It’s not too much to want affordable, easy-to-use therapy from someone who gets your experiences. Here’s what you need to know before signing up.
What's in this article?
Key takeaways
- Grow Therapy connects users with licensed therapists and psychiatrists through a pay-per-session model.
- Black women can easily filter for therapists by gender identity, specialty, and more—for care that actually gets your experiences.
- Users can save quite a bit with Grow Therapy, which costs $21 per session on average.
- The platform lacks many features that some other services offer, including a mobile app.
For Black women navigating the mental health care system, finding a therapist who truly sees you and fits your schedule can feel like a full-time job. Grow Therapy is designed to make that search easier.
What is Grow Therapy?
Grow Therapy is an online platform with licensed therapists, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals who accept insurance. Unlike subscription-based services like BetterHelp, Grow Therapy uses a pay-per-session model. You only pay when you have a session.
To get started, answer a few quick questions about your location, insurance, and the type of help you’re looking for (if you know).
Once you find a provider, you can schedule your first appointment within two days. And because Grow Therapy works with insurance, your costs could be near the average $21 per session with insurance—much lower than typical out-of-pocket rates.
>> MORE: 50 Black women therapists pioneering culturally-affirming care
Where Grow Therapy shines
Not all therapists accept insurance. Grow Therapy makes it easier to find one who does, removing a major financial barrier.
And you can get specific, limiting your search to Black women therapists if that’s a priority. You can also filter by in-network providers, in-person or online therapy, sexual orientation, mental health specialty, religion, and more.
You’re also not limited to virtual sessions. If you prefer, you can search for mental health professionals with in-person availability.
Another plus: Grow Therapy includes psychiatrists who can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medications, like antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. You can get diagnosed, receive medication, and manage treatment all within the client portal.
Where Grow Therapy can improve
Grow Therapy functions more like an insurance processor than a comprehensive online service. Its telehealth platform holds video sessions but doesn’t support live chat or audio-only therapy. You also won’t find extras like online journaling or worksheets.
Also, therapist availability depends on your state and insurance coverage. Finding a provider who meets your needs might be harder in some areas.
Grow Therapy features
Here are some features you can expect when using Grow Therapy to achieve your mental health goals.
Therapy cost estimate
Use Grow Therapy’s online tool to estimate how much you’ll pay per session based on your insurance and state. Enter basic information like your name, date of birth, state of residence, insurance provider, and member ID for a customized estimate.
Psychiatry and medication management
In addition to searching for licensed therapists, psychologists, and social workers, you can find a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner who can diagnose conditions and prescribe medication if needed. You can manage your treatment plan, including refills, within the client portal.
Online or in-person therapy
A user can filter their search by in-person or online therapists, whichever works best for their schedule and lifestyle. Online sessions are held via video on Grow Therapy’s telehealth platform, where you can also message your therapist and share documents during the session.
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Schedule sessions
Once you find a therapist, you can book your first session in the client portal by accessing their calendar. You may be able to have your first session within two days, depending on the provider’s availability.
You can also use the client portal to reschedule or cancel sessions.
Progress check-ins
Clients can track symptoms within the Grow Therapy client portal, noting whether they’re mild, moderate, or severe and if they’re seeing progress over time. There’s also space to reflect on your relationship with your therapist, which can be critical to your success in therapy.
Mental health tests
Grow Therapy has free screenings for symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and anxiety. Answer questions, then receive customized results and next steps after entering your email.
Message therapist
You and your therapist can send secure messages and share documents within the client portal. Messaging isn’t quite the same as being able to hold a session via live chat, but you can expect a response within one or two days.
Change therapists
If you’re not vibing with your therapist, Grow Therapy makes it easy to find a new one. Simply go to your client portal, select “find a new provider,” and search the directory for one that better fits your needs and goals.
And if you decide you’re done with therapy, you don’t have to worry about canceling a membership. Grow Therapy is not a subscription service. You can pause or stop therapy by canceling any remaining sessions.
How much does Grow Therapy cost?
Grow Therapy users pay per session instead of a monthly membership fee. Therapists set their own prices, so your cost depends on the provider’s rates and your insurance coverage.
Here’s what to expect, according to Grow Therapy:
- The average cost per session with insurance is $21.
- Without insurance, you could pay $100 to $200 per session.
Use Grow Therapy’s cost estimator to see your personalized rate based on your insurance.
>> TAKE THE QUIZ: What is it that your mind needs right now?
Grow Therapy pros and cons
No therapy service is perfect. Here are a few advantages and drawbacks to Grow Therapy.
Grow Therapy pros
- Accepts insurance: Grow Therapy accepts over 50 types of insurance, including UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Aetna.
- Offers psychiatry: You can find a psychiatrist or nurse practitioner for a diagnosis and medication management.
- Can select in-person or virtual sessions: Choose a therapist with in-person availability or opt for one with virtual sessions.
- Pay per session: There’s no monthly subscription, and you can get an estimate of your costs using Grow Therapy’s calculator.
Grow Therapy cons
- Fewer ways to hold sessions: While you can chat with your therapist during a video session, Grow Therapy’s platform does not appear to support audio-only or chat-only sessions.
- Limited platform features: Grow Therapy does not have a mobile app as of this writing and lacks added features, like journaling and worksheets, which you can find with some competitors.
- Provider availability depends on your state: Your available providers will depend on where you live and your insurance coverage. Some states may have a more limited selection.
- The vetting process is unclear: Grow Therapy’s process for choosing therapists is described as an “intensive interview process” without much detail.
Is Grow Therapy right for you?
Grow Therapy can be a sound option if you have insurance and are looking for more affordable therapy, in-person or online.
The platform is straightforward and allows you to join live video sessions, track your mental health progress, and manage medication from the client portal. However, it lacks certain features that aren’t critical to therapy but are nice to have.
There’s no monthly membership, so trying Grow Therapy can be a fairly low risk. If it doesn’t work for you, you can choose not to book future sessions.
Finding a therapist and a platform that truly meets your needs—including one who understands your experience as a Black woman—can involve some trial and error. But getting the right support will be worth it as you start to heal and build resilience
For more information, visit Grow Therapy’s website or email [email protected] with questions.
Grow Therapy review FAQs
Is Grow Therapy a real company?
Grow Therapy is a mental health group headquartered in New York City. Founded in 2020, it currently includes over 17,000 providers and accepts more than 50 insurance types.
How much is a Grow Therapy session?
According to Grow Therapy, clients pay $0 to $125 per session, depending on their health plans and deductibles. The average copay is around $21 with insurance. You can enter your details into Grow Therapy’s calculator to see your personalized estimate.
Is Grow Therapy better than Talkspace?
Whether you choose Grow Therapy or Talkspace depends on your needs. Both platforms accept insurance. Grow Therapy uses a pay-per-session model, while Talkspace requires a monthly subscription if you don’t use insurance. Talkspace has more features that support virtual sessions, but Grow Therapy may be a better choice if you want in-person sessions.
Methodology
The Love Your Mind Project evaluates mental wellness products and services using thorough research, expert insights, and personal experience. We look at key factors to understand the product or service quality, price, ease of use, and overall user experience. This website may consult mental health professionals and other experts to gain additional perspective. The goal is to provide an honest, well-rounded review to help you make an informed decision about your mental wellness journey.
