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If you’re a counselor or therapist, chances are your goal is to start your own online practice. However, it requires some additional effort. You need numerous resources and tools. Furthermore, managing and organizing all your clients’ information and all the aspects involved in traditional therapy can be challenging.
That’s where iTherapy comes in. This website provides counselors and therapists with the tools they need to manage different things like their online presence, taking notes, video counseling, managing clients, and more.
But is it the right site for your needs? Find out in this unbiased review.
What Is iTherapy, And Who Is It For?
iTherapy site has been in operation for more than three years. The website provides platform services and assistance to mental health professionals ensuring they have the support they need to help people. This platform was co-founded by Carol Pulley as a consequence of a need.
Upon graduating and acquiring her clinical psychology degree, Carol faced numerous challenges trying to start her practice. She discovered that there were many unanswered questions, items to be researched, and various procedures to be implemented. These factors made the entire process extremely overwhelming for her.
However, upon interacting with other mental health professionals, she realized she wasn’t alone. Other professionals were facing the same challenges. Carol saw an opportunity in this. She came up with an idea to launch a platform that helps mental health professionals with the business end of their business so that they could focus on doing what they do best – help others. That’s how iTherapy was born.
She developed the site with her partner Forster Pulley and others. After a lot of research, trial and error, and tests, iTherapy came to life and has since been providing mental health professionals with incredible support to run their businesses with ease.
What Does iTherapy Offer?
So, what can you expect from the iTherapy platform? As we’ve mentioned, iTherapy makes starting your own practice an easy process. The platform is available to all mental health professionals looking to add online therapy to their practice or venturing into online therapy.
Joining the platform doesn’t mean you’ll be working for iTherapy, though. You will always be your own boss and call all the shots. This platform only offers you the tools and support you need to run your practice with ease and help others.
You get the following tools and support from the site:
Online Therapy Conferencing Platform
Seeing your clients’ facial expressions and changes in intonation goes a long way in helping you understand what they’re going through. iTherapy offers a HIPAA-compliant online therapy conferencing platform that’s as effective as Skype and FaceTime, allowing you to have a face-to-face interaction with your clients.
Electronic Health Records
Therapy sessions require a lot of work. For each session, you’ll have to:
✓ Take notes
✓ Create and update treatment plans
✓ Schedule future appointments
✓ Manage invoicing and insurance billing
Doing these tasks manually can take a toll on you and make your practice less effective. Fortunately, iTherapy site offers Practice Management Software that allows you to handle these and more with ease.
Phone and Fax
A business line helps you keep your private and business life separate. iTherapy has a phone service accessible through a smartphone app that rings with your new business line. The phone service providers are HIPAA-compliant. The fax service comes in handy when you’re dealing with insurance companies.
iTherapy also has a HIPAA-compliant email that allows you to handle clients’ information with utmost confidentiality when they choose that mode of communication.
Apart from providing a convenient platform for therapists and counselors to start their practices, iTherapy also helps people struggling with mental health issues to find a therapist for their healthcare needs.
Subscription Plans and Pricing
Among the things that make iTherapy to stand out is that they have various packages to choose from. Currently, they have three pricing plans to choose from.
These include:
Online Plus — $99 Per Month
This package is perfect for any mental health professional who’s looking for an opportunity to provide counseling services from home, and they don’t need all the bells and whistles.
For $99 every month, you get:
✓ Real-time text chat
✓ Individual & group sessions and screen sharing
✓ Voice chat if your client doesn’t want to use video
✓ HIPAA-compliant video, voice, and text chat backed by a BAA
Basic Office — $169 Per Month
This package gives you everything you get in the Online Plus package, and also:
✓ Online clinical notes
✓ Credit card processing for payments
✓ Form creation and processing for yourself and the clients
✓ Clearinghouse services
✓ Client portal
✓ Electronic claims submission (you’re required to pay an additional $20 per month)
Pro Office — $199 Per Month
This package includes everything you get in the Basic Office package, in addition to:
✓ Encrypted email
✓ A business telephone number
✓ Online faxing service
iTherapy platform can also customize a package for you if none of the above pricing plans offers what you’re looking for. You’ll get to choose what you want your package to include and get a quotation.
How Does iTherapy Work?
To get started on iTherapy, the first step is to sign up. Once you’ve signed up, the platform gives you access to a live, personalized training session.
Here, they’ll walk you through the ins and outs of how things work to build your confidence and make you comfortable. If you have any issues, iTherapy platform has 24/7 support to help you.
iTherapy also shares tips and tricks that other professionals have used to launch successful online therapy practices to help you start on the right foot. Additionally, they connect you with the right people if you need additional services that are not affordable on the site.
User Experience
The iTherapy site has a lot going for it, but it misses the mark on the user interface. We didn’t like that there’s a lot going on the homepage. You’ll find it hard to sign up because there isn’t any signup button on the site, which makes it harder to get started.
Besides, all the information available on the homepage makes it a bit confusing for a new user.
You can access iTherapy on a tablet, smartphone, or computer.
Customer Support Service
iTherapy provides incredible customer support. One of the features we loved is the 24/7 live chat feature. It allows you to get instant help if you’re stranded on the platform.
Besides, it’s an excellent feature to have when you’ve launched your practice because you can always rest easy knowing someone will come to your aid if you face any challenge.
That’s not all. iTherapy also allows you to reach them through various social media platforms including Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and more. And if you prefer calling, the platform has availed a number you can reach them through at any time.
iTherapy reviews from users are satisfied with the quality of customer support the site provides.
Refund Policy
There is no mention of a refund policy on iTherapy. However, because the platform offers a monthly payment plan, you can opt-out once the period is over or upgrade to a new package.
It’s also advisable to contact the support team if you need a refund for other reasons, and they’ll advise you on how to go about it.
Verdict
So, should you trust the iTherapy site to help you launch your online therapy practice? From our findings, we believe iTherapy is a trustworthy site for any mental health professional looking to venture into online therapy, but they don’t have the necessary tools.
iTherapy uses HIPAA-compliant tools and support to ensure you run your business with ease. They have various subscription plans, and you can have a package customized to your needs. And if you ever get stranded, you can rely on their 24/7 support team that takes you through the entire process step-by-step.
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