10 Best Online Therapy Services for Postpartum Depression and Anxiety

With a wide range of therapy options, affordable pricing, and a mission to connect users with licensed therapists through private messaging, live sessions, or both, Talkspace hits our list as the most comprehensive online therapy service for postpartum issues. Its therapists and psychiatrists have expertise in treating postpartum issues like depression and anxiety, and you can seek this treatment all on one platform that bills you via a monthly subscription.

To get started, you’ll answer a few questions about yourself, the postpartum mental health symptoms you’re experiencing, and your therapy and therapist preferences. Once completed, Talkspace’s proprietary matching algorithm pairs you with a qualified provider—and you can reach out right away via the text messaging platform. According to our testers, while answers are asynchronous, responses are relatively prompt—usually within about two hours. Testers report that therapists' answers are usually short, but thoughtfully address the patient’s question. 

If you sign up for a talk therapy plan, you can also schedule live sessions or live chats. Generally, appointments are available within a few days. Video sessions are typically 45 minutes long. Users who prefer to message their postpartum therapist online can do so through the app or portal in a private chat room. 

Talkspace offers a range of therapy options, including online postpartum therapy; prices are as follows:

• $69 per week for messaging only
• $99 per week for video and messaging therapy 
• $109 per week for video messaging and workshops

Talkspace accepts a comprehensive list of insurance plans; however, does not accept Medicare or Medicaid. According to the FAQs, some clients may be eligible for reimbursements from a flexible spending account (FSA) or health saving Account (HSA), but those amounts vary, so users are encouraged to check with plan administrators. The platform doesn’t offer free consultations, nor does it do free assessments. 

Of the 105 users we surveyed, 3% indicated that they sought Talkspace’s services to treat postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety. Sixty-nine percent rated their therapist qualifications as very good or excellent, with many noting that their provider was caring, empathetic, and took the time to listen. Eighty-three percent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the therapist options on Talkspace, and 67% noted therapist diversity on the platform was very good or excellent. Anyone watching their purse strings may be happy to know that 58% of users felt that Talkspace was affordable or very affordable. And finally, 88% said Talkspace was better or much better than other services they’ve used in the past. 

Anyone looking for postpartum depression help online will find an excellent resource with BetterHelp. This platform gives therapy seekers access to licensed therapists, psychologists, and counselors and all types of therapy, including therapy to treat postpartum depression. It’s typically conducted via phone, live messaging, or video chat, all of which are excellent options for new parents who may not have the time or the inclination to leave the house. 

To sign up, you’ll have to answer some questions about your needs and reasons for seeking therapy (with an option to choose “I’ve been feeling depressed”), so you can be matched with a provider who can help you best. The matching process usually takes about 48 hours. But the good news here is that there are no surprises. More than half of the 105 BetterHelp users we surveyed indicated that therapist bios, prices, and detailed information about what sessions would look like were all provided upfront. 

Once matched, you can communicate with your therapist through multiple channels, including phone calls and live video sessions. Live sessions are typically 45 minutes long, and you are limited to one live session per week. However, you can also message your therapist anytime through a private chat room that only the client and therapist can access.

One drawback of BetterHelp is that it does not offer psychiatry services, so if your postpartum anxiety and depression is more serious, you might need to seek treatment elsewhere. 

BetterHelp usually costs $60 to $90 per week, and users are billed every four weeks. Anyone thinking about engaging the service should keep in mind that the final price is based on location, preferences, and therapist availability. 

You can cancel your membership at any time for any reason, and if you cancel before your paid term is up, you will receive a prorated refund. 

Services offered through BetterHelp are not covered by health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. However, you can use funds from an HSA or FSA account to pay.

Of the users we surveyed, 86% rated BetterHelp as good, very good, or excellent overall. Seventy-two percent said the therapist qualifications on BetterHelp were very good or excellent, and 79% said the number of quality providers in its directory was good, very good, or excellent. Sixty-one percent said the process of looking for a therapist was easy or very easy, and 77% said they were likely to recommend BetterHelp to others. Five percent of our surveyed users reached out to BetterHelp for treatment for postpartum depression or anxiety.

Brightside specializes in treating depression and anxiety, so it makes our list as the best online postpartum therapy for anxiety. Listed among its list of specialties are depression (including PPD and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD), bipolar II, anxiety, OCD, and panic disorders. 

Available to those 18 years and older in all 50 U.S. states, Brightside uses a holistic approach to treating postpartum anxiety: cognitive behavioral therapy techniques and medication management. 

To get started, you fill out a brief questionnaire. After this, you are given a list of therapists and psychiatrists who are licensed in your state. Once you choose a therapist from this list, you can book an appointment online. You can choose from a range of options, including a medication plan, a therapy plan, or a combination of both. Brightside also allows you to purchase video appointments à la carte. 

Therapy with your chosen provider includes a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, and a personalized treatment plan. Users should note this may or may not include medication—providers will only prescribe medication if they deem it necessary, potentially effective, and safe. 

Brightside users can choose from three subscription plans. 

• Medication plan: For $95 per month, this plan connects users with a remote psychiatric provider for evaluation, ongoing provider support, and medication management. 
• Therapy plan: For $299 per month, this plan gives users access to unlimited messaging and four monthly video sessions with a licensed therapist who guides them through a personalized program using evidence-based therapy techniques. Therapy seekers can also purchase additional video appointments with their therapist for $59 per session.
• Combination plan: For $349 per month, users can combine the medication plan and the therapy plan. 

While Brightside tries to ensure its care is affordable even without insurance, it accepts HSA/FSA payments and most major insurance plans.

Of the users we surveyed, 90% indicated that they would rate Brightside as good, very good, or excellent overall. Sixty-five percent ​​rated the therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent, and 75% said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the therapist options provided on Brightside’s directory. And finally, 75% said they were likely or very likely to recommend Brightside to others. 

Co-founded by a patient and a triple-board-certified psychiatrist, with a mission to improve accessibility and affordability of medication management Talkiatry has evolved into a robust mental health practice that provides in-network psychiatric care and talk therapy. This type of care can be invaluable to those experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety.

Like most online therapy platforms, you must complete an online assessment to be matched with the best Talkiatry psychiatrist for your specific needs. Once matched, psychiatrists work with clients to develop a treatment plan that includes regular virtual visits as well as medication management. It’s worth noting that, unlike some online platforms, Talkiatry is not restricted to prescribing specific medications. Psychiatrists focus on finding the right medication and dosage for each individual. 

First-time visits are 60 minutes long, and follow-up visits can be 30 to 45 minutes long, depending on the patient’s needs. As one tester noted, Talkiatry is medication-based and not talk therapy-based, so weekly sessions may be a bit unnecessary.

If you’re interested in individual talk therapy on a more frequent basis, you can do so on the platform with a referral from your provider. 

It may be worth noting that, unlike many online therapy platforms, Talkiatry works with psychiatrists who can treat patients as young as 5 years old.

Talkiatry only takes new patients whose insurance they accept. The price for treatment varies from person to person, depending on their insurance benefits. Currently, Talkiatry accepts most major insurance providers, including 

• Aetna
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Cigna
• Humana
• Medicare
• Oscar
• UnitedHealthcare

Anyone who doesn’t see their provider on the list can use Talkiatry’s insurance eligibility checker in their online assessment form to search for and confirm coverage. 

Our user survey shows that 95% of testers would rate Talkiatry as good, very good, or excellent. Eighty-one percent said they were satisfied with the therapist options on the platform, and over half said they chose their therapist from the company’s list of therapists. Seventy-three percent of users rated Talkiatry’s medication or psychiatry services as good or very good, and 63% said their therapist was understanding and/or open-minded. 

Our tester indicated the responses from providers were prompt (often received by the next morning or within eight hours), sessions felt personal, not scripted, and appointments were typically available within a week. 

ReGain specializes in couples therapy, often helping people with anxiety, stressful relationships, parenting issues, depression, and other types of family conflicts. Anyone with ReGain on their shortlist will be happy to know the therapists at ReGain are experienced and accredited psychologists, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed professional therapists.  

At sign-up, you are assigned a therapist based on your intake questionnaire answers. Unfortunately, the therapists' bios are not viewable before the match. Therapy seekers just get what the algorithm chooses for them. You can only see your therapist’s bio and credentials when a match is made. 

Therapy through ReGain is mostly conducted via messaging on its app (iOS and Android) or online portal. You can reach out to your therapist within 24 hours of being matched. Overall, our testers found that therapists were knowledgeable, and their responses felt genuine, not scripted. 

You’ll have access to therapy rooms 24/7, and a typical session is essentially logging into the room and communicating with the therapist (i.e., asking questions or writing about any issues on your mind). These aren’t live video sessions, so sometime later, the therapist logs in to the same room, reads the messages, and responds accordingly. Real-time phone or live video sessions are also available, but are limited to one per week. 

ReGain doesn’t offer medication management, nor does it work with minors. 

While ReGain offers a subscription option that typically costs between $60 to $90 per week (billed every four weeks), the company operates using a surge pricing structure. That is to say; there’s no fixed pricing. Ultimately, rates are based on the supply and demand of therapists and location.

The platform doesn’t accept health insurance, nor does it offer a free trial, but users can cancel their membership at any time, for any reason.

According to our survey, 77% of users rated ReGain as good, very good, or excellent overall. Fifty-three percent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the therapist options provided by ReGain, 63% rated the therapist’s qualifications as good or very good, and 72% said they were likely or very likely to recommend ReGain to others. Fifty-nine percent of users said ReGain was better or much better than services they’ve used in the past, and 45% felt that the therapists affiliated with ReGain were understanding and/or open-minded. 

To get started with group therapy through Circles, clients are asked to answer a few brief questions so they can be matched with the best paid or free Circle (group) and facilitator for their needs. Therapy seekers are typically offered a few options for potential Circles, and they can ultimately select the Circle they wish to participate in as well as the day and time that works best for their schedule. 

Circles typically meet online once a week for a 60-minute video session. Groups consist of 10 people or less, all of whom are coping with a similar struggle. New participants are only ever paired with other newbies, and Circle facilitators are trained, screened, and vetted social workers, psychologists, or therapists who are experts in their specializations.

While Circle meetings are the primary avenue for therapy, participants can connect with fellow Circle members or facilitators for support outside of weekly meetings through the in-app chat. 

In addition to weekly group meetings and 24/7 chat access, the Circles app offers some pretty comprehensive support through content like self-help exercises, blogs, and webinars, all of which are available at no extra cost. Paid circles are facilitated by therapist, while trained peers facilitate the free circles.

Group therapy with Circles costs $79 per month (which roughly works out to about $20 per meeting or week). If you're on the fence, you can try Circles for one week at no charge. The platform doesn’t work directly with insurance providers yet, but offers financial assistance to members who may need it. 

Sifting through our user surveys and testing, we found that 49% of users would rate Circles as very good or excellent, 70% said they were likely or very likely to recommend Circles to a friend, and 62% said that the experience was better or much better than other services they used in the past. 

Fifty-three percent of users indicated that they were given plenty of information upfront, including therapist bios, prices, and detailed information about what sessions would look like. And while Circles relies on group therapy led by facilitators, 57% of users indicated they would rate the therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent, and 48% said Circles’ therapists are understanding and/or open-minded. 

Founded in 2006, Amwell is one of the pioneers of telemedicine, and over the years, it has grown by leaps and bounds. Today the platform connects users with doctors, therapists, and qualified help for everything from a sinus infection and anxiety to online postpartum counseling and breastfeeding support. 

While Amwell patients can get instantaneous access to doctors for a wide range of acute health issues, Amwell’s lactation consultants are only available by appointment. You can schedule appointments by phone or through the self-schedule feature in the Amwell app. That said, lactation consultants are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

All lactation consultants are International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (ICBLCs), and each one has completed a lactation-specific clinical internship and passed a board examination. 

These consultants can help with every aspect of breastfeeding, including latching issues, breast pain, mastitis, concerns about milk supply, pumping, sore nipples, and weaning, among others.

Initial appointments for breastfeeding support are 50 minutes long, and follow-up appointments are 30 minutes. The first appointment is usually longer so the lactation consultant can get a history of your health and your baby’s and a good understanding of your issues. In some cases, a feeding assessment may be necessary to help the consultant identify any problems and troubleshoot solutions. Ultimately, nursing parents will walk away from their initial appointment with an individualized breastfeeding care plan. And there’s no need to take notes; these plans are available and accessible to you via your patient portal at any time.

It may be worth mentioning that Amwell has comprehensive offerings for pregnancy and  postpartum care, including breastfeeding, nutrition, and online therapy for postpartum depression.

An initial 50-minute appointment with a lactation consultant costs $129. Follow-up visits cost $75 and are usually 25 minutes long.

Amwell accepts HSA and FSA payments, but you are also encouraged to check with your insurance provider to determine eligibility.

In our survey, 88% of users rated Amwell as good, very good, or excellent, and 56% said their therapist understood them and/or was open-minded. Sixty-five percent said they found Amwell to be affordable or very affordable, and 64% gave the platform top marks for transparency with therapist bios, prices, and detailed information upfront about what sessions on the platform would look like. 

Instead of relying on algorithms to do the work, the folks at Inclusive Therapists will work with you to find a mental health professional in your area that specializes in postpartum depression and anxiety. The Inclusive Therapists directory lists:

• Psychotherapists and counselors
• Relationship and marriage therapists
• Family therapists
• Social workers
• Psychologists
• Psychiatrists

Alternatively, you can search the site yourself and choose the therapist that may best serve your needs. The Inclusive Therapists directory makes it easy to filter your search using a wide assortment of parameters. For example, BIPOC users looking for postpartum care can search for providers offering pregnancy/prenatal/postpartum care, but they drill down even further and find providers who specialize in perinatal, pregnancy or infant loss; parenting coaching; or co-parenting if that’s what they need. 

One feature worth noting is the platform’s accessibility feature, which (unlike many therapy websites) allows you to translate the website into another language (36 to be exact), magnify the text, use a virtual keyboard, and change visual elements like the cursor’s color and website contrast. Also notable, the service is available in Canada and Hong Kong. 

Inclusive Therapists is an online directory, so the plans and pricing on the website reflect the charges therapists pay to be listed on the site. Costs for therapy seekers vary based on the provider.

That said, our survey showed that 79% of users rated the site as good or very good for connecting users with therapists who offered payment options (i.e., sliding scale rates, accepting multiple insurance options, financial aid, accepting HSA/FSA payment methods, and payment plans). Moreover, 79% indicated that health insurance helped them pay for services through Inclusive Therapists. 

On our survey, 89% of users rated Inclusive Therapists as good or very good overall. Sixty-eight percent said the process of looking for a therapist that met their needs was easy, and 77% rated the diversity of therapists as good or very good. We should point out that while the bio pages indicate whether therapists are taking new clients (or not), 63% of users said this information was inaccurate, and they had to reach out to multiple therapists to confirm their availability and make an appointment. That said, 81% rated the qualifications of the therapists as good or very good. 

Launched in May 2016, the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network sought to create a comprehensive network where QTBIPOC people could connect to QTBIPOC mental health practitioners who are intimately familiar with their specific therapy needs and concerns. 

Over the years, the group has grown exponentially and now offers access to over 300 QTBIPOC mental health practitioners. 

To increase access to spiritual and emotional care for LGBTQIA+ communities, NQTTCN works with a comprehensive roster of therapists and clients, including Black, indigenous, Latinx, Middle Eastern, Asian, mixed race, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, two-spirit, gender non-conforming, genderqueer, and non-binary people. 

To get started, you can search your local area and then drill down to more specific search parameters. You can find therapists offering telehealth therapy options and discern which ones are accepting new clients and offer sliding scale or low fees. You can message providers directly from the site or visit the therapist’s websites for more information. The listings on NQTTCN are pretty detailed, with many showing credentials, race, gender, and payment methods, including cost per session, insurance acceptance, and sliding fee scales. 

NQTTCN is an online directory. It is free to use for therapy seekers, but there are no uniform fees or subscription plans. Session rates vary based on the provider.

Digging through our user survey, we found that 84% of users would rate the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network as good, very good, or excellent overall. Sixty-eight percent said they were able to find a therapist that met all their needs, and 76% indicated that therapist diversity on NQTTCN was good or very good. While 78% said navigating the website was easy or very easy, 57% indicated they had to reach out to multiple therapists to confirm their availability. 

GoodTherapy is another inclusive directory that will help you connect with postpartum therapy mental health professional so you can get care from the best provider for your needs. Anyone seeking therapy can filter their search to find providers in their area or providers with a particular specialty, like postpartum depression and care, for example. You can also find providers according to the type of service they offer and the insurance they accept. 

One area where Good Therapy really stands out is in the information it provides. It runs a robust blog that’s teeming with info on every topic, from self-care to relationship advice and taking a mental health day to quiet-quitting. It also links you directly to information based on your search. For example, if you search for a provider with expertise in postpartum depression, the site shares some pretty in-depth information, including causes, symptoms, statistics, prevention, types of treatments available, medications, and case examples. 

Therapy seekers can message providers directly from the site or navigate to the provider’s website for more information. The listings on Good Therapy are pretty detailed, often showing credentials, race, gender, and approved payment methods, including cost per session, insurance acceptance, and sliding scale rates. 

Good Therapy is an online directory, so the plans and pricing on the website reflect the changes therapists pay to be listed (therapy seekers can browse the site for free). Session and other costs for therapy seekers vary based on the provider.

Good Therapy earned top marks across many categories on our user survey. Ninety-five percent of users indicated they would rate Good Therapy as good, very good, or excellent overall, and 77% said they were able to find a therapist that met all of their needs. More than half of respondents said they were satisfied with the therapist options provided on Good Therapy, and 93% rated the qualifications of therapists on the site as good or very good.

Eighty-seven percent of users ranked Good Therapy as good or very good in terms of therapist diversity, and 88% indicated that if they had to start their search again, they would go with Good Therapy. It’s worth noting that while 90% said navigating the website was easy or very easy, 59% indicated they had to reach out to multiple therapists to confirm their availability.