Which is right for you? We break down the pros, cons, and which option is best for lasting, impactful change.
BetterHelp touts itself as the world's largest therapy network. It asks you a wide range of personal questions, then matches you with an available therapist who matches your goals. If a therapist isn't the right fit, BetterHelp claims that you can switch therapists as many times as you want.
Clients meet with their therapist in a virtual call room similar to Zoom or Google Meet. In some cases, a session may be audio only instead of both audio and video.
It's important to note that when matching with a therapist, BetterHelp uses an algorithm — there are no humans involved in the process. So, expect a "trial and error" process of finding a therapist that's a good fit.
While BetterHelp is based in the US, you can access support from BetterHelp in Canada and connect through text, phone calls, and video sessions.
| BetterHelp | First Session | |
|---|---|---|
| In-person and face-to-face therapy sessions | No | Yes |
| Diverse range of therapeutic approaches, backgrounds, and techniques | Yes | Yes |
| Direct insurance coverage under many workplace plans | No | Yes |
| Clear boundaries between therapy space and home | No | Yes |
| Flexibility in quickly finding a therapist outside your area | Yes | No |
| Access to non-verbal cues and body language | No | Yes |
| Ease of switching therapists | Yes | No |
| Ability to select a therapist based on personal preference and history | No | Yes |
If you value convenience and flexibility, BetterHelp offers easy access and makes switching therapists easy. If you prefer having a face-to-face relationship or prefer working with therapists for the long-term, in-person therapy is likely be a better fit. But there are drawbacks with both. Many BetterHelp users report giving up and abandoning the platform after repeatedly "matching" with incompatible therapists. Meanwhile, it can be difficult to find a compatible therapist in your area with traditional therapy, and you'll probably need to book weeks or months in advance. We definitely recommend traditional therapy over BetterHelp, but most recommend First Session as the "best of both worlds" solution.
First Session fixes the exhausting process of finding the right client-Therapist fit.
With First Session, you’re the one in control of your therapy experience.
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Counselling Therapist
Counselling Therapist
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Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Pre-Licensed Professional
Pre-Licensed Professional
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Registered Clinical Counsellor
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Registered Clinical Counsellor
Registered Clinical Counsellor
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Registered Clinical Counsellor
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor
Registered Therapeutic Counsellor
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
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Canadian Certified Counsellor
Canadian Certified Counsellor
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Registered Psychotherapist
Registered Psychotherapist
“I wish I’d known about this platform sooner! I loved the introductory videos–this is what helped me choose the therapist to book an intro consultation with.”
— Satisfied First Session User
“I was able to use First Session to find my therapist for the past two years within 24 hours. First Session eliminated a lot of the friction associated with finding a therapist.”
— Satisfied First Session User
“Having short videos of the therapists sharing a little bit about themselves and their approaches is such a simple concept but made an absolute world of difference.”
— Satisfied First Session User
Client-therapist fit is the most important factor of long-term therapy success. But sorting through endless generic bios and repeatedly sharing your most vulnerable feelings with incompatible providers is exhausting. That’s why 50% of people seeking care don’t get past an initial consultation. For these reasons, BetterHelp is unlikely to provide meaningful change through therapy.
In-person therapy lets you choose the right therapist from the start. It's a much better option than BetterHelp, but demands significant time due to therapist availability wait times, the process of finding a compatible therapist, and time required to travel for appointments.
First Session combines the best of both of these worlds. It puts you in control of the "finding a therapist" process from the very beginning, while also offering the convenience of online therapy platforms. In-depth interview videos from vetted First Session providers give you a true sense of each practitioner's approach, communication style, and experience. Once you are ready to commit, book directly from the platform.
The answering to that question is “it depends.” Research shows that one of the defining features of productive therapy is consistent work with a single Therapist over the long-term. With that in mind, both in-person and online therapy can be equally as effective. However, it depends entirely on the online therapy platform chosen and the quality of the client-therapist relationship.
For example, BetterHelp does not emphasize the importance of client-therapist fit, and instead focuses on instantly matching therapy seekers with a Therapist. It’s a trial and error process that is time-consuming and less likely to produce impactful results.
Other platforms like First Session place big emphasis on client-therapist fit, with the goal of matching therapy seekers to a single Therapist for the long-term.
In cases like First Session, the quality and impact of online therapy can match that of an in-person client-therapist relationship. And, of course, some individuals prefer in-person therapy — it’s entirely subjective.
To summarize, both can be equally as effective as long as you pay close attention to the quality and approach to therapy of an online platform.
In most cases, yes! However, it’s important to note that every employee insurance policy is different. It’s increasingly common (if not the norm) for employee insurance programs to cover online therapy.
As a Step 1, we highly recommend consulting your specific policy or checking in with an HR representative to confirm coverage before booking for any online therapy platform.
For Step 2, you need to check if the online platform of your choice is eligible for insurance coverage or reimbursement. BetterHelp, for example, is not compatible with any insurance plan, so is not eligible for any form of reimbursement or coverage.
On the other hand, First Session is eligible for coverage with the majority of Canadian insurance policy providers and even provides direct billing in many cases.
Step 3, check your coverage for the required Therapist designation or license to ensue coverage (ex. Registered Social Worker, Registered Clinical Counsellor).
First Session makes this process easy by providing explicit details in each Therapist profile page. Check in Insurance Coverage, to see what designations/coverage they fall under.
If you’re unsure about coverage, you should ask your benefits provider whether they cover that specific designation of therapist or counsellor. You can also read this guide for more info.
At First Session, we believe finding the right fit in a Therapist is the most important factor to feeling better and having a successful outcome from therapy.
Numerous research studies have proven that forming a strong client-Therapist relationship is more important than the type of therapy used.
To help you assess fit, every Therapist listed on First Session has a short introductory video you can watch to get a sense for who they are.
We’ve also put together a thorough guide to help you find the right Therapist, determine what the different designations mean, and what you should be looking for when assessing fit. Find the guide here.
Absolutely. We understand that one’s cultural background, age, sexuality, or gender identity can bring unique elements to the process of therapy.
To support every therapy seeker, we actively work to build a highly diverse and inclusive roster of therapists.
For questions or feedback on how we can improve these element of the process, send us a message.
First Session therapists support individuals, couples, and families.
Every First Session therapist is accredited and insured to provide online and/or in-person therapy.
Designations of First Session therapists and counsellors include:
You made the courageous decision to reach your full potential. Find the right therapist to help get you there, and make the most of the time and money you’re investing in yourself.
