Best Online Addiction Counseling of 2022: Top Sites For Substance Abuse Counseling

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Addiction is an illness afflicting a more significant number of people every day as lives become more unstable. It comes in various forms, including harmful substance dependence, such as drug or alcohol use,  and behavioral addictions, such as gambling.

The fortunate thing is that if you or a loved one are facing addiction issues, there is accessible help available. Online counseling is an excellent method to seek treatment without feeling like you’re a ‘patient.’ Online therapy can be offered through the phone, messaging, or video call. You can choose the communication method that works best for you. This instant way of communication has made the mental health treatment process far more accessible to various people. You don’t have to worry about traveling to your appointment or being able to fit family therapy sessions into your schedule.

As long as you have a working internet connection, you’ll be able to access online addiction counseling sessions that will benefit your overall health and growth. We researched the best and most effective therapy services so that you don’t have to. Scroll through our addiction counselor guide to get the best help for you or a loved one.

Top 3 Picks For Drug And Alcohol Counseling 

  1. Calmerry: Overall Best For Addiction Counseling, Editor’s Choice
  2. Online-Therapy.Com: Best Addiction Counselor For Drug Abuse
  3. Talkspace: Most Affordable Substance Abuse Counselor 

#1.Calmerry: Overall Best For Addiction Counseling, Editor’s Choice

Calmerry is an online therapy service that offers help for many mental health issues, including addiction. It was launched in May 2020 by tech entrepreneur, Alex Vitchenko, to meet the need for accessible and affordable mental health services that increased during the pandemic. This online therapy company has its bases in Wyoming. Calmerry offers a variety of therapy subscription plans that connect clients to licensed therapists.

The Calmerry homepage is quite vibrant and welcoming with a pleasing layout. Different colored sections separate each section of information. You’ll find the top of the page has the link to sign-up so that you won’t miss it. The first thing you see when you scroll down is the therapists’ specialties. Calmerry also includes some media coverage of their services, a summary of how you can register, and the six reasons why Calmerry is a good choice for you.

Among other reasons, Calmerry is generally considered pretty good because it has individual matching, you receive therapy from certified therapists, you can cancel anytime you want, etc.

Calmerry does an excellent job of providing information to potential clients on why their online therapy is more beneficial than traditional therapy. They note that 88% of their clients made more progress using their platform than attending conventional face-to-face therapy. The main reason for this sentiment is that clients felt more convenient being able to access mental health help from the comfort of their homes, especially in the middle of a global pandemic.

It is important to note that Calmerry doesn’t allow you to choose your therapists. Your therapist is selected for you, not by a random algorithm, but by the Calmerry staff. Fortunately, the Calmerry staff comprises knowledgeable mental health professionals who base their selections for you on their professional experience. You are not powerless in this system because you can switch your therapist if you’re not satisfied.

Calmerry links their customer support contact information at the bottom of every page. This information includes their email address, phone number, and social media accounts. The service has its presence on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Unlike most online mental health services, Calmerrry makes an effort to keep up regular and current posting on all their social media.

Highlights

Reliable therapists: Clients can connect to fully licensed therapists, vetted by dedicated professionals and use practical, evidence-based approaches to achieve optimal results. Additionally, the therapists commit to providing compassion, empathy, as well as professionalism in their overall work. You can rest assured that you will receive the care that you need.

Comprehensive and detailed FAQS: Calmerry has the most relevant and in-depth FAQ section out of all the reviewed companies. They include essential information on how their service works, how they assist you and your needs, their privacy policy, and even describe the most compatible devices for their app. You’re welcome to include your personal questions where you will get a personalized answer in a live chat.

Specific help for specific mental health conditions: You’re able to browse through the website and read through how your addiction issue will be addressed and what plans are available. Calmerry has different links at the bottom of their site page indicating the different types of therapy available. This includes emotional abuse counseling, grief counseling, online therapy, etc.

Get matched with a therapist that suits your needs: When you sign up to Calmerry, you complete a short questionnaire that gauges your therapeutic needs. Your answers to the questionnaire will help Calmerry staff match you to the best therapists for your needs.

Pros

  • Several subscription plans are available
  • Multiple communication options
  • Licensed therapists
  • Can schedule and reschedule live sessions easily when needed
  • You can cancel your subscription easily if it doesn’t work for you
  • 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and private portal
  • Informative resources available on the website
  • Digital worksheets to track your progress
  • Discount provided for first month
  • Match with therapists not based on a random algorithm
  • Free therapist switching
  • Available in all 50 states

Cons

  • Free trials unavailable
  • Counseling without psychiatric or medication management
  • Prices are only available once you make an account

=> Click here to visit the official website of Calmerry

#2.Online-Therapy.Com: Best Addiction Counselor For Drug Abuse

Online-Therapy.com is a reasonably popular service that primarily focuses on utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) through online means to treat a wide range of mental health issues. They also have an excellent selection of self-care tools that you can use to continue treatment outside of your sessions. This inclusion makes it a  great choice if you’re looking for long-term self-improvement.

Online-Therapy.com offers three subscription-based plans for you to choose from. You can receive your treatment through audio, messaging, and video call. Online workshops and weekly full video sessions are also available if you need extra support.

Online-Therapy.com uses CBT as its primary approach because it is proven to be a  reliable method for treating a large pool of mental health issues. The main problems it helps with include; anxiety, depression, substance or drug abuse disorders, addiction, eating disorders, and phobias. CBT will help you to identify, confront, and eventually overcome negative behaviors that are hindering your mental health. You will learn to develop positive behavior modifications in your daily life that can help you curb addiction and gain a healthier mindset.

As they use quite an effective therapeutic approach, Online-Therapy.com offers their therapy sessions Monday through Friday for eight hours a day. Although it is different from other sites that offer 24/7 support, they make up for it in the take-home resources they offer all clients. Online-Therapy.com has a range of resources, including progress worksheets and an online journal, to gain the intrinsic skills to help yourself with your mental health condition.

An added benefit to the worksheets and online journals is that your therapist will give you daily feedback on them. So, you will not feel as if you’re working alone, and you can receive valuable insight into all your progress.

After registering your profile and indicating your needs., your therapist is assigned to you. You’re not stuck with your assigned therapist if your needs are not aligning with their approach. You can feel free to change your therapist through the online dashboard. When you register, you are allowed to use an alias or a nickname if you’re not comfortable using your real name and want to ensure added privacy to your sessions.

Highlights

Treatment available worldwide: Online-therapy.com offers its services to you wherever you are in the world, so you won’t miss out even when you travel. Counseling is provided to you by licensed therapists who are fully trained in CBT and have a general background in human development and behavioral health, which is perfect for addiction therapy.

Addiction counseling is prioritized: As you need hands-on treatment to deal with addiction issues, Online-Therapy.com offers addiction counseling via a weekly subscription service. You can get daily contact with your therapist, and this daily contact allows you to stay on top of the challenges you face every day. The therapists know that addiction issues need constant monitoring. So despite not being available for sessions 24/7, you will still receive daily feedback from your therapist to avoid relapse as much as possible.

Three plans are available for addiction counseling: Online-Therapy.com offers a basic subscription, a standard subscription, and a premium subscription for potential clients seeking addiction therapy services.

You will receive secure online counseling sessions, online worksheets with weekly therapist feedback, and guided activity plans, in the basic plan

The standard subscription builds on this by offering one live video, audio or messaging session per week.

If you need more support, the premium subscription offers two live video, audio, or messaging sessions per week. Additionally, you will also have access to 24/7 messaging as well as the benefit of receiving express replies from your therapist.

Therapy toolbox: Online-Therapy.com offers clients a toolbox full of therapeutic techniques that you can use even when you’ve completed all your necessary therapy sessions. There are sections on the site that dive deep into each mental health issue. So you can just go into the addiction section to access all the information necessary to tackle the problem. The information is available via text, audio, and video (presented by Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, Ph.D.).

In these sections, you will find your interactive worksheets where you complete questions and receive feedback within 24 hours on your answers. The online journal allows you to document your feelings towards the therapy and how you are coping in daily life. It helps if you can just write a few things down each morning and evening. The activity plan allows you to schedule activities that can help make your journey easier. You can include any activity that brings light to your life in a helpful way. Yoga and meditation are a recent addition to the service’s therapy toolbox. Videos are available to guide you in yoga and meditation when you want to try something else to cope with your mental health issues.

The platform is easy to use: Many clients who have used Online-Therapy.com praise how simple it is to navigate the site and receive the help they need. Although some people can assume the therapy is quite lengthy and complicated because CBT is not commonly an approach used online, many clients found that once they had started, it was extremely beneficial.

Pros

  • All therapists on the platform specialize in CBT
  • Additional resources are available for self-care to continue outside of session
  • Yoga and meditation resources are available
  • Receive daily feedback from your therapist
  • Free to re-assign to a different therapist
  • 20% discount for the first month
  • Affordable online treatment plans
  • Website is user-friendly
  • Secure and confidential system
  • Treatment available worldwide

Cons

  • Medication management services are unavailable
  • They don’t take insurance
  • Sessions are only available from Monday to Friday, not 24/7

=> Click here to visit the official website of Online Therapy

#3.Talkspace:  Most Affordable Substance Abuse Counselor

Talkspace is a subscription-based and user-friendly online therapy service that offers a wide range of mental health services, with a good selection of communication options. It is one of the pioneer online therapy companies because it opened in 2012 when online therapy was not much of a necessity. It has a broader range of services than most, including medication management, psychiatry, teen therapy, and couples therapy.

With Talkspace, you can have your therapy sessions over live chat, video, audio, and unlimited messaging, giving you more contact time with your therapist. Fortunately, you also don’t have to worry about your privacy. Talkspace is HIPAA compliant, and they explicitly lay out their privacy policies on the website.

The Talkspace therapists do not display their credentials on the website, as you would need to have created an account first. We discovered that an extremely high percentage of users are happy with the therapists. Users described their therapists as having satisfying qualifications, which showed in the way the therapy was conducted. With over 3,000 licensed therapists available, you can be sure to find one that will work for you.

If you’re not sure about starting with Talkspace, the site offers a free live consultation with a mental health professional. You have access to chat with the professional for 10 minutes, where they can explain the services that are available, of course, tailored to your specific needs. When selecting this first option, you will need to choose whether you are looking for online therapy, psychiatry, or couples therapy.

Highlights

Psychiatric services: A unique aspect of Talkspace as an online therapy platform is that it offers psychiatric services. This means that you can receive a diagnosis and a medication prescription if need be.

However, you should note that there will be higher costs with additional psychiatric services. The psychiatry services cost $249 for the primary evaluation, and then the price falls to $120 for the follow-up sessions.  It’s something to note that if your insurance plan is out-of-network, the combination of talk therapy and psychiatry will be more pricey with Talkspace. Nevertheless, the service is top-tier.

Medication management is available: As psychiatric services are available, so is medication management. With this service, you can have access to a licensed prescriber to ensure that you are getting your correct prescribed medication exactly when you need it.

Insurance is accepted: Talkspace works with some insurance providers and employee assistance program (EAP) plans. Of course, this makes their service a bit more affordable and accessible to those who need it. The company also accepts FSA and HSA card payments, which most online mental services do not.

Choose your own therapist: Once you register on Talkspace, you’ll fill in a questionnaire and choose your payment plan. After that, a consultation therapist will link you with a selection of therapists that best suit your needs. From this narrowed-down selection, you can then select the therapist you would like to carry out your therapy sessions. You will also be able to see each of their bios with their credentials and experience will also be provided to you. After a few days of your selection, your sessions can begin.

Pros

  • Psychiatric services and medication management are also on offer
  • You can use medical insurance for some services
  • A variety of communication options
  • Constant access to your addiction counselors
  • Discounts are available if you pay biannually or quarterly
  • A wide range of subscription options to choose from
  • Free 10-minute live call with a therapist after registering
  • You can select your therapist
  • An app is also available

Cons

  • Your therapist is selected for you using an algorithm
  • The additional services can increase the price
  • The therapists don’t share their bios with potential clients – you have to register first
  • Time Zone differences with therapists can delay response time for 24/7 service

=> Click here to visit the official website of TalkSpace

How We Made This List For The Best Addiction Counseling Sites?

Choosing the right counseling service online is not an easy feat. There are quite a lot of issues to consider when it comes to seeking help for addiction. We started by searching on the most popular online platforms people use for mental health services. After this, we selected the options that explicitly included addiction counseling specifications. Once we had those services down, we took a deeper look into what users experienced with each of these services, focusing on the ones that had the best reviews and success stories. Based on this final assessment, we selected our top three online addiction counseling services based on this final assessment.

What We Looked For While Enlisting These Addiction Counsellers?

To make the best decision, we considered each of the following essential components:

  • Accessibility: For treating something as complex as addiction, mental health care providers need to be as available as possible for their clients. We selected the services that had the most accessible care available. This specification includes making it easy for clients to schedule their sessions and offering unlimited messaging communication with therapists to allow for emergencies. When therapists are more accessible to their clients, it may help facilitate better working relationships and to ensure the client is able to get the help they need at the right time.
  • A Wide Selection of Therapists: We know that every therapist is not for every person. One of the challenges that come with seeking mental health help is finding a therapist that aligns with your needs. That is why a service that provides a wide selection of therapists for you to choose from is excellent. You are guaranteed to find a therapist with whom you will have a beneficial therapeutic relationship. This relationship is especially crucial because addiction issues require highly personalized treatment. With that in mind, we only selected platforms that provide a wide range of therapists for you to work with.
  • Methods of Communication: Online therapy needs to be highly convenient in order to be effective. We selected services that offer modes of communication such as text, phone calls, and video calls. Additionally, we prioritized services that provide 24/7 support and a mobile app for greater convenience.
  • Confidentiality: With sensitive cases like addiction, communication should be highly confidential. We selected services that guarantee adherence to HIPAA regulations and state laws. They must also specify their steps to keep your information secure. Additionally, some sites will enable you to communicate with your therapist using a nickname if it will make you feel more comfortable.

Things To Know Before Selecting an Online Addiction Counseling Service

Although online therapy intends to make our lives easier, it is still not so easy to select the correct service. Many people looking for counseling services don’t even know what to look for to make the right choice. Fortunately, we’ve given you criteria to always consider before signing up with an online counseling service.

Make Sure To Know What Is In The Plans

As with any online service, you will be subscribing to a plan-based product. To get the best results from your treatment at a price you can afford, you need to prioritize services with adequate mental health help in each plan.

For instance, a company’s most basic plan should always include a weekly live session with your therapist and access to your therapist in a protected platform whenever you need to contact them. That is not to say that your therapist should be available to you 24/7. However, it is necessary that if you are facing any issues outside of your sessions, your therapist should be able to know about them.

Top-quality mental health services for addiction will also include other therapeutic approaches in their plans besides just talk therapy. These approaches can come in the form of worksheets that you complete outside of your sessions and even therapy boxes to help you become more self-sufficient as your treatment progresses.

Know If You Will Get Charged For Additional Services

Depending on the company, an online therapy service may offer you additional aid, such as psychiatric evaluations and medication management services. Before jumping on this opportunity you may need, it’s essential to verify if you will be charged a lot extra for these important additions. The majority of the time, the answer is yes. The best way to deal with this is by choosing counseling services that accept medical insurance or any other health-related payment plans. Psychiatric services are commonly quite pricey anyway, so it’s something to consider if you believe your condition may need them.

The Therapists Should Be Licensed

A crucial part of receiving therapy is receiving treatment from someone licensed to provide the treatment. Your therapist should at least have a master’s degree in counseling or psychology and be licensed to provide effective addiction counseling. Therapists tend to have many initials in their names, and it is pretty confusing to decipher what each means. You don’t have to be well-versed in mental health accreditations. However, these are the common ones: LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor), LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor), PsyD (Doctor of Psychology), and MD (Doctor of Medicine, which is essential for psychiatrists).

Guaranteed Privacy Policy

Ensuring your privacy is a major priority and is extremely important to provide trustworthy and reliable care. Particularly for something as sensitive as addiction counseling. Online therapy companies should be HIPAA compliant. Another factor good services will offer is the option for you to create an account using a username that does not explicitly state your real government name. This can help you feel more comfortable, thus creating a better and more transparent therapeutic relationship with your mental health care provider.

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Addiction Counseling

Q1. Who is online therapy best for?

Online therapy is excellent for a wide range of people. It’s for those who would rather not commute to therapy sessions or would rather carry out their sessions in the comfort of their own home. It saves more time, and you can schedule your therapy in a way that won’t affect your daily life.

It’s also for people who may not be able to stay in one location and want to register for a counseling service that can follow them wherever they go. Online counseling is especially beneficial to those who live in rural or remote areas. To be fair, online therapy can work for anyone who needs emotional or addiction-related support.

However, it’s important to note that online counseling may not be suitable for young children, those who aren’t tech-savvy, those struggling with severe mental illness cases, or those who are a danger to themselves or others.

Q2. Is online addiction therapy effective enough?

Essentially, therapy can only be effective if the client is willing to work with the therapist to improve, whether online or face-to-face. Regular sessions, setting easy-to-achieve goals, and also daily introspection guided by your therapist can ensure that your addiction counseling is effective.

You don’t have to worry about online counseling being utterly different from face-to-face counseling because research shows it is just as effective. Because logging into your online account is very accessible, it plays a part in the effectiveness of addiction treatment. Your treatment is essentially always available with online counseling.

Q3. Is online addiction counseling expensive?

The expense of your online therapy sessions ultimately depends on the service. It considers what specific services are on offer and the experience levels of the therapists. Fortunately, online therapy tends to be much more affordable than face-to-face therapy. However, this doesn’t mean that because it’s more affordable and accessible, it’s less effective—some services charge per week, per month, or per session. The cost will also increase depending on how much treatment you actually need.

Conclusion: Best Addiction Counseling of 2022 

Addiction is an illness that has a plethora of adverse long-term effects. It affects you physically, emotionally, and even socially.  It causes harm to yourself as well as the people that love you. When you sign up for best addiction counseling therapy, you’re taking a step in the right direction to help control your dysfunctional behaviors.

Online addiction counseling is an accessible way for people suffering from any form of addiction to receive treatment no matter where they are in the world. It brings in the convenience of getting the help you need in the comfort of your own home. You don’t have to have any awkward interactions with people that you may not be comfortable with knowing about your condition. You can ultimately feel free to express your drug addiction issues unashamedly because you will be in a guaranteed safe space.

As long as you take into account the advice we’ve given in our guide, you should be able to find the mental health service that works for you and your needs. You can conquer your addiction issues as long as you are ready and willing to work collaboratively with your therapist. Being able to continue the intrinsic work outside of your sessions will ensure your success and improve your life.

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