via chat (9 am-8 pm EST)
Access to the Enthrive® app
✔️ Wellness score
✔️ Goals setting
✔️ Video prayer responses
✔️ Collaborate w/ counselor
✔️ Unlimited counselor support via video
✔️ Personalized analysis (monthly)
How Good Are the Counselors On This Platform?
Therapists working on the platform are fully licensed, with several years’ worth of experience. However, there are also some coaches.
While doing this Counseling on Demand review, we found that the professionals on the website fell into one or more of the following categories:
✔️ A master’s or doctorate in various fields of study
✔️ National Council of Psychotherapists (NCP) accreditation
✔️ Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
✔️ Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)
✔️ Life coach
✔️ Career coach
✔️ Resiliency coach
✔️ Wellness coach
Confidentiality & Privacy Policy
Counseling on Demand reviews all point out one glaring loophole — the company doesn’t list their terms of service or privacy policy on their website. Considering the sensitive nature of counseling, one would hope for reassurance that their data is safe. There’s no mention of the measures in place to protect users’ information.
Professional codes of conduct bind licensed counselors not to share their patients’ information. So, the basic assumption is that all the counselors on the platform adhere to this professional code of conduct.
User Experience on Counseling on Demand
The service website has a simple layout and is easy to navigate. Whereas we found it odd that one would have to go back and forth between counselors’ profiles before heading over to sign up and make a selection, most aspects of the service are clear enough.
The winning quality of this platform is their self-care app. Enthrive is an app that provides personalized self-care to help you manage your wellness through constructive routines and small actions.
While there are plenty of features and information on the app, there’s also access to a life coach, counselor or therapist. You can collaborate, set goals, and sometimes have a chat. Enthrive can be used in conjunction with online therapy services from Counseling on Demand, making the platform’s usability seamless and quite convenient.
While reviewing the Enthrive app, we noticed something interesting that we’d been searching for on the website — a privacy policy. Users of the Enthrive app are protected by a robust procedure that includes:
✔️ Protection of personally identifiable information
✔️ No tracking of browser activity
✔️ Permanent deletion of personal data upon request
To get started on Enthrive:
✔️ Download the app
✔️ Register with an active email address
✔️ Verify your email
✔️ Read and accept the consent form
✔️ Find your wellness score by taking the baseline survey
Counseling on Demand Review: The Verdict
Counseling on Demand online therapy has plenty to offer. Other than easy access to licensed therapists and coaches, it provides a comprehensive self-care app that one can use to improve their life. Some improvements on wait times and confidentiality policy could come in handy to make this a service worth signing up for.
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