Text therapy (ImYanis / Shutterstock.com)
At least 20% of the population will experience some type of mental illness at one point in their lives - but unlike physical ailments, many will not seek treatment. Among the reasons for this are the steep cost of therapy and the stigma attached.
A new, innovative answer to this issue comes in an unlikely form - a web and mobile app called Talkspace. Available on iOS and Android, the service aims to make therapy accessible and affordable to a wider range of people - including those dealing with day-to-day issues rather than serious mental illness. With a weekly subscription, users can make a real difference in their lives by exchanging unlimited texts with a professional, licensed therapist from the privacy and comfort of their own computer or mobile device. Talkspace also provides two additional services - live video therapy and free forums run by therapists. The latter boasts over 70,000 participants on discussion boards that include the challenges of parenting, relationship issues, grief and stress management.
Rather than acting as a replacement for traditional therapy, Talkspace aims to create a doorway for dealing with real life issues. In situations where clinical therapy would be more appropriate, the online therapists are qualified to direct participants to the most fitting course of action.
For a society already comfortable with texting and Whatsapp, the Talkspace solution means that getting help is just a click or a tap away.
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