The Best Online Trauma Therapy, Tried and Tested in 2024

We had eight different people from across the U.S. and in the U.K. test BetterHelp’s services, and although we did not try therapy for trauma specifically, we were impressed by its accessibility—especially financially. BetterHelp offers low rates compared to other online therapy services. Among its more than 30,000 therapists, you can find trauma specialists—who work with several different trauma-informed modalities—by answering several questions during the sign-up process about trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. This ensures that you can find a therapist and style of therapy that works for you. 

When we tried BetterHelp’s services ourselves, we were, for the most part, satisfied with the support we received. And in the cases when we weren't, we liked how easy it was to switch providers. Many of our therapists were warm and insightful and were able to establish a rapport with us—something that is important when seeking treatment for trauma, because developing and maintaining a safe space to share and explore your feelings and experiences is paramount to trauma work.

We did, however, experience some technical difficulties, such as unreliable video or audio in our online sessions; this could disrupt a session and make it more difficult to dive into more serious topics without distractions. We also had one therapist who was a no-show for an appointment and didn't answer any messages. However, we were able to switch to a new provider quickly and found the next therapist very communicative, punctual, and considerate.

• Insurance Accepted: No
• Subscription Required: Yes, one monthly subscription plan with weekly rates subject to surge pricing
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by demand and location; typically costs about $70 to $100 per week, for a total of $280 to $400 monthly

We surveyed 100 users of BetterHelp:

• 87% rated BetterHelp as very good or excellent overall
• 87% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 95% said that most or all of their needs were met at BetterHelp
• 96% are likely or very likely to recommend BetterHelp to a friend or someone like them
• 20% were seeking treatment after a traumatic event
  

Little Otter is our choice for childhood trauma treatment because it emphasizes a holistic approach to therapy and psychiatry that includes treatment for your child, you, and your family. The practitioners at Little Otter use trauma-informed approaches and modalities to address issues like major life changes, the death or loss of a parent, abuse, and other traumatic events. We tested Little Otter in California, Pennsylvania, and New York, and we were overall impressed with the company’s inclusive approach to children’s mental health care.

Beyond trauma therapy, Little Otter specializes in anxiety, depression, and focus—which can all be symptoms of unprocessed trauma. We were pleasantly surprised at how quickly our care teams at Little Otter were able to connect with our young children, and we felt like the amount of time our therapists spent with us (parents), our children, and ourselves and our children together was perfectly balanced and effective. We appreciated the quick connection that our 10-year-old (now age 11) made with the therapist and the effective use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for a child suffering from panic attacks and generalized anxiety.

Although in some cases we wished there was more diversity amongst our providers (a BIPOC therapist would have gone a long way for our diverse families), we came to quickly trust our therapists—important when treating children and imperative when treating children who have experienced trauma. The downside of Little Otter? The price. As much as we liked our care teams, in most cases we could not have continued receiving services with the company because of the high out-of-pocket costs. 

• Insurance Accepted: Yes, but only four insurance plans: AmeriHealth, Sana, Independence Blue Cross (in Delaware and Pennsylvania), and Florida Blue. However, the providers will fill out reimbursement forms and accept HSA/FSA payments.
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: $195 per standard therapy session; $390 for a 90-minute assessment; $500 for a 75-minute psychiatry evaluation; $250 per 30-minute psychiatry follow-up. You can also sign up for discounted bundles: $527 for an assessment bundle (90-minute assessment and one standard therapy session); $702 for a 4-session bundle, $1,326 for an 8-session bundle, and $1,989 for a 12-session bundle

We surveyed 100 users of Little Otter:

• 86% rated Little Otter as very good or excellent overall
• 86% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 96% said that most or all of their needs were met at Little Otter
• 95% are likely or very likely to recommend Little Otter to a friend or someone like them
• 19% were seeking treatment after a traumatic event

We had 11 people from all walks of life, from stay-at-home moms to licensed mental health professionals, test Talkspace in New York, Minnesota, North Carolina, Florida, Missouri, Kansas, California, South Dakota, Iowa, and Indiana—and we were mostly pleased with the services we received. Talkspace rises above other large online therapy platforms in the resource department for clients with PTSD; and it offers a test that assesses how likely it is that you have PTSD based on your responses about several symptoms, including having disturbing dreams of a traumatic event and feeling agitated and on high alert.

In our experiences with Talkspace—where we tested individual, couples, and teen therapy via both video session and text chat—our providers were knowledgeable and helpful, guiding our sessions and offering insights without overstepping. Many provided “homework” between sessions from the wide variety of resources the company offers. There are also blog posts that cover the definition of trauma, plus specific considerations for veterans, racial injustice, intergenerational trauma, abandonment trauma, mass shootings, sexual assault, and more. 

Although we felt as though our sessions were too short (which could be especially problematic for someone who needs time to dig into their trauma), the quality of our providers often made up for it. That said, while most therapists were excellent, we had a couple of experiences with therapists who seemed distracted and unprofessional. Thankfully, it's easy to change providers, but it's important to know that it may take some time to find a good fit.

• Insurance Accepted: Yes, accepts Aetna, Optum, Cigna, Carelon, and Regence health insurance plans; accepts FSA/HSA payments
• Subscription Required: Yes
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Messaging-only plans start at $69 per week; video and messaging therapy starts at $99 per week; video, messaging, and workshops start at $109 per week; Talkspace psychiatry cost $299 with follow-ups sessions that are $175. Bundle discounts are also available for users who want to schedule multiple follow-up sessions at a time. 

We surveyed 100 users of Talkspace:

• 92% rated Talkspace as very good or excellent overall
• 89% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 95% said that most or all of their needs were met at Talkspace
• 97% are likely or very likely to recommend Talkspace to a friend or someone like them
• 18% were seeking treatment after a traumatic event

The Inclusive Therapists directory supports accessible mental health care for the QTBIPOC  community—the intersection between the LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC communities. Through Inclusive Therapists, you can find a provider who can help you with not only gender- or sexuality-specific trauma such as transgender trauma, but also abuse, loss, human trafficking trauma, PTSD, racial trauma, and religious trauma (all of which might be tied to your gender or sexual identity).

We tested Inclusive Therapists across 18 ZIP codes looking for therapists for 37 different hypothetical scenarios, such as searching for an anger management specialist or seeking help with panic attacks. Inclusive Therapists performed particularly well for those who needed help with trauma, including a wide array of therapists who could help survivors of family abuse and those with complex PTSD due to years of ableism because of a disability.

The directory includes listings for therapy for individuals, couples, families, children and teens, and group therapy, as well as psychiatric care, medication management, and coaching. 

• Insurance Accepted: Yes, but varies by therapist
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Because the Inclusive Therapists directory lists therapists who have their own practices, rates vary. About 71% of the Inclusive Therapists directory providers we surveyed offer sliding-scale services.

We surveyed 100 users of Inclusive Therapists:

• 94% rated Inclusive Therapists as very good or excellent overall
• 89% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 95% said that most or all of their needs were met at Inclusive Therapists
• 98% are likely or very likely to recommend Inclusive Therapists to a friend or someone like them
• 33% were seeking trauma-focused therapy
  

Six people from New York, South Dakota, Ohio, and the U.K. tested ReGain’s couples and individual relationship therapy, and while we did not specifically seek help for trauma, it is hard to beat this company’s affordability and flexibility. In addition to employing therapists who specialize in trauma, ReGain offers helpful resources on developmental, childhood, and acute trauma that may be affecting your relationships. The company’s online resources also offer advice on whether you should seek trauma therapy.

One of the things we appreciated the most about ReGain was the fact that we and our partners could access our sessions from different devices—which might come in handy if you are in different locations or it makes you more comfortable to have some physical distance from your partner when talking about something serious like emotional trauma. We also found that ReGain offers individual relationship counseling, so if you need to discuss a traumatic event that has affected your relationship but you don’t feel comfortable sharing that work with your partner, you can work one-on-one with a therapist to understand your relationship and its challenges on your own.

There are a few things to keep in mind, however, when considering ReGain. The therapy sessions are only 30 to 45 minutes long, which often left us feeling like we’d started a fight with our partner that we didn’t have the chance to finish. In addition, we had an experience with a therapist who seemed to make assumptions and project biases, leading to a lack of understanding and comfort. However, we found that most therapists were competent, welcoming, and skilled at moderating our couples sessions.

• Insurance Accepted: No, and does not accept payment through flexible spending accounts (FSAs) or health savings accounts (HSAs)
• Subscription Required: Yes
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: $65 to $90 per week, billed monthly

We surveyed 100 users of ReGain:

• 87% rated ReGain as very good or excellent overall
• 93% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 98% said that most or all of their needs were met at ReGain
• 98% are likely or very likely to recommend ReGain to a friend or someone like them
• 11% were seeking treatment after a traumatic event
  

We asked two different people in New York to test Talkiatry, and our experience was overall very positive. One of the things that stood out to us the most was that Talkiatry’s psychiatry sessions are twice as long as those of any of its competitors—each session lasts a full hour. This is imperative when diving into trauma work, as short sessions can leave you vulnerable and upset if you don’t have time to work through everything the session has brought up for you. 

Listing “PTSD” as one of the main specialties on its homepage, Talkiatry employs providers who can work with trauma-specific techniques, including eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)—an approach that is considered the gold standard in trauma work. Talkiatry also layers psychiatric care with cultural diversity to deliver trauma treatment, prioritizing hiring and serving people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse identities. This is especially important when dealing with trauma that occurred because of racism or homophobia. 

Talkiatry also stands out because it accepts insurance, which is difficult to find in the psychiatry world. It takes most major insurance policies and makes sure you’re covered before you begin. It’s important to note, however, that Talkiatry only accepts insurance—you cannot pay out of pocket for its services. This means that those who are uninsured cannot access Talkiatry.

• Insurance Accepted: Accepts plans from five of the biggest health insurance providers: Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, Optum, UnitedHealthcare, and more; accepts some Medicare plans
• Subscription Required: No, pay-per-session service
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by insurance; you can input your insurance information before signing up to get an estimate of your copay 

We surveyed 100 users of Talkiatry:

• 86% rated Talkiatry as very good or excellent overall
• 87% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 96% said that most or all of their needs were met at Talkiatry
• 95% are likely or very likely to recommend Talkiatry to a friend or someone like them
• 21% were seeking treatment after a traumatic event

Reclamation Collective is a unique directory of diverse resources created to help people who have experienced religious trauma. It was started by two women in the Midwest who both left their childhood faith communities for differing reasons and in the process had to work through grief, shame, and isolation. Although we did not test Reclamation Collective ourselves, we feel confident recommending its services to those who have experienced religious trauma because of the company’s specific specialization in this subject.

In addition to a directory of counselors who specialize in religious trauma, the Reclamation Collective also offers online classes and support groups, in-person events and retreats, and other resources. One such resource is known as a “Ritual Circle,” which is a group experience specifically for the purpose of reclaiming spirituality after experiencing trauma with a religious community.

While the directory doesn’t have the best user interface, it still allows you to search over 100 registered and licensed or pre-licensed therapists by location, specialty, and insurance coverage. Specialties include purity culture, fundamentalist Christianity, Mormonism, Orthodox Judaism, childhood abuse and neglect, LGBTQIA+ concerns, and sexual trauma.

• Insurance Accepted: Varies by provider
• Subscription Required: N/A
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Varies by therapist and insurance

Although we did not survey users of this company, we are confident in recommending the Reclamation Collective directory because of its specific focus on religious trauma and its wide array of additional resources that can give much-needed support to anyone who has had a traumatic experience at the hands of a religious organization, community, or individual.

We tested the Choosing Therapy online directory in 18 different ZIP codes and across 37 different scenarios in which someone might be looking for online therapy. Choosing Therapy performed well when searching for a provider of trauma work for survivors of family abuse as well as for sexual assault survivors—two scenarios for which it was particularly difficult to find appropriate therapists in the other 24 online therapy directories we tried.

The volume of therapists in the Choosing Therapy directory, combined with the number of helpful articles about everything from EMDR therapy and grief counseling to how to prepare for your first-ever therapy session, make Choosing Therapy a one-stop shop for trauma treatment, psychoeducation, and easy scheduling. The providers listed in the Choosing Therapy directory cover nearly everything, including child mental health, trauma therapy, gender identity and transgender health, and race and cultural identity. While it doesn’t include listings for psychiatrists or groups, it is easy to search for appropriate therapists using the “PTSD” or “Trauma” specialty filters when narrowing down your choices.

The Choosing Therapy website also features dozens of additional articles about mental health issues and types of therapy and the robust directory is easy to search by specialty (including trauma and PTSD), location, therapist identity (BIPOC or LGBTQIA+), and insurance coverage.

• Insurance Accepted: Varies by therapist
• Subscription Required: No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: Directory is free to use; therapist rates vary

We surveyed 100 users of Choosing Therapy:

• 88% rated Choosing Therapy as very good or excellent overall
• 87% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 96% said that most or all of their needs were met at Choosing Therapy
• 96% are likely or very likely to recommend Choosing Therapy to a friend or someone like them 
• 13% were seeking treatment after a traumatic event