8 Digital Mental Health Companies for Therapists

Why would a therapist want to work with a mental health startup?

Historically, digital health companies were focused on patients, looking for ways to make their therapeutic experience more convenient, safer, and effective. But many newer mental health platforms help therapists too. They help therapists set their own schedules, utilize advanced client-provider matching software, and offer video and messaging services that allow clients to have therapy sessions from anywhere. Plus, they offer tools specifically designed to assist therapists with the many admin tasks that come with being a professional mental health care provider. Software to improve out-of-network billing services, and administrative support, as well as continued education opportunities and access major insurance company networks.

A guide to digital mental health companies for therapists

Digital health companies offer multiple services that can benefit  therapists who are new to the field, as well as long-time providers with their own private practices. Depending on the goals of the therapist, digital mental health companies can help therapists acquire new clients, join a network, or handle admin tasks like accounting, insurance benefit checks, and out-of-network claims filing.

1. Cerebral

‍Cerebral is an online mental health company that offers affordable, on-demand, and high-quality mental health care. It stands out from other mental health companies for its ability to give clients immediate, tailored, and measured mental health services. The platform allows people to schedule an initial visit with a therapist as soon as they sign up. At least 80% of their patients can have an initial visit within five days of signing up. Cerebral also offers a mobile app that gives clients access to their care team through direct messaging. 

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Who are the founders of Cerebral?‍

Dr. Ho Anh and Kyle Robertson founded Cerebral in January 2020. Robertson comes from a family of medical professionals with his father being a psychiatrist and his mother a psychotherapist. He founded Cerebral, after his experience struggling to deal with depression. When he tried to seek help, Robertson encountered long wait times, high expenses, and the exhausting process of finding the right provider. The founder recently resigned, but Cerebral is still run by a competent team including current CEO David Mou, who was previously the Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Valera Health. He is joined by current Cerebral President Jessica Muse who was one of the first leaders to join the company that helped build it from the ground up. 

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What’s Cerebral's mission?

The Cerebral mission is to improve access to high-quality and long-term mental health care for all people. They seek to realize this mission through providing technology and personnel that allows individuals to receive mental health services without leaving their home. Cerebral aims at tearing down the walls of mental health stigma by making it accessible to anyone who has the internet, and through services that are private, secure, and non-judgmental.

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What does Cerebral cost?‍

Cerebral offers several membership plans for those seeking therapy, which include: a Therapy plan, Coaching plan, Medication + Therapy plan, Medication + Care Counseling plan, Medication + Coaching plan, and nutritional-based plans. The price varies depending on the plan. For example, the Therapy plan starts at $99/month, then stays at $259/month after the first month of treatment. The Medication + Therapy plan starts at $139/month for the first month, then stays at $325/month for the rest of treatment. According to their website, mental health services at Cerebral cost only a third of what traditional, in-person therapy charges, and a fraction of the cost of traditional psychiatric care. The company is in-network with major insurers, and has plans that are FSA/HSA eligible. 

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Cerebral does not charge therapists a membership fee, but requires providers to fill out their application. A few requirements to join their team include: an active state license that’s in good standing, a strong clinical background, a National Board Certification, a Master's degree in social work, counseling, or a relevant field, and the ability to understand and navigate Google Apps, Slack, and EMR.

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What do therapists get when they pay for Cerebral?

‍Cerebral offers variations of support to their clients depending on the plan they choose. For example, their “Therapy plan” includes weekly video and phone sessions with a licensed therapist, chatting options with their provider that’s available anytime, and regular progress tracking by their therapist. If a patient chooses a plan with both therapy and medication (such as the Medication + Coaching plan), they will receive an evaluation, diagnosis, and drug prescription by a medical prescriber. It also includes weekly video and phone sessions with a licensed therapist, monthly medication delivery, and a chatting feature that’s available with their therapist anytime. Patients are given the option to change therapists if they feel like they are not a good fit. They can also switch their plans at any time depending on what services are needed to improve their mental health.

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How does Cerebral pay therapists? Do they offer benefits?‍

For therapists that work at Cerebral, their hourly pay in the United States is approximately $38.38, which is 13% above the national average. That being said, the company recently switched from offering salaried positions with full benefits to a fee-for-service model. While this is not the most favorable model for therapists looking for a single consistent job, they do allow people to work from home and have flexible schedules. Although the work is not necessarily guaranteed, the consistent demand from Cererbal’s clientele will give therapists plenty of opportunities to supplement their income. 

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What is Cerebral's privacy policy like and terms of service?‍

Cerebral has a standard privacy policy and terms of service agreement. A few things clients should be aware of include them being liable to pay for additional charges made to their account for appointment no-show fees, cancellation fees, or late rescheduling fees. As well as, the costs of prescribed medication and refills, laboratory tests, and single visits with a provider that are not part of a Subscription. 

All information on Cerebral’s platform is encrypted, and they work to protect and maintain the privacy of their client’s information. Although the company is not a covered entity defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Medical Groups, Pharmacies, Labs, and other health care providers that engage with clients through the company are covered under HIPAA. So the medical treatment people receive through Cerebral may be covered by HIPAA, even though the company itself is not covered by the act. 

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What are some things a therapist should consider when working with Cerebral?

Cerebral offers flexibility with hours, and the work is fully remote. It has been in the news for overprescribing and for delivering clinically inappropriate services, especially for patients with severe mental illness. They have publicly rolled back therapist pay a few times.

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2. TalkSpace

Talkspace is one of the first companies to provide online therapy with the goal of making mental health services more accessible. Clients answer a few questions about their preferences, then receive a personalized match with a provider (normally within 48 hours). Talkspace’s powerful software that utilizes machine learning allows therapists to analyze their communications with clients to gain additional insights on patient needs and behaviors. The software works with therapists to offer techniques and suggestions that will maximize clinical outcomes for the client. Talkspace also provides 24/7 access to licensed therapists. Members can send their therapists text, video, and voice messages anytime, from anywhere, and engage in live video sessions through their online platform. 

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Who are the founders of TalkSpace?

Oren and Roni Frank co-founded Talkspace in 2012, with the goal of democratizing access to high-quality behavioral health services. Mr. and Mrs. Frank have led the company to many milestones including a listing on NASDAQ. However, both founders recently stepped down from higher management, but have been effectively replaced by interim CEO Douglas Braunstein. Oren and Roni Frank still serve as Strategic Advisors to the company’s Board Members as they conduct a search for a new CEO, led by outside advisor Korn Ferry. 

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What’s the mission of TalkSpace?

‍Talkspace’s mission is to offer high quality mental health services to those in need whether it’s psychiatry, adolescent, individual, or couples therapy. As of September 2021, over 2 million people used Talkspace, and over 75 million lives were covered through Talkspace’s insurance and employee assistance programs, or other network behavioral health paid benefit programs. The company campaigns for universal health care that includes mental health coverage, and is an active partner in the global discussion surrounding mental health. 

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What does TalkSpace cost?

‍Membership plans for clients looking to use Talkspace start at $65/week, which can be covered by insurance providers. Therapists do not have to pay to join their network, but they must apply to be considered. A few requirements to join include: an individual professional malpractice liability insurance policy, a completed and signed CAQH application, an individual NPI number, reliable internet connection, and possession of one or more of these licenses: LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, or PhD in Clinical Psychology. 

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What do therapists get when they pay for TalkSpace?‍

When clients sign up for their membership, they can immediately start matching with therapists the same day they register. Talksapce’s flexible online platform accommodates their client’s lifestyle allowing them to attend therapy sessions from wherever and whenever. They offer comprehensive online mental health treatment options through videos, messaging, and over the phone counseling. As well as, psychiatry evaluations and medication management. Clients can switch therapists if they aren’t a good fit, at no extra cost. 

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Talkspace also offers services for Businesses, partnering with employers, health companies, and schools to make mental healthcare more available and affordable. The company’s program assures that all employees, health plan members, students, and dependents (13+) can receive personal support from licensed clinicians. Over 2.9 million members have engaged with the company’s platform for therapy, medication, assessment, healthy living support, and self-help tools. Talkspace recently launched their “Self-Guided” program, which is tailored towards executives, managers, and teams to help them prioritize and build Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and mental wellness in and out of the workplace. 

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How does TalkSpace pay therapists? Do they offer benefits?‍

Therapists who work with Talkspace are able to choose their own caseload, earn a monthly income, and receive bonuses. They offer a mentorship program to its new therapists giving them assistance in organizing their own practice, while putting them in connection with thousands of other clinicians in their network. Talkspace also handles a majority of the overhead for therapists, submitting insurance claims, checking patient eligibility, and handling other costs associated with private practice. 

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According to TalkSpace, if a provider works 5 hours in a week, with 3 hours of live sessions and 2 hours of message sessions, they can expect to make an average of $300 weekly. If a provider works 10 hours, with 6 hours of live sessions and 4 hours of message sessions, they can expect to make an average of $606 per week. If a provider works 25 hours in a week, with 15 hours of live sessions and 10 hours of message sessions, they can expect to make an average of $1,515. Therapists are eligible for bonuses based on continued engagement with their clients.

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What is the privacy policy of TalkSpace and terms of service?‍

All US subscribers to Talkspace have their personal information and Protected Health Information (PHI) covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH). Although the Talkspace App includes third party software development from separate companies, they do not sell client information to any third parties. Talkspace utilizes machine learning throughout its system that processes the personal information of its clients. They use algorithms to match clients with therapists, and analyze the communications therapists have with clients. That being said, all client and therapist information processed by the algorithms remain protected by HIPPAA and HITECH.

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What are some things a therapist should think about before working with TalkSpace?

TalkSpace offers flexibility with hours, and the work is fully remote. TalkSpace's main model is text-based therapy, giving users the ability to upgrade to face-to-face sessions. Pay is low, and is considered one of the lowest in the industry. Text-based therapy pays therapists for number of keystrokes and requires them to respond to messages within a certain amount of time, leaving therapists feeling like they are constantly "on call."

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3. Alma

‍Alma is a community of independent mental health care providers, looking to assist people in need. Their online directory is home to a diverse network of providers with various experience levels, specialties, and clinical approaches. Therapists offer online telehealth clinical consultations, services, and treatment.

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Alma sets itself apart from other online mental health companies for its user-friendly software, and relationship with the health insurance industry. The company cuts down administrative costs for their therapists, while contracting with insurance companies on behalf of their members. Alma essentially negotiates with insurance companies to assure their therapists (in-network and out-of-network) get paid quickly and consistently. Providers get paid in two weeks instead of having to wait months for claims processing. Additionally, the company offers listings to independent providers on their platform for a monthly fee. 

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Who are the founders of Alma?‍

Dr. Harry Ritter founded the mental health company in 2017, looking to create a network of independent therapists running their own small practices. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Alma was an office that allowed therapists in private practice to see patients without having to lease their own space for a small membership fee. After March 2020, Alma was one of the first mental health companies to fully embrace telehealth, applying their flexible scheduling, billing, and client-matching software to a fully online platform that has grown into what it is now.

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What’s the mission of Alma?‍

The company believes when providers have the support they need, mental health care gets better for everyone. Alma wants to create a new model for mental healthcare that gives providers the autonomy of a private practice with support from a centralized and reliable platform. Therapists at Alma are committed to the following pillars of high-quality care: the client experience, learning and development, and diversity, equity and inclusion.

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What does Alma cost?‍

Alma’s membership cost for therapists is $125 a month with a flexible month-to-month commitment. Providers determine their own policies around payment, including their rates and insurances they accept. Alma helps clients match with providers based on their budget and insurance. The company’s system allows many therapists to work with insurance companies (and ultimately clients) they may not have been able to while in a private practice.

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What do therapists get when they pay for Alma?‍

When a therapist joins Alma, they get access to marketing support to grow their practice, digital tools to make their work more efficient in person or online, enhanced payback rates with insurance companies, and a community that fosters connection and continuous learning. In addition, Alma’s client-matching algorithms help assure therapists foster long-term relationships with new clients. The company claims its average retention rate is 90%, so therapists at Alma don't need to worry about inconsistent clients and poor matches.

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How much does Alma pay therapists?

‍Each provider at Alma sets their own rates and makes decisions about going in-network with major insurance payers. As a member, they control the number of clients they see each week, and the type of therapy modality you use. Alma collects all copays and coinsurance from insurance companies using their own invoicing system. The only time a provider needs to invoice an insurance client directly is to collect payment for a cancellation or missed visit. The income made from cash-pay clients stays with providers.

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How do they pay therapists? Do they offer benefits?‍

Each provider at Alma sets their own rates and makes decisions about going in-network with major insurance payers. As a member, they control the number of clients they see each week, and the type of therapy modality you use. Alma collects all copays and coinsurance from insurance companies using their own invoicing system. The only time a provider needs to invoice an insurance client directly is to collect payment for a cancellation or missed visit. The income made from cash-pay clients stays with providers. 

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Since Alma has long standing relationships with major insurers, they guarantee enhanced payback rates for teletherapy and in-person visits for providers who decide to go in-network. The company can get therapists credentialed with major insurance payers in under 45 days.

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What is their privacy policy like and terms of service?‍

The company does track the personal information of its clients including names, date of birth, physical characteristics, phone numbers, internet activity, financial, medical, and biometric information, and geolocation. It does offer the choice to opt out of their tracking technology, and the disclosure of personal information for advertising purposes. They also allow users to opt out of any third party groups tracking their information through their platform.

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What are some things a therapist should think about before working with Alma?

Alma is great for therapists who want to be in-network with insurance panels without the hassle of applying yourself one-by-one. Alma provides in-network referrals that can help you to build a practice quickly, without the hassles of insurance submissions. Alma also provides some marketing assistance, including a profile directory.

Therapists should know that when working with Alma you are going to rely mostly on in-network referrals. The rates are set based on contracts that Alma has with each insurance company and will depend on the licensure of the provider. 

4. Advekit

Advekit helps patients start and stay in therapy by verifying insurance benefits in real-time, and filing past and future reimbursement claims on their behalf. The company also allows therapists to maintain their standard rate while clients save money. When matching with therapists, clients instantly receive specific out-of-network coverage details about how much they’ll get reimbursed from their insurance for sessions. Advekit only collects what the client owes upfront, and bills the rest to insurance companies on their behalf, so therapists get paid quickly. The company pays out therapists first, and handles the reimbursement on the backend.

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Who are the founders of Advekit?‍

Alison LaSovand and Arielle Garellek launched Advekit with the goal of creating  a modern platform that makes therapy accessible and affordable to anyone searching for mental health services. Allison, having the background as a licensed Marriage and Family therapist who practiced as a clinician for years in Los Angeles, wanted to make it easier for people to access mental health support. After conducting research groups, and using her own experiences, Allison determined there was a large need for people to be able to find and pay for therapy sessions. So her and Arielle launched a company that would address the issue.

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What is the mission of Advekit?‍

Advekit’s mission is to help as many people as possible get the access to care they deserve. The company was founded with the belief that everyone should prioritize their mental health in order to reduce the stigma around asking for support. They look to solve the issue of accessibility to mental health services by handling the administrative work for therapists filing to insurance companies, allowing them to focus on working with a much more diverse pool of patients.

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How much does Advekit cost?‍

Advekit offers membership programs for both patients and therapists. Both groups pay $30 a month to maintain their membership, or $270 a year.

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What do you get when you pay for Advekit?‍

When patients sign up for Advekit, they save money up front for their therapy sessions, and are able to submit their own out-of-network claims. Advekit helps clients leverage their out-of-network benefits with their provider. They only pay what they owe, and do not need to wait for insurance companies to reimburse them. If they have not met their providers deductible, Advekit will submit claims on their behalf to help them eventually earn it. 

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When therapists join Advekit, the company files superbills and claims to insurance providers on their behalf. They’ll also file past claims so their clients meet deductibles quicker. Since clients only have to pay what they owe, and not have to worry about reimbursement, it allows them to stay in therapy longer and build solid relationships with their therapists. In addition, Advekit creates a customized URL landing page for their providers’ practice, and supports them through their Customer Success Team.

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How does Advekit pay therapists? Do they offer benefits?‍

Therapists decide their own session fee, while Advekit helps clients maximize their insurance coverage to make rates affordable. They bill out-of-network claims on the client and therapist’s behalf, so they always get paid their rate upfront, while Advekit waits for reimbursement. Advekit does charge a small transaction fee for holding the liability and handling the billing process. The majority of Advekit’s therapists are out-of-network providers, so they are extremely well versed in handling the filling process on their therapists behalf. 

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What is Advekit's privacy policy like and terms of service?‍

The company collects personal information from users to match them with qualified Mental Health Professionals. The information includes their address, insurance plan type, self-identified mental health concerns, age, and gender. They also store information for internal billing and analytical purposes, and may share that information with a third-party for those purposes only. Advekit is not liable or responsible for the conduct or actions of any of the therapists listed on their website. All the services they offer are covered by their membership fee, but customary charges for any therapy or related services will be up to the user to cover.

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What are some things a therapist should think about before working with Advekit?

Advekit is a good choice for those therapists who would prefer the patient have control of their OON submissions rather than it be in the hands of the therapist. While Advekit is a great resource to help existing clients get reimbursement through their insurance, it wouldn’t necessarily be a consistent referral source if you are looking to build your practice.

5. SonderMind

Sondermind is a mental health care company that provides in-person and virtual therapy. They work to make the matching and billing process as simple and efficient as possible for both clients and therapists. They initially focused on in-person therapy and finding ways to improve the backend aspect of sessions. According to their website, clients see results in less than 6 sessions (2 months) with SonderMind. They recently launched a video telehealth platform that made it possible for providers and clients to connect for insurance reimbursable and HIPAA compliant video sessions. Their technology is reliable with over 98% of providers having successful virtual sessions with clients. They plan on launching the SonderMind Anytime messaging system this fall to host another helpful tool on their platform that connects therapists and clients. 

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Who are the founders of SonderMind?‍

Mark Frank is the CEO and Co-Founder of SonderMind. He served as a Logistics Officer in the Army for five years before earning both his MBA and Masters of Engineering Management at Northwestern University. He became an Associate Investment Banker at Morgan Stanley before founding Next Oncology, which he went on to sell. In addition to founding SonderMind and Next Oncology, Mark has started SafeImageMD and TermScout, and served as the Managing Director of Goldwing Capital.

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What is the mission of SonderMind?‍

SonderMind is on a mission to redesign behavioral healthcare by improving its access, utilization, and outcomes. They wish to provide affordable and effective mental healthcare from licensed providers both in-person and virtually. Their goals include creating new access points and support for people who can't easily access care, and making it easier for therapists to get credentialed and reimbursed by insurance companies. Their platform currently hosts thousands of mental health clinicians across the United States.

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What does SonderMind charge therapists?

‍It doesn’t appear that SonderMind charges a membership fee, but they do require people to fill out a brief application to learn more information about the process of joining their network. ‍Therapists in their network have the ability to join the networks of most major insurance providers including HSA, FSA, and Medicare. They also get access to Sondermind’s matching software that allows therapists and clients to find suitable fits within 24 - 48 hours. 

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How does SonderMind pay therapists? Do they offer benefits?‍

Sondermind offers competitive self-pay rates to their therapists. In addition, they gain access to free or discounted Continuing Education (CE) opportunities, case consultation, and an exclusive online forum for SonderMind therapists. As well as, ongoing customer support and effective training and onboarding. Therapists have flexibility in determining when they meet with clients and whether it's in-person or a video telehealth session. Their software allows providers to create personalized treatment plans, manage Electronic Health Records (EHRs), direct scheduling, and message clients in a centralized online platform.

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What are SonderMind's privacy policy and terms of service like?‍

Their privacy policy and terms of service are more protective of client information than the majority of mental health companies. They are a HIPAA-compliant partner in delivering care with rigorous protocols in place to protect client information. Their encrypted software keeps personal data secure, and they follow the highest standards for security and privacy for all clients and therapists. SonderMind Video Telehealth sessions are never recorded, and personal data, medical information, and private communications are all hosted on HIPAA-compliant, SSL-encrypted servers.

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Why would a therapist want to join a Sondermind?

SonderMind has negotiated rates with insurance companies that are often higher than what therapists can negotiate on their own. Not all rates will be higher with SonderMind, so try to only opt in for the plans that benefit you. SonderMind only has a presence in certain regions, see how established they are in your area and don't expect a caseload of referrals right away.

6. Grow Therapy

Grow Therapy is a technology-enabled mental health group that helps clients find affordable mental health care. They have a matching team that specializes in finding the right fit for people seeking mental health care. They also help independent therapists build thriving in-network private practices by giving them access to large scale credentialing, referrals, and administrative support. Their platform allows people to conduct both in-person and telehealth therapy through phone calls, video calls, and messaging services.

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Who are the founders of Grow Therapy?‍

Grow Therapy’s co-founders are Manoj Kanagaraj, Jake Cooper and Alan Ni. Cooper, who is the current CEO, has been managing ADHD since he was a child. His personal experience of almost not receiving therapy when trying to find an in-network provider, alongside his own research, led to him wanting to form a company that would prevent people from losing out on necessary treatment. Cooper, who comes from an investment background, joined with his college friends Kanagaraj and Ni, former product managers at Stripe and Google, to create Grow Therapy. 

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What is the mission of Grow Therapy?‍

The company’s mission is centered around getting more people access to therapy by increasing the number of therapists who are accessible. They believe therapists should be able to serve the communities they care about, not just the few who can afford to pay out of pocket. They also want to help independent therapists build their own private practice. According to Grow Therapy, their providers on average have over 10 years of clinical experience, but 85% are running a private practice for the very first time. They also assist therapists with bill-filing and other administrative duties so they can fully focus on providing the care their clients need.

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What does it cost therapists to join Grow Therapy? ‍

Aside from usage fees, Grow Therapy does not charge a membership fee to its clients or therapists. For clients, a payment is due after each session, and the practice will charge their card or bank account for their responsibility. They can request to get an estimate on how much they will pay when their deductibles are factored in from the company. 

In order to join the Grow Therapy’s network, therapists must fill out an initial application, then undergo a multi-step interview process to make sure their qualifications meet the company’s standards.

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What does a therapist get for joining Grow Therapy?‍

Grow Therapy uses its technology and centralized team to help therapists operate in-network. In fact, the company has relationships with all of the major insurance payers. By being in-network, therapists can take on clients they weren't able to before because insurance companies will be covering a portion of their costs. The company also allows providers who remain out-of-network to set a sliding scale for their rates. 

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How does Grow Therapy pay therapists? Do they offer benefits?‍

Therapists are paid whatever rates they charge for sessions. Grow Therapy handles the work of filling super bills to out-of-network providers, and receiving payments from in-network insurance companies. They allow therapists to expand their private practice, and focus on bringing the best results to their clients. 

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What is Grow Therapy's privacy policy like and terms of service?‍

All laws and protections for in-person medical visits also apply to their telehealth visits as well. This includes confidentiality of information, access to medical records, and the sharing of personal information. Grow Therapy may sometimes record telehealth visits including video and voice call visits, but people can select not to have their sessions recorded at the beginning of their visit. They work hard to make sure personal information is secure through physical, electronic, and business security methods. 

7. Lyra

Lyra is a mental healthcare company tailored towards transforming the workplace culture throughout the world with high-quality mental health care. Companies that partner with Lyra report 50% lower turnover, 70% improved productivity, and a $2,300 per-participant-per-year reduction in health care claims costs. Employees who receive high-quality mental health care are more effective and satisfied at work. The company has a 90% Member satisfaction, and 95% of their clients continue care with their Lyra-recommended provider after an initial appointment.

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Who are the founders?‍

David Ebersman is the co-founder and CEO of Lyra. He left his job as Facebook’s Chief Financial Officer in 2014 with the goal of transforming behavioral health and removing the barriers that prevent people from getting the care they need. He believed utilizing technology would make the therapeutic process smarter, more personalized, and effective. Since then, more than 180 leading companies have partnered with Lyra to provide mental health benefits to their employees, including Facebook, Pinterest, and Starbucks.

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What’s their mission?‍

Lyra’s mission is to transform behavioral health care through technology with a human touch. The company is focused on helping people feel emotionally healthy at work and at home. They connect employees and their dependents with effective and convenient care for their mental and emotional well-being through the combination of technology, research-backed therapeutic methods, and therapists. Lyra has helped give more than 4.5 million people access to life-changing care.

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What does Lyra cost?‍

Since Lyra is catered toward large companies looking to give employees increased mental health benefits, they do not offer individual plans for clients. They instead offer packages to companies and consortiums that are determined during consultations. For therapists looking to become a part of Lyra’s network, they must apply to any of their open provider positions in order to be considered.

What does a therapist get when they pay for Lyra?‍

When therapists join their network, they get access to free opportunities to expand their education. Lyra offers training on different modalities such as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), while also providing presentations on how to work with intersectional identities of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation in therapy. They also consistently deliver strong client referrals to their therapists.

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How does Lyra pay therapists? Do they offer benefits?‍

Over 6,000 clinicians and coaches have joined Lyra. The company offers a solid space for mental health therapists seeking stable employment, benefits, and a schedule they can create. Lyra offers full-time remote teletherapy jobs with a competitive compensation, with paid in-session and administrative time. They also offer therapists benefits including a 401k, equity options, tech stipend, and paid time off for vacations, sick leave, and holidays.

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Therapists can choose full-time employment with Lyra, or part-time opportunities to supplement their caseload. Their data-driven technology gives tools to therapists to help them track clients progress over time. Finally, they offer high-quality, ongoing clinical and coach training for free, allowing therapists to truly grow in their knowledge of mental health.

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What is their privacy policy like and terms of service?‍

Lyra has a standard privacy policy, but does have a public section of their website that allows users to post updates. That information is defined as public in their policy, so users should be aware of what they post on the platform's public forums. They also allow users to sign into their app through various third-party services, such as Google. When accounts are linked, Lyra may collect information associated with that account including the public profile, user name, email address, birthday, location, city, etc.

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Why would a therapist want to join a Lyra?

Lyra is a great source of consistent high quality referrals without much administrative hassle. Therapists may want to start by contracting for supplemental case loads. Lyra typically supports a provider’s full session rates and has a quick turnaround for provider payment. 

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Depending on the employer benefit, many sessions are covered through an EAP. Lyra also works with major payers to support self funded plans, but shields the provider from this complexity. Providers do not have to contract or be in-network with these plans, as claims are submitted by Lyra as a group practice. The only additional requirement is including diagnosis codes for health plan sessions. Lyra pays providers upon submission, so therapists don’t have to wait for claims to be processed before receiving payment.

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Lyra also offers full employment opportunities for therapists looking for more stability. Lyra provides tools and resources to help therapists work with clients.  Lyra providers include therapists, psychiatrists and coaches. Lyra has a large network and growing employer customer base that can potentially generate a lot of referrals and opportunities for careers and growth. Lyra works to pay providers quickly and is supportive in helping transition clients that may not be a good match.    

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What are some things a therapist should think about before working with Lyra?

Lyra primarily works with employers through EAP and self-funded plans. Clients may include employees, dependents or their children. The client population will have some connection with an employer. Referrals can vary based on employer needs and there can be periodic increases or decreases in regional demand.

Lyra places a strong emphasis on pre-screening therapists and the use of evidence-based care, such as CBT, ACT, or DBT. Therapists that actively use “non-traditional” modalities, while potentially effective, may not be covered by Lyra’s particular model.  Some providers that apply may not be selected if the therapy is not deemed “evidence-based”.

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Lyra encourages therapists to integrate their calendar with Lyra to streamline referrals. The therapist can still control hours and availability for intake vs. ongoing. Lyra typically supports both in-person and teletherapy sessions. Full-time therapists or coaches are typically assigned to cohorts with other colleagues. Lyra uses internal tools for both schedule and case management, and requires full-time providers to follow a program structure that includes client assessments, follow-up on in-between session activities (video lessons, reflections, assignments) for clients to complete, monitoring client progress through GAD7, PHQ-9 and stress scales, and other progress reporting.

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8. Nirvana

Nirvana is a therapist-centered online mental health platform that focuses on making the billing process more simple and affordable. We see a key issue in mental healthcare accessibility being the complex and potentially expensive process of filing claims to insurance companies, especially when they are out-of-network. If clients were able to maximize their insurance coverage and pay less for therapy out of pocket, then a lot more people would be able to access the care they need. Nirvana’s tools address this issue by providing coverage checks and billing solutions that work for both clients and therapists.

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Who are the founders of Nirvana?‍

Nirvana was founded by Akshay Venkitasubramanian, Urvish Parikh, and Kelvin Chan. Venkitasubramanian serves as the CEO of the company, and was a product lead at Remedy Partners and consultant at Deloitte. Parikh is the CTO who was a Senior Software Engineer at Enigma and former software engineer at Microsoft. Chan is the CPO and President of Nirvana, who was formerly the director of product at Enigma and a former consultant at IQVIA.

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What is the mission of Nirvana?‍

Our company believes mental health is a human right. We wish to make it available to as many people by helping therapists and clients get reimbursed faster. Nirvana simplifies insurance eligibility checks, claims filing, and reimbursement tracking, so nothing gets in the way of reliable care. We want to create a world where all people can seek help regardless of its cost. Being able to better control the cost of healthcare is key to improving its access. Nirvana’s tools help make healthcare cheaper and more accessible. 

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What does Nirvana cost?‍

Nirvana has three subscription plans, depending on what tools therapists are looking for. For full out-of-network claims filing, therapists pay $89.00 each month, which is billed via credit card. Nirvana also offers a reimbursement calculator, which is $20 a month for practices of more than 2 therapists, or $10 a month for solo therapists. Nirvana offers a full refund within the first 30 days of membership, and after that people may cancel with a month’s notice, no questions asked! Nirvana also offers a two week no risk trial period (no credit card required) so people can try their product without stress. 

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What do therapists get when they pay for Nirvana?‍

For therapists paying for claims filing, after they onboard their practice and clients, Nirvana instantly verifies benefits for clients and automatically files claims on their behalf. Our company has built deep integrations into the top insurance companies, and tailored their billing engine to handle the complex rules and regulations of mental healthcare. This means that clients get reimbursed without needing to lift a finger or call an insurance company.

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For the embeddable reimbursement calculator, therapists are provided a link that they can embed into their website, which will offer a personalized drop down with their session rate and practice name, so clients can estimate instantly what to expect from their insurance.

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Does Nirvana pay therapists? Do they offer benefits?‍

Nirvana helps mental healthcare professionals build strong and healthy practices. The therapists maintain complete ownership over their practice, their rates, and client relationships. The company provides transparency in the mental health claims filing and reimbursement process, while advising therapists on how to best set up their practice for success. We primarily work with providers who are out-of-network from insurance companies, supporting them at every stage of the growth journey–from setting up a new therapy practice, expanding operations, and re-evaluating their business operations. We also provide tools to therapists that help them track the status of their insurance claims, and give estimates to clients of how much money they can expect to receive from insurance companies for their sessions. 

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What is Nirvana's privacy policy like and terms of service?‍

Similar to other mental health companies, Nirvana collects the Personal Health Information (PHI) of its users. However, the company collects only the minimum amount of information necessary to perform an approved function. Any new projects, processes, analysis, or research using PHI data requires approval from the Chief Privacy Officer. 

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We may share personal information to third-party service providers (data storage and processing facilities) to assist in the organization of workflows. Any personal information shared with these parties is limited to only the minimum necessary amount for them to perform required functions. Nirvana does not disclose users' personal information to other third parties without getting their consent. At most, we’ll disclose aggregated, de-identified information about users, and information that does not identify any individual.

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Why would a therapist want to work with Nirvana?

Therapists will benefit from Nirvana if they find themselves wanting to work with insurance without devoting too much time to the administrative aspects of insurance. A therapist who wants to remain un-paneled with insurance and charge their full cash-pay rate will also find that Nirvana is a great fit. Nirvana understands that while accepting insurance can make therapy more affordable for clients, it can also be a huge undertaking. We want our customers to feel like they have a team of insurance experts in their pocket who are there to help navigate all kinds of benefit, claim, or reimbursement issues, no matter how tricky.

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What are some things a therapist should think about before working with Nirvana?

Therapists considering working with Nirvana should consider what kind of client experience they’d like to provide. The paperwork that accompanies out-of-network services can often deter clients from going out-of-network for care, even if their preferred therapist is out-of-network. Submitting claims on behalf of clients is a great way to reward clients for their business and encourage them to start or continue attending sessions with the therapist to whom they feel most connected. 

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Therapists considering filing claims with Nirvana should also check if their practice is a good fit for Nirvana’s current product line. Nirvana’s claims filing service is currently optimized for un-paneled or cash-pay therapists who use an electronic health record (EHR) such as TherapyNotes or SimplePractice, and do not wish to accept reimbursement from insurers directly. If you don’t use TherapyNotes or SimplePractice - don’t worry! You and your clients can still use Nirvana’s Out of Network Reimbursement Calculator to see who is eligible for insurance reimbursement. Or you can buy the calculator and embed on your site.