The decision to start seeing a therapist can be daunting. The difficulty of understanding different types of therapy and finding a local therapist within one’s price range adds to this challenge. To address these issues, a therapy marketplace is offering 1,000 free private sessions, with plans to increase this number to 10,000 if successful.
This initiative aims to demystify the process of starting counselling and make it more accessible. With over 500 qualified therapists and counsellors, the platform offers online, phone, and face-to-face appointments. The campaign is more focused on accessibility than affordability, according to Sebastian Abecasis, the head of growth and communications. He stated, “If someone doesn’t have a clue about therapy, £58 – which is the average price for a session – is a large fee to trial it.”
Launched a few weeks ago, the campaign will run until the platform reaches 1,000 users. Anyone can sign up, even those who have previously been to therapy. “We want to open therapy to a wider audience,” said Abecasis. “Even if you’ve had therapy before, people struggle to find the right therapist.” The platform’s founder, Mark Tsirekas, has experienced these challenges firsthand, having struggled to find the right therapist for his depression since he was 15.
With more than 100 people already signed up and about two-thirds of them booking a second session, the need for transparency in therapy is evident. It is often unclear why some therapists charge more than others or what certain terms mean. As Abecasis noted, “For someone at a loss and often vulnerable, the only solution has been directories, which are just alphabetical with a bunch of jargon.”
Clients signing up fill out a form and have the option of speaking to an advisor. Both methods aim to match them to the right therapist using the platform’s algorithm. This process expedites the search for a therapist, helping clients find a professional usually within a week. Abecasis acknowledged, “At this stage, it’s quite rudimentary because matching someone to a therapist is complex and people still want a human touch.”
The platform also benefits therapists by handling bookings and payments and providing a steady source of clients. Future plans include addressing the significant issue of room supply for therapists. Therapists often have to give up around 50 per cent of their earnings to the clinics they operate from. “We want to create a stack of services similar to a clinic but at a much lower price since it’s digital,” said Abecasis. This reduction in costs will ultimately benefit customers.
Various technology solutions are emerging to help people manage their mental health. For instance, research is being conducted on how AI can help choose the best treatments for different individuals. Natural language processing can spot signs of depression, such as a plug-in for emails that highlights agitated language. AI systems like chatbots can also provide micro-sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy by asking users a couple of questions daily. However, Abecasis cautioned that these technologies would not entirely offset the problems caused by tech itself. “That needs to be tackled in different ways, like people stepping back a bit and focussing more on human connections and nature,” he concluded.
The initiative to offer 1,000 free therapy sessions aims to make counselling more accessible and transparent. By leveraging technology and reducing costs, the platform seeks to address the rising demand for mental health services in an increasingly digital world.