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Pride Counseling is an online therapy service featuring therapists who specialize in working with the LGBTQIA+ community. This service aims to provide a safe and affordable place for those in the LGBTQIA+ community to discuss identity and mental health.
As of 2024, Pride Counseling is no longer in business.
Visit our guide to the best online therapy services to find alternative services.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) states that people who are LGBTQIA+ are more likely to have mental health conditions and challenges than those who are cisgender and heterosexual. This is due to various factors such as rejection, trauma, homelessness, and inadequate mental health care.
This article discusses what Pride Counseling is, which services it offers, and how much it costs.
Pride Counseling, a subsidiary of BetterHelp, is an online counseling service that aims to offer support and advice to the LGBTQIA+ community.
The company states this service is suitable for people with mental health conditions and those who want to discuss their identities or need to talk with someone.
LGBTQIA+ resources
To discover more evidence-based health information and resources for LGBTQIA+ individuals, visit our dedicated hub.
Before using this service, people may wish to consider the advantages and drawbacks of Pride Counseling.
Pros
- Pride Counseling uses therapists who specialize in working with those in the LGBTQIA+ community.
- People can choose how to communicate with their therapist through messages, phone, and video calls.
- Individuals can switch therapists at any time.
- Pride Counseling offers unlimited messaging.
Cons
- Pride Counseling does not offer its services to those under 18 years of age.
- The service states that most insurance providers, including Medicare and Medicaid, do not cover the costs of its service.
- People must have internet access to use this service.
Pride Counseling states that its services are suitable for anybody who would like to improve the quality of their life. The service offers therapy to people of any gender, orientation, or identity.
However, Pride Counseling may most suit LGBTQIA+ individuals, as the therapists on this platform specialize in providing advice and guidance to those in this community.
A
- Emotional distress: Individuals who are LGBTQIA+ are more likely to have adverse childhood experiences, depression, and anxiety. Additionally, they are more likely to experience thoughts of suicide and suicide attempts.
- Stigmatization: People in the LGBTQIA+ community are more likely to experience overt or covert stigmatization over their gender, orientation, or identity. Overt stigmatization includes discrimination and violence, whereas covert stigmatization may include anti-LGBTQIA+ policies and offensive language.
- Violence and harassment: Individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community are more likely to experience harassment, bullying, and violence in several places, such as at home, in institutions, such as schools and workplaces, and from the general public.
- Discrimination: People in the LGBTQIA+ community are more likely to experience discrimination. For example, policies, housing, employers, and healthcare may discriminate against members of this community, leading to a lack of access to help and support.
- Barriers to mental health care: Mental health services may stigmatize, discriminate against, and stereotype people who are LGBTQIA+, which can prevent individuals from accessing mental health care.
Suicide prevention
If you know someone at immediate risk of self-harm, suicide, or hurting another person:
- Ask the tough question: “Are you considering suicide?”
- Listen to the person without judgment.
- Call 911 or the local emergency number, or text TALK to 741741 to communicate with a trained crisis counselor.
- Stay with the person until professional help arrives.
- Try to remove any weapons, medications, or other potentially harmful objects.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, a prevention hotline can help. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day at 988. During a crisis, people who are hard of hearing can use their preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988.
Who may not find Pride Counseling useful?
Pride Counseling states that its service is not suitable for those who:
- are under the age of 18
- are in a crisis or emergency
- have no internet connection
- have court-mandated therapy
Some people may also prefer to use face-to-face services than online therapy. A 2021 study found that counselors found clients were more likely to be disengaged and distracted during online therapy. There were also technical difficulties that made face-to-face therapy appear more effective.
Please note that the writer of this article has not tried this service. All information presented is purely research-based and correct at the time of publication.
Medical News Today follows a strict product selection and vetting process. Learn more here.
After filling in a short questionnaire about different areas of concern, Pride Counseling matches a person to a therapist according to their answers. However, if an individual is not happy with their therapist, they may change them at any time.
Matching with a therapist can take a few hours or several days, depending on availability.
A person can choose how they communicate with their therapist. The options are:
- Messaging: Takes place in a private chatroom between the therapist and user. People can send and receive messages at any time, and the therapist will respond when they can.
- Live chat: This is a live messaging service. The user and therapist will agree on a time and communicate via their private room by exchanging messages.
- Phone call: A person can use any phone line they wish. They will agree on a time with their therapist and log in to the system at this time. They type in the phone number they wish to use, and the system connects the user and therapist via this number. A user and therapist never see each other’s phone numbers.
- Video call: An individual can have a live video session with their therapist. They both need to agree on a time, and a person can log into their private room, where the video session will begin once both parties are ready.
A person can use Pride Counseling services for as long as they wish.
All therapists hold a Master’s degree or doctorate in their field. They also have certifications to work within the state they operate within.
Pride Counseling states that the therapists on its platform are unlikely to recommend hormone replacement therapy (HRT) due to the limitations of online therapy, such as not being able to see clients in person. However, recommendations for HRT are at the discretion of each therapist.
Pride Counseling offers one subscription plan.
Prices vary between $60 and $90 per week depending on location, therapist specialisms, and therapist availability. The company takes payment monthly, and a person can cancel their subscription at any time.
Insurance
Pride Counseling states that its services generally do not have coverage by health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid.
However, a person can contact their insurance provider to see if they can receive partial or full coverage.
At the time of publishing, Pride Counseling does not hold accreditation with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The BBB gives the service an A- grade.
There is one review on the BBB website. It gives Pride Counseling 5 out of 5 stars, saying that their therapist was a good listener.
The company has closed two complaints on the BBB website in the past 3 years. These complaints mention counselors not attending sessions and customers not receiving refunds.
Pride Counseling has one review on its Trustpilot page. This review appears to be the same as the one listed with the BBB.
A person who wishes to use Price Counseling needs to fill in a short questionnaire about the topics they wish to discuss with a therapist.
After completing the questionnaire, the service will ask for payment and match an individual with a therapist specializing in their areas of concern. People will receive a confirmation when the system has found a match.
Below is a comparison table comparing Pride Counseling with some of its competitors.
| Brand | Cost | Specialties | Methods of communication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pride Counseling | $60–90 per week | LBGTQIA+ | • messaging • live chat • video conferencing • phone calls |
| Amwell | $109–129 per session | various areas | • video conferencing |
| BetterHelp | $60–90 per week | various areas | • messaging • live chat • video conferencing • phone calls |
| Talkspace | $69–129 per week | various areas | • messaging • video conferencing • phone calls |
| ReGain | $60–90 per week | couples and relationships | • messaging • live chat • video conferencing • phone calls |
Below are some frequently asked questions about Pride Counseling.
Who is eligible for Pride Counseling?
Pride Counseling states that it is a suitable online therapy service for anyone 18 years of age or older.
However, the company designs its services around those who are LGBTQIA+. The therapists on this platform specialize in providing advice and guidance to this community.
Does Pride Counseling take insurance?
Pride Counseling states that its services generally do not have coverage from health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid.
However, people can contact their health insurance providers to see if they will cover the cost of online therapy.
Can Pride Counseling prescribe medication?
Pride Counseling therapists cannot prescribe medication, as the company does not offer psychiatry services.
Learn more about online psychiatry services.
Additionally, the service states that the therapists on this platform are unlikely to offer recommendations for HRT. However, therapists may offer recommendations at their discretion.
Can I choose my therapist with Pride Counseling?
Pride Counseling automatically matches a person with a therapist according to their questionnaire results.
However, an individual can request to change their therapist at any time.
Pride Counseling offers online therapy, and the platform’s therapists specialize in providing services to the LGBTQIA+ community. A person can choose how to communicate with their therapist, whether through messaging, live chat, video, or phone call.
The service costs between $60 and $90 per week, and an individual can cancel their subscription at any time.