The 11 Best Trauma Counseling Resources for You and Your Family

Best With Insurance: Teladoc

Key Specs  

• Price: $99 per therapy session
• Insurance Accepted?: Yes
• Types of Therapy: Individual, couples, teen, psychiatry

Why We Chose It

Teladoc offers access to qualified therapists capable of treating teens over 13 and their parents suffering from trauma-related concerns with individual or couples counseling, all while remaining in-network with a wide range of insurance plans.

Pros & Cons

Overview 

Teladoc providers specialize in a wide range of conditions, including trauma and other related issues, such as PTSD, anxiety, and negative thought patterns. Once you’ve signed up, you can easily search for qualified therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists (depending on whether medication evaluation or management is needed) by filtering providers by their trauma and/or PTSD specialty. These providers serve kids 13 and up, not just adults, and you can also schedule couples therapy if needed, meaning you can find trauma counseling for your whole family. 

But what made Teladoc especially stand out wasn’t just its providers; it was the fact that it accepts a wide range of insurance plans, ensuring that no matter how many members of the family need help with their trauma, the necessary mental health services are affordable and accessible for those who have insurance. 

It’s also available in all 50 states. Sessions take place over the phone, via video, or through the app (HIPAA-compliant), and you can schedule or cancel appointments from your dashboard. Providers can also prescribe or refill mental health medications such as antidepressants, anxiolytics, and antipsychotics when necessary.

Plans & Prices 

As we noted, Teladoc accepts 60 different insurance plans to reduce out-of-pocket costs, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare. Some Medicare Advantage and Medicaid Managed Care plans are also in-network, which is unusual for online therapy and psychiatry services. You must create an account and enter your insurance information to view exact coverage.

If paying out-of-pocket, psychiatry appointments range from $209 for an initial evaluation to $109 for follow-ups (without insurance), and self-pay therapy costs $99 per session.

User Satisfaction  

In a survey of 105 users, an impressive 97% rated their overall experience with Teladoc as positive. An overwhelming majority (94%) reported their provider’s qualifications as good, very good, or excellent. Additionally, 66% said their sessions were affordable or very affordable. Twelve percent of users reported that they turned to Teladoc for treatment to address a traumatic event.

Our tester of Teladoc was “very satisfied with the quality of care” she received with the company, specifically noting that both therapists she worked with “felt qualified, warm, caring, and attentive to my needs.” She also points out that “they were available at times that suited my busy schedule, responded to my messages quickly, and worked to accommodate my needs”—all imperative to a family juggling multiple schedules and trying to make therapy services fit between work, school, and extracurricular activities.  

Best for Kids: Little Otter

Key Specs  

• Price: One-time fee of $90 for a welcome session; $540 for an assessment bundle; $2,040 for a 12-session bundle
• Insurance Accepted?: Kaiser Permanente only
• Types of Therapy: Children’s, couples, family, psychiatry, co-parent support, misaligned parents support, medication management

Why We Chose It

Little Otter caters to the mental health needs of both children and their families, bringing real-time support from therapists, psychiatrists, and parent specialists into your child’s trauma treatment.

Pros & Cons

Overview 

Though Little Otter is new to the telehealth scene, the company is making a big splash in the mental health of children across the country. Founded in 2020, the online therapy company is focused on taking a whole-family approach to children’s mental health: Its founder believes that treating childhood mental health disorders is a team effort where everyone—the kid, their parents, and even the extended family—play a role in supporting their treatment. And this is an especially important approach when working with children who have experienced trauma. That’s why the online service offers personalized therapy to infants (such as those experiencing sleep training troubles) and kids up to age 14, as well as targeted coaching for parents, couples therapy, and family therapy. It also has a roster of therapists and psychiatrists who specialize both in children’s services and trauma work. 

When you sign up, you’ll fill out a questionnaire about your child. Then you’ll have a 30-minute welcome session where a treatment plan will be customized and developed to fit your child and your family’s needs. All sessions take place over Zoom. 

As of writing this review, Little Otter is available only to families in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, DC. While more limited than other platforms, the company is actively expanding its services to additional states.

Plans & Prices 

The required welcome session costs $90. After that, each 45-minute therapy session will run you $200. However, if you commit to long-term treatment, you can purchase session bundles to get discounts on the per session price. For example, a package of 12 sessions costs $2,040 (or $170 per session). 

Little Otter is only in-network with one insurance provider, Kaiser Permanente, but you can pay per sessions with your health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA).

We recognize that these prices are prohibitive for many families.

User Satisfaction  

Of the 105 users we surveyed, 74% rated the services they received from Little Otter as good, very good, or excellent. Seventy-nine percent of users rated their therapist’s qualifications as good to excellent, and 54% felt the service was affordable or very affordable. It is also worth noting that of the users we surveyed, 8% were looking for treatment after a traumatic event.

One of our testers of Little Otter thought highly of the service even after two sessions, saying that she “was impressed with the company’s attention to detail and the quality of parental coaching I received,” and her therapist was “someone I would have chosen on my own.” Another tester tried the service with her 10-year-old daughter, and reported that her daughter was able to quickly develop a rapport with her provider and spoke openly with them about her feelings and challenges. This level of trust is especially imperative when working through a trauma response with a child, who needs to feel safe and supported during that work.

Best for Teens: Teen Counseling

Key Specs  

• Price: $60 to $90 per week or $240 to $360 per month
• Insurance Accepted?: No
• Types of Therapy: Individual, teen

Why We Chose It

With over 13,000 licensed therapists in its network, Teen Counseling is an online platform designed for teens ages 13 to 19 who need support navigating their trauma.

Pros & Cons

Overview 

Teen Counseling is an online platform for teens to connect with therapists specializing in trauma as well as other related age-appropriate issues that might affect a teen’s day-to-day functioning, like depression or bullying. Founded in 2015 as an offshoot of the online therapy giant BetterHelp, its mission is to provide young people with the support they need to cope with and improve their mental health. Getting your teen the help they need to process their trauma can benefit not only the teen themselves but also other family members who might have been struggling to support the teen through trauma-related challenges like mood swings and fear responses.

The platform offers individual therapy to the teen, with an additional private therapy room for parents to voice concerns or ask their child’s therapist questions. Services are available in all 50 states, with sessions available via video, chat, or phone, depending on your family’s comfort level and needs. You and your teen can use the platform’s messaging feature to write to your therapist at any point. 

One drawback is that billing is handled automatically, with your payment method charged weekly regardless of whether you attended a session. Teen Counseling also doesn’t offer psychiatry or medication management, which could create a gap in care for some.

Plans & Prices 

The platform works on a subscription model, with monthly packages that range from $240 to $360 per month—billed at $60 to $90 per week. Insurance isn’t accepted, so you’ll need to pay out of pocket for all services. However, some families may find this option more affordable than local, in-person services.

User Satisfaction   

Seventy percent of Teen Counseling survey respondents reported having a positive experience with the platform. The cost was a significant factor in satisfaction, with 50% of users rating the service as fair to very good. Additionally, 84% of users would recommend the service to others. Notably, 21% of our 105 surveyed users reported that they turned to Teen Counseling for help with trauma, a much higher percentage than any of the other 55 companies we reviewed.

Although our tester of Teen Counseling thought her son’s therapists were “professional,” she felt that they were a little impersonal, reporting that “I found them to be overly focused on efficiency rather than depth.” She also noted that “instead of getting to know my son, they spoke in general terms,” and felt that, “overall, I am not optimistic that repeated sessions would be valuable.”

Best for Family Trauma: Thriveworks

Key Specs  

• Price: $99 per session 
• Insurance Accepted?: Yes
• Types of Therapy: Individual, family, couples, children, teens, adults

Why We Chose It

Thriveworks has a team of therapists, counselors, and coaches available to help individuals and families work through trauma-related issues that affect the whole family.

Pros & Cons

Overview 

Family trauma can create long-term emotional pain and affect the way family members relate to each other, especially if they are experiencing generational trauma (trauma responses that children learn from their parents, who learned trauma responses from their parents, and so on). Breaking this cycle is therefore imperative in trauma counseling. Thriveworks can help with family trauma by offering a comprehensive approach to healing. This national platform uses evidence-based techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to help both individuals and families move past traumatic experiences and into a clearer, more positive mindset. Its providers have expertise in treating all family members, from children and teens to adults.

The sign-up process is streamlined, with just a few questions regarding your location, concerns, and availability. You can search for providers based on age, language, counseling approach, and gender preferences. From there, scroll through available providers to view bios before selecting.

Thriveworks has office locations in 45 states and Washington, DC. In-person services aren’t available in New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, or West Virginia. However, you may still be able to access coaches through its virtual services, who are not held to the same licensure standards and requirements as licensed therapists. Sessions occur in one of the physical office locations, over the phone, or via video conference. Many providers can prescribe medications like antidepressants, though it’s unclear whether virtual-only clients are eligible.

Plans & Prices 

Thriveworks doesn’t require a subscription or long-term commitment. Instead, you pay $99 per session (without insurance). In-network insurance plans include Aetna, Optum, UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, and others. Some Medicare plans are also accepted. Services are HSA and FSA eligible.

User Satisfaction 

Overall, users have had a positive experience with Thriveworks. Ninety-five percent of survey respondents rated their experience as good to excellent, while 80% said they would recommend the platform to others needing similar care. Eighty-seven percent of our 105 surveyed users rated their therapist’s qualifications as good, very good, or excellent, and 12% were specifically seeking treatment for trauma.

One of our Thriveworks testers was seeking treatment for her 7-year-old daughter, but had trouble finding a therapist, pointing out that “there isn’t a single Thriveworks provider in the state of Missouri who can treat someone under the age of 11.” However, she notes, “once we overcame the issue of finding a therapist for my daughter, the experience itself was positive and it was clear that the therapist was a good match.”

Best for Couples: ReGain

Key Specs  

• Price: $240 to $360+ per month
• Insurance Accepted?: No
• Types of Therapy: Individual, couples

Why We Chose It

While this service is not for kids, we still felt ReGain deserved a place on our list because trauma can impact your relationship with your partner—and that impact can bleed over into affecting your parenting and your child. As a platform focused on couples or relationship therapy, ReGain can help you and your partner (or co-parent) identify the way trauma has affected your relationship and parenting, help you process the trauma together, and ultimately help you and your family move forward.

Pros & Cons 

Overview 

An unprocessed trauma can not only affect a parent’s relationship with their partner, but it also influences their relationship with their children—therefore, relationship counseling for one or both parents can be beneficial for the whole family, even if the service does not treat children specifically. That’s where ReGain comes in.

Founded in 2016, ReGain is an online therapy company under the umbrella of BetterHelp that provides relationship-focused or couples therapy. The platform allows you and your partner to work with a dedicated therapist to uncover challenges within your relationship that have been caused by trauma. Whether one or both of you experienced the traumatic event, your ReGain therapist can help you identify the struggles you are facing and work with your partner to understand the effects of that trauma on your relationship. By working to process your trauma, your provider can help you move past unhealthy reactions and coping mechanisms and help you strengthen your bond with your partner; this service also works for co-parents and individuals working on their relationship in one-on-one therapy.

Providers include psychologists, licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT) ,and licensed professional therapists (LPC or LPCC)—each with varying experience levels. Services are available in all 50 states, and you can sign up as a solo user for individual counseling if you know your relationship has been affected by your trauma but would rather work through it alone.

Sessions happen on ReGain’s secure platform with audio and video capabilities. You can also communicate with your therapist via unlimited messaging between sessions, so you’ll never feel like you’re in a silo waiting for the next appointment. You can cancel sessions through your private portal, but you’ll lose out on that week’s credit if you don't reschedule for the same week.

Plans & Prices 

Pricing is determined based on your location and the availability of providers. On average, monthly subscriptions range from $240 to $360 or more. Unfortunately, you must complete the intake process and match with a therapist to learn the exact cost. You can cancel anytime but can't pause or freeze a subscription. 

User Satisfaction  

Survey respondents have expressed overall satisfaction with ReGain. Seventy-seven percent of users rated their experience as good, very good, or excellent, while 61% said the services they received were affordable or very affordable. Therapist qualifications and ease of use were also highly rated, with 63% and 87% of users giving the platform high marks.

Our ReGain tester tried out the company with her partner, and was pleased with the service they received. She reported that “the therapist we ended up meeting with was professional, listened to us, and was able to meet our needs.” Specifically, “she worked with us to create goals based on our experiences and provided us with worksheets and activities that fit in with those needs.”

Best for PTSD: Talkspace

Key Specs  

• Price: $276 to $516 per month
• Insurance Accepted?: Yes
• Types of Therapy: Individual, couples, teen, medication management, psychiatry
  

Why We Chose It

With a full suite of services for anyone age 13 or older, Talkspace offers various levels of support for teenagers and their families searching for flexible mental health care to help them address trauma and treat PTSD that is affordable for many—with or without medication management.

Pros & Cons

Overview

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic mental health condition that can manifest in both children and adults after experiencing a traumatic event, and is a common condition addressed at Talkspace. When signing up for services through Talkspace, the very first question you answer lets you indicate if you are seeking treatment after a past or present traumatic event. The platform also offers a free PTSD test to help you decide if treatment is right for you. If it is, you or your child is matched with a licensed therapist who will assess symptoms and develop an individualized treatment plan to help you recover from triggering events and manage symptoms—nightmares, panic attacks, and flashbacks included. As with many telehealth options, Talkspace focuses on providing convenient access to mental health services. Since 2012, the platform has gained a following among people seeking talk therapy, counseling, and medication management from board-certified providers nationwide. 

Talkspace offers individual, couples, teen, and psychiatry services in all 50 states, with the added benefit of medication management when needed. It also supports a range of communication options, including unlimited messaging and live audio or video sessions. Signing up for services at Talkspace involves selecting the type of therapy you need and answering questions about the issues you’d like to address (such as trauma). After selecting your preferred payment option (insurance or self-pay) and choosing your desired plan, you’ll be matched with a therapist in 48 hours or less. If your plan includes the live component, you can begin messaging or scheduling your first 45-minute session immediately. While you can access unlimited messaging with your provider, it may take them several hours or longer to respond.

Plans & Prices 

Talkspace offers a variety of monthly subscription plans that range in price. These plans start at:  

• $276 a month for unlimited asynchronous messaging with your provider
• $396 a month for four 45-minute live sessions per month 
• $516 a month for messaging and four 45-minute live sessions per month 

Psychiatry services are pay-per-session and come at a higher cost, starting with an initial evaluation for $249 and subsequent visits for $125. However, purchasing a package of sessions can save you money in the long run. Couples interested in unlimited messaging and four sessions pay around $396 monthly.

Insurance is also accepted, including from Optum, Cigna, and many employee assistance programs. Medicare and Medicaid aren’t in-network, but services are HSA/FSA eligible.

User Satisfaction  

Overall, users have expressed strong satisfaction with Talkspace. Eighty-three percent of our 105 respondents reported satisfaction with their therapist, and 86% reported the quality of therapists as good to excellent. Around 58% of those surveyed said the rates were affordable or very affordable. Seventeen percent of users said they were specifically seeking services for trauma through Talkspace.

One of our testers of Talkspace was impressed with how easy it was to use the service, noting that “one nice benefit that stood out to me is that you can schedule up to four sessions at a time–no need to schedule week by week, which is incredibly convenient,” also explaining that “I appreciated how much this scheduling system prioritizes the needs of the therapy seeker and helps make committing to therapy just a little easier.” Another tester reported that the therapists she worked with were “compassionate” and “very knowledgeable about my mental health condition.”

Best for Psychiatry: Talkiatry

Key Specs  

• Price: Varies based on insurance coverage
• Insurance Accepted?: Yes
• Types of Therapy: Individual, medication management, psychiatry

Why We Chose It

If your child needs medication to treat their trauma or PTSD, Talkiatry is without a doubt the practice we recommend. Its psychiatrists can treat kids as young as 5, and they take the time and care to carefully diagnose and treat all their patients, especially when they’re young.

Pros & Cons

Overview 

Founded in 2020 as a way to help people find psychiatrists that accept insurance, Talkiatry is our top pick if your child (or you) needs psychiatric help for trauma, PTSD, or another mental health condition. It treats kids as young as 5 online, and one of its specialties is PTSD, meaning children, teens, and adults alike can access treatment for trauma on this platform.

Plus, while Talkiatry primarily provides psychiatry and medication management services, if your provider thinks you or your child would benefit from talk therapy as well, they can refer you to a Talkiatry therapist. 

We especially appreciated that all medications are prescribed only by Talkiatry psychiatrists; the company does not employ primary care physicians as prescribers the way some of the other companies we reviewed does. In addition, each psychiatrist takes the time to carefully diagnose your child; sessions are up to an hour when you or your child is being evaluated, and follow-ups are a half-hour. This is double the average session time of other psychiatry companies we evaluated. 

Talkiatry is currently available in 43 locations, excluding Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. 

Plans & Prices 

Talkiatry doesn’t offer a subscription service. Similar to in-person care, you’re billed for each visit on a per-session basis. 

The cost of treatment also varies depending on your insurance coverage, as Talkiatry is only available to those with an in-network plan. Its extensive list of accepted insurance providers includes Aetna, Cigna, Humana, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, and many more. Co-pays are collected at the start of each session.

User Satisfaction  

The majority of our 105 surveyed Talkiatry users reported high marks for ease of use (83%), therapist qualifications (83%), video quality (81%), and response speed of their providers (81%). An overwhelming 99% reported satisfaction with the provider options, and 98% said they would recommend the service to others. Twelve percent of users said they turned to Talkiatry specifically for help with trauma.

Our Talkiatry tester agreed with our users, saying that he was “overwhelmingly impressed with the quality of the providers at the company.” Specifically, he appreciated the thoroughness of the service, explaining that “both the intake and the sessions at the company are long and thorough, allowing your psychiatrist the time to really get to know you and diagnose you accurately.” He also pointed out that “if they think you could benefit from it, they will not only prescribe you medication but also possibly give you a referral to a talk therapist, as mine did for me.”

Best for Religious Trauma: Reclamation Collective

Key Specs  

• Price: Varies based on provider
• Insurance Accepted?: Varies based on provider
• Types of Therapy: Individual
  

Why We Chose It

Reclamation Collective is a database of licensed mental health professionals with expertise in processing the effects of religious trauma, a type of abuse to which children are especially vulnerable. Reclamation Collective therapists can address the shame, guilt, fear, and other emotional issues related to traumatic experiences perpetrated by religious leaders or members of a religious community. 

Pros & Cons

Overview 

Reclamation Collective is a directory of psychiatrists, therapists, and other mental health professionals specializing in the unique emotional issues stemming from traumatic religious experiences or trauma perpetrated by members of a religious community. Whether you experienced trauma as a child growing up in a religious group, had a traumatic experience as an adult, or your child was abused by a member of your religious community, religious trauma can affect day-to-day functioning and the way you and your child relate to the rest of your family. 

Many of the providers on Reclamation Collective treat children and teenagers and specialize in trauma-informed therapy, which works by understanding the relationship between past trauma and current issues. Other forms of treatment include cognitive behavioral therapy, client-centered therapy, solution-focused therapy, and dialectical behavior therapy. 

Co-founders Kayla Felten and Kendra Snyder are both mental health professionals who walked through religious trauma firsthand—ultimately leading them to empower individuals with similar stories through the creation of Reclamation Collective. The database houses providers in the United States, Canada, and Sweden with expertise in cultural, racial, and gender identity issues. Depending on your chosen therapist, you may opt for sessions via phone or video.

Plans & Prices 

The cost of treatment varies based on the provider you choose. Some accept insurance, while others may offer sliding scale fees or other payment plans. Contact your chosen practitioner for more details on their fees and policies before booking an appointment. 

User Satisfaction  

Reclamation Collective wasn’t included in our survey, but it could be a good fit if you'd like a provider with expertise in religious backgrounds and trauma-informed work relating to religion. Additionally, many of the providers have received glowing reviews on their websites.

“Because religious trauma is such a niche topic and is usually accompanied by feelings of shame and guilt, being able to address this type of trauma specifically with a provider who is certain to understand the context of your religious trauma is imperative,” explains Hannah Owens, LMSW, a subject matter expert. “This sets Reclamation Collective apart from other online therapy services who may not have providers who specialize in or understand religious trauma.”

Best for Traumatic Loss: E-Therapy Cafe

Key Specs

• Price: $45 to $55 per session
• Insurance Accepted?: No
• Types of Therapy: Individual, couples

Why We Chose It

Grief can be incredibly overwhelming, especially if the circumstances around the loss were traumatic—but E-Therapy Cafe has created a safe space to process loss and cope with PTSD through trauma-specific techniques.

Pros & Cons

Overview 

Traumatic grief is grief experienced after a sudden and unexpected loss, like the loss of a child, and that might require more emotional support and processing than after a loss you were able to prepare for. Though the team at this boutique practice is smaller than many other online therapy platforms and does not treat children, E-Therapy Cafe offers a wide array of services for college students and adults, including individual and couples counseling for just this kind of grief and trauma. In fact, E-Therapy Cafe provides services specifically designed for veterans and their families, a community that is far more likely to experience traumatic grief. 

If therapy isn’t available in your state, the platform also offers virtual coaching with certified coaches as an alternative. All E-Therapy Cafe therapists are skilled in diverse therapeutic techniques, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), trauma-informed therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). They also support mindfulness and movement practices, including breathwork and meditation.  So if you, your partner, or your college-age children are experiencing traumatic grief after a loss, rest assured that you can find a wide range of support with E-Therapy Cafe’s vetted, licensed mental health professionals from all walks of life.

Various communication options are available, including live video, phone calls, chat, and e-journaling—which allows you to write a 700-word narrative that will be read and responded to by your provider. This might be especially helpful to those who are struggling with traumatic grief and need a forgiving time and space to work through their feelings. 

Plans & Prices 

The first session costs $55; then, you can choose from two monthly subscription packages: Four 30-minute sessions for $196 or eight for $360. You can also pay as you go for $55 per session. Insurance isn’t accepted, and sessions expire 30 days after purchase.

User Satisfaction  

Among those surveyed, 77% rated the E-Therapy Cafe services as very good or excellent. Ninety-eight percent were satisfied or very satisfied with the available therapists, and 93% said they would recommend the platform to others. Five percent of our 105 users said they were seeking help after a traumatic event, and 10% were dealing with grief and loss.

Our E-Therapy Cafe tester was actually able to address some concerns about trauma with her provider, “who was a certified clinical traumatologist who used our first session to both lay out expectations (she did not like using the e-journals and said that in order to see progress I should schedule at least every other week…) and collect my family history using a genogram,” or a way of visually mapping your family system. Ultimately, our tester reported that she “felt cared for, and connected to both of the people I worked with, but it took a couple of tries to find a practitioner I trusted—someone who created a therapeutic alliance that I felt was both safe and productive.”

Best for Sexual Assault Survivors: Monarch

Key Specs  

• Price: Varies based on provider
• Insurance Accepted?: Varies based on provider
• Types of Therapy: Individual, family, couples, group, coaching

Why We Chose It

Whether you, your partner, or your child has lived through sexual assault or abuse, this directory narrows down providers based on specialty, approach, and insurance coverage, minimizing the hassle of searching through hundreds of listings to find a therapist who can help you and your family recover. 

Pros & Cons

Overview 

Sexual assault and sexual abuse can happen to any member of the family, from children to adults. Because the repercussions of sexual trauma can affect you and your children’s day-to-day functioning and the way the family functions as a whole, finding a provider who specializes in this type of trauma means you and your family can process the trauma in a healthy way rather than being stuck in a painful emotional place.

Monarch is a free directory that connects therapy seekers to mental health professionals. The directory includes more than 100 specialties, including sexual abuse therapy, trauma, abuse survivors, and anxiety, and you can find providers who treat children as well as adults, making therapy after sexual assault or abuse accessible for the whole family—which is important because sometimes both you and your child need therapy in these types of situations. 

“While children are adversely affected by sexual assault or abuse, so is the parent of a child dealing with trauma,” explains Owens. “A parent might feel intense guilt for not having ‘protected’ their child, or see themselves as a bad parent because they ‘let’ their child get assaulted. And these feelings can affect the whole family, as a parent might no longer trust other family members or might change the way they parent their traumatized child or the rest of their children.” This is when therapy that specifically addresses sexual assault can be a useful resource—therapy you can find through Monarch.

Vetted providers are available in all 50 states, with many offering telehealth appointments and services for children and adolescents. Its name, inspired by the monarch butterfly, serves as a reminder of the transformation that takes place during the therapy process. It also represents hope and healing for those who are dealing with trauma. Created to streamline the process of finding a therapist, this platform curates a list of providers based on specific search criteria. 

An array of therapy approaches are represented on the platform, including trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, an approach specifically tailored to children who have experienced trauma such as sexual abuse or assault. After providing your location and intended specialty, a list of available providers populates, where you can also filter by insurance, availability, therapy approaches, telehealth, and many other options. 

Plans & Prices

The platform is free to use, and pricing for counseling depends on your chosen provider. Some accept insurance, while others require payment at the time of service or offer a sliding fee scale. Many providers have a list of payment options and out-of-pocket costs listed in their bios.

User Satisfaction 

Users have praised Monarch's comprehensive directory and overall convenience. Seventy percent of the 180 Monarch users we surveyed said the platform was helpful for connecting them with the right provider and offered additional resources. Overall, 60% of users were satisfied or very satisfied with the platform’s available providers, and 78% rated the directory as good or very good overall. Over 8% of the Monarch users we surveyed reported seeking services to help with trauma.

Best Out-of-Pocket: Open Path Collective

Key Specs  

• Price: One-time membership fee of $65; $30 to $80 per session
• Insurance Accepted?: No
• Types of Therapy: Individual, couples, children, teens, family
  

Why We Chose It

Open Path Collective is an extensive directory with many providers who specialize in trauma in both children and adults, and which boasts a low-cost lifetime membership fee and session rates well below the national average. This makes trauma-specific therapy for you and any member of your family affordable.

Pros & Cons

Overview 

If more than one member of your family needs mental health care, you might worry about how you can pay for services for everyone—especially if you and your family are uninsured or underinsured. Affordable care is at the heart of Open Path Collective, which offers virtual and in-person therapy through a network of more than 20,000 providers (thousands of whom offer virtual sessions) who charge sliding scale fees of $30 to $80 per session, prices significantly lower than the average cost of therapy. This extensive directory makes searching for providers who specialize in trauma easy, offering a range of different trauma-focused specialties by which you can filter results, including  “trauma and PTSD,” “racial stress and trauma,” and “religious trauma.” You can also search by age specialty, guaranteeing you can find a provider who will meet the needs of your children as well as your own. 

Specialties include trauma-specific and child-specific treatment orientations like  trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). The directory also has a deep network of condition specializations alongside trauma, including anxiety, family conflict, life transitions, and mood disorders—all of which might affect any member of the family dealing with trauma. 

Plans & Prices 

A one-time membership fee of $65 must be paid before scheduling your first session, though you can browse available providers without signing up. After that, you’re charged per session; the cost varies depending on the provider. Individual sessions range from $40 to $70, or you can opt for a student intern session for $30. Couples and family therapy may cost up to $80 per session. The platform doesn’t accept insurance, but many providers accept HSA and FSA payments.

User Satisfaction  

Open Path Collective has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from therapy seekers who have used the platform to find a provider. Most users report that it is easy to use, inexpensive, and effective for connecting them with the right provider. Additionally, 90% of those surveyed said their overall experience was positive. Eleven percent of the 180 Open Path Collective users we surveyed were seeking help specifically for trauma.

Our tester of Open Path Collective reported that “I really enjoyed being able to browse the site without getting any pressure at all to sign up,” and “ I found Open Path really inviting and comfortable to browse in.”