Teen Counseling: Did It Meet My Daughter's Expectations?

Six months ago, my daughter made a difficult decision to cut off all communication with her father. As a concerned parent, I wanted to provide her with support and guidance during this challenging time. However, recognizing that I couldn't be objective due to my history with her father, I enrolled her in Teen Counseling, an online therapy platform specifically designed for teens and young adults.

Choosing Teen Counseling

Teen Counseling seemed like a suitable choice because of its focus on treating solely teens and young adults. Operated under the reputable parent company BetterHelp, it offered sessions via video, phone, or text. The website claimed to collaborate with over 13,000 licensed therapists, and although the service didn't accept insurance, the weekly cost ranged from $65 to $90, which was manageable as a single mother of three.

Signing Up and Pricing

The website's homepage made it easy to get started, with straightforward options for parents and teens. I was impressed by the inclusive options for selecting my teen's gender and the clear questions about her background and concerns. After answering these questions, I created a login.

Initially, Teen Counseling quoted me $80 a week, but a generous 40% discount was offered after answering a few simple questions, bringing the monthly cost down to $192.

Matching with a Therapist

Unfortunately, I had no say in the selection process for the therapist. An email simply stated the therapist's name and declared her qualifications as a "qualified licensed therapist." More upfront information about the therapist's background would have been appreciated. Once I provided my daughter's contact information, Teen Counseling sent her an invite code via email and text message.

How Therapy Sessions Work

My daughter and I each had separate therapy rooms where we could communicate with our therapist 24/7. We received notifications by email when the therapist responded.

Initial Hiccups

Our first appointment was scheduled a week later, but technical difficulties forced us to reschedule. Rescheduling was easy through the platform, but during our first video call, my daughter had trouble joining the session from her room. The therapist questioned if both parent and teen could attend simultaneously, raising concerns about her knowledge of the platform's functionality.

Despite our efforts, my daughter couldn't join the call. The therapist suggested rescheduling, but then she also couldn't join the call. Eventually, we were told that video didn't work on cell phones, which contradicted my successful video call earlier that day.

The Actual Therapy Sessions

My daughter's first full session took place the following week. However, she felt that the therapist immediately delved into the issue I had raised, putting her on the defensive and preventing her from exploring other concerns. The therapist didn't actively engage my daughter, allowing her to avoid deeper issues. The session ended early, and the therapist assigned homework that my daughter had little interest in completing. She felt that the extra time could have been used for further exploration.

Pros and Cons of Teen Counseling

While Teen Counseling had some positive aspects, our experience was overwhelmingly negative.

Pros: - 24/7 messaging with the therapist - Financial assistance available - Specialization in teen therapy

Cons: - Frequent technical glitches - No insurance coverage - Surge pricing (location-dependent pricing)

Final Thoughts

Our experience with Teen Counseling was marred by poor communication skills from the therapist, limited knowledge of the platform, and inadequate engagement with my daughter. Despite the website's portrayal of understanding teens, the responsibility for driving appointments, addressing technical issues, and engaging in meaningful sessions fell entirely on my daughter. Unless your teen is highly motivated and you have open communication with them, I would hesitate to recommend Teen Counseling.

Survey Results and Alternative Recommendations

In contrast to our experience, 105 Teen Counseling users reported:

• 85% positive experiences
• 76% satisfaction with the provider meeting their needs
• 71% likelihood of recommending the service

Despite this positive feedback, my daughter and I terminated our subscription and explored other options.

For children under 14, Little Otter offers comprehensive therapy, psychiatry, parent coaching, and family therapy. For older teens and adults, Talkspace (available in every state for ages 13+) and Thriveworks (offering virtual and in-person services) are reputable alternatives.