Counseling on Demand Review

Therapy is nothing new.

People have been getting therapy, in one form or another, for thousands of years. Counseling is a great way to allow people to step back from their problems to gain another perspective and hopefully find some improvement in the areas where they are struggling.

With the advent of the internet, however, new forms of counseling have emerged. Known as e-counseling or online counseling, this particular form of therapy has become increasingly popular over the last couple of decades. This is especially true for the younger generation.

There are a lot of reasons that people might be interested in pursuing their therapy through the use of the internet.

• It is more accessible and available than traditional forms of counseling. If you live in a small, rural area, for example, you might not have access to a therapist’s office. E-counseling is also more accessible to people who struggle with ailments that prevent them from leaving the house.
• It provides privacy. Many people, especially younger folks, are apprehensive about seeking therapy because they are worried about what their friends or family might think. With e-therapy, you can seek help online without anyone else knowing.
• It is often more affordable than regular counseling. Granted, this isn’t always the case – some higher-end e-counseling sites charge just as much as a normal therapist. However, factoring in transportation fees, oftentimes this still equates to saving money.

It’s important to know a bit about any company you choose to give your money to, though. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to review some of the newer e-therapy websites. In this article, we’ll give you a detailed review of Counseling On Demand.

Company Profile:

Counseling on Demand is a company that’s dedicated to providing counseling services to people in need.

They recognized that the internet is a fantastic method of communication that opens up opportunities for people who may not have had the chance – or the desire – to seek therapy in more conventional ways.

The owners of Counseling on Demand have developed a platform that allows a wide variety of counselors and therapists to connect with patients who are in need of help. They focus on personal problems such as addiction, marriages, depression, and anxiety, but they accept counselors who specialize in many different areas as well.

Signing Up:

Signing up for Counseling on Demand is as simple as 1, 2, 3.

In fact, you hardly even have to sign up. On the company’s main webpage, a drop-down menu allows you to choose to select an appointment. Pushing this button will bring you to a registration page that doubles as your appointment booking page.

From here, you will be prompted to enter your name, your email, and your phone number if you desire. You can choose your counselor from a drop-down list and select your problem from another list. A button list allows you to select problem behaviors that you would like to work on, invasive or self-destructive thoughts that you have experienced, and feelings that you have been dealing with. There is also a text box where you can give a summary of your story and why you’re seeking therapy.

After submitting your information, the company will contact you within 48 hours.

Pricing:

The pricing for Counseling on Demand depends on what you’re seeking. All counselors will cost the same, but there are different packages and plans that you can choose from depending on what you need.

• Standard 60 minute session. If you’re just looking for a single session to try out the platform, you can pay $85 to talk to one counselor after your free consultation.
• Starter pack. The starter pack will provide you with a short, half-hour session over Skype or the telephone, as well as weekly email and text feedback for $50 per 30 minutes.
• Plus plan. For $160, you will get two 60 minute Skype or telephone sessions with your counselor, as well as weekly emails and texts. This amounts to savings of $5 per session.
• Premier. For $272, or $68 per session, you will save $17 compared to the price of a standard single session by paying for 4 sessions. You’ll also get weekly emails and texts.

Usability (Desktop & Mobile):

Using Counseling on Demand is quite simple.

After you register, you will be able to take a look at the different therapists that work on the website. You can check out their bio and decide which one is best suited for what you need, and then choose to schedule your appointment with the simple click of a button.

After choosing your counselor, you will get a free complimentary consultation. This will help you to further decide whether or not this counselor is the right fit. Once the two of you are comfortable you can agree to move forward with your therapy immediately after the consultation or at a different time.

Counselor Support & Effectiveness:

All of the therapists working for Counseling on Demand are fully licensed. Many of the counselors have well over 10 years of experience, which makes the support overwhelmingly effective as noted by many customer reviews on their site. However, as we note in other reviews, therapy is personal and each person will have a different experience. Nevertheless and generally speaking, the more qualified a counselor is, the higher likelihood of success.

Additionally, since each counselor has different qualifications, the best thing that you can do is read about them individually on their site. Doing this is easy as all their biographies are posted and easily accessed.

Confidentiality & Privacy:

Counseling on Demand does not list their terms of service or their confidentiality guarantee on their website.

One would expect an accredited institution to make clear their claims regarding patient confidentiality. However, it’s possible that this is just a slip in the design of the site. Most professional counselors, such as those that you can access on this website, are sworn to confidentiality. However, it’s a bit strange that this information isn’t readily available on their page.

Counseling on Demand Counselor Qualifications:

The counselors on Counseling on Demand are qualified in different areas. This is one of the reasons that it’s important to read a bit about the counselor and check out their bio before deciding on which one you will have help you.

For example, Matthew Hunt – the Lead Online Counselor of the site – holds a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and has been working in the field for more than 15 years.

Other counselors hold different degrees of qualifications. For example, Sandra Donaldson is a counselor who focuses on treating past hurts. She focuses on a spiritual-based approach to counseling and holds a membership in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and the American Association of Christian Counselors.

Specialties & Areas of Expertise:

Counseling on Demand offers a number of different services for people with different problems. There are several areas in which the company focuses on:

• Marriage and Couple Counseling. The Lead Counselor of the website holds a Master’s Degree in marriage and couple counseling, and there are other counselors working for the site who also specialize in this area. If you’re having issues with your partner or your marriage then you’ll certainly be able to find some help on Counseling on Demand.
• Depression. Depression is one of the most common problems in our society, and it’s important that you seek help if you’re feeling depressed. Counseling on Demand has many counselors who are able to help support you through depression.
• Anxiety. There are many different forms of anxiety. Social anxiety, for example, is a condition that prevents people from readily enjoying social experiences. This can inhibit their ability to work or go to school. General anxiety is a form of anxiety that lingers throughout the day even if there isn’t much to be anxious about. Anxiety can also emerge as a result of conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder.
  Counseling on Demand has a number of counselors who are qualified to help their patients manage anxiety, so if you’re struggling with any of the above conditions then you’ll be in good hands if you choose to seek help here.
• Addiction. Addiction is one of the most complicated conditions around, and thus one of the most difficult to treat. There are so many factors that contribute to addiction – a person’s physical and mental health, their upbringing, their genetics, and their environment, just to name a few – that there is no one way to ‘properly’ treat an addiction.
  That’s why it’s so important to seek counseling. Having a one-on-one connection with an addiction counselor, such as those that you find online at Counseling on Demand, can help walk you through your issues.

These are the areas that the website specializes in, but there are a number of other conditions listed on their main webpage that they can treat. For more information, you can click the respective link on the drop-down menu on Counseling on Demand’s main page.

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder, a condition in which a person develops strange obsessions with compulsive behavior that can negatively affect their quality of life.
• Bipolar disorder, a serious condition in which a person seems to undergo drastic changes in their personality, their beliefs, and their morals depending on certain circumstances. Bipolar disorder can be traumatizing to both the patient and those around them.
• Dysthymia, a form of mild but persistent depression that is often best managed through therapy instead of with medication..
• Post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition that emerges as a result of trauma in a person’s past. This can lead to things like flashbacks, hallucinations, depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

If you are struggling with any of the above problems then you should have no trouble finding a counselor to help you at Counseling on Demand.

Bottom Line:

If you’re looking for a company to connect you with a good therapist, then Counseling on Demand might be the site that you’re looking for.

Each counselor that works on the site has a detailed biography that you can read so you can decide which one is the best fit for you. Each counselor and their qualifications are outlined and you should be able to get an appointment with them within a week of requesting one.

The only questionable thing about this website is the fact that their privacy policy and their confidentiality is not detailed on their main page.