Best Online OCD Therapy

NOCD is a unique online therapy platform specific to treating individuals diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Inspired by his own experience being diagnosed and treated for OCD, Stephen Smith founded NOCD with a mission to improve the experience of others with this mental health condition. Its providers are well-versed in treating symptoms of OCD and receive regular training to improve their clinical skills.

Additionally, NOCD also focuses on treating OCD based on its subtypes, such as Pure OCD (where intrusive thoughts and hidden mental rituals are the main symptoms without obvious compulsive actions accompanying them) or Contamination OCD (where the fixation is on avoiding germs and illness and the compulsion might be excessive hand-washing or cleaning). The company devotes its time to researching the diagnosis and giving users a high level of care for a disorder that largely is left ignored.

NOCD provides exclusively Exposure and Response Prevention or ERP. ERP is a subset of cognitive behavioral therapy that involves exposing you to distressing stimuli and learning how to manage your reaction to the intrusive thoughts or compulsions that come with the exposure.

Frequency of appointments and the exact method for treatment vary on a case-by-case basis due to NOCD’s personalized approach to mental health care. 

Treatment through NOCD costs $170 per session. Subscription plans aren’t offered because you and your provider will discuss the frequency of sessions as it relates to your personalized treatment plan.

NOCD also accepts major insurance plans, which may help reduce the cost of treatment. Accepted insurances include UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Aetna, and Beacon. You can check your particular eligibility and benefits on its website.

Overall, 71% of NOCD users rated the company as excellent, very good, or good. Its focus on OCD symptoms, increased accessibility, and range of available services is creating positive user experiences on the platform. Seventy-nine percent of users said NOCD was much better, better, or a little better than other services they've tried, while 78% said all or most of their needs were met by their provider.

Online-Therapy.com was founded in 2009 as a means to increase access to quality cognitive behavioral therapy by providing it online. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT,  is noted as the most effective treatment for OCD, even more effective than psychotropic medications. Sessions on Online-Therapy.com are available through asynchronous messaging and live video or audio calls.

A distinct offering of Online-Therapy.com involves its wealth of resources. The online portal provides access to a virtual journal, various worksheets, and yoga or meditation videos to complete between sessions. Your therapist also provides feedback on your worksheets five days a week to continue your CBT skill development and overall growth.

That said, therapists on the platform cannot diagnose. Therefore, this service is most effective for individuals who have received a prior diagnosis of OCD and seek to learn CBT skills to manage their symptoms.

Online-Therapy.com offers exclusively CBT treatment. This therapeutic modality involves a focus on changing your thought patterns and behaviors. CBT sessions often include discussions around unhealthy thought patterns, current coping strategies, and exploring the impact of modifying your behaviors. Web-based CBT has proven to be as effective as in-person treatment, which could be why 67% of Online-Therapy.com users said they would use the company if they needed to search for a new therapist.

The pricing structure for Online-Therapy.com involves your choice of three subscription plans for individual therapy. Each plan offers access to additional coping resources, including yoga or meditation videos, an online journal, activity plan, and tests, as well as access to its CBT program with 25 additional worksheets and guaranteed daily therapist responses about your completed worksheets.

The three-tiered plans are as follows:

• Basic plan: Includes unlimited text messaging with a mental health provider; costs $50 per week ($200 per month)
• Standard plan: Includes unlimited messaging and one live 45-minute therapy session per week through text messaging, voice call, or video call; costs $80 per week ($320 per month)
• Premium plan: Includes unlimited messaging with express replies as well as two live 45-minute therapy sessions per week; costs $110 per week ($440 per month)
  

Additionally, couples therapy is offered at $110 per week, or $440 each month, and it includes a 45-minute couple’s session each week, unlimited messaging, access to its CBT program with 25 additional worksheets, and daily therapist responses regarding your worksheets, as well as access to the additional resources.

Considering Online-Therapy.com’s focus on providing high-quality, CBT treatment, it is no surprise that 90% of surveyed users rated therapists’ qualifications as excellent, very good, or good within the company. Additionally, 82% of Online-Therapy.com’s users said they were likely or very likely to recommend the service to a friend. Five percent of our users went to Online-Therapy.com specifically to treat OCD, and 26% identified as neurodivergent, which could include an OCD diagnosis.

Talkiatry provides an online platform to receive medication management, including SSRIs, which are the typical medications prescribed for OCD.

Talkiatry, a relatively newer company founded in 2020, provides online psychiatric care. Robert Karyn and Dr. Georgia Gaveras co-founded the company with hopes to increase the accessibility and affordability of medication management.

It is important to note that you cannot receive individual therapy without a referral from a licensed Talkiatry psychiatrist. Its focus is providing medication management services, which can be helpful in treating obsessions and compulsions in OCD alongside behavioral therapy.

Types of Treatment Available

While Talkiatry focuses primarily on medication management, individual talk therapy is available on its platform after a referral from one of its providers. The company prides itself in offering flexible scheduling and regular assessments to prioritize quality mental health care. 

Your first intake appointment with Talkiatry will last an hour, with all subsequent sessions running 30 minutes. These appointments are longer than many other online psychiatry services’ sessions, where follow-ups are often as short as 15 minutes.

Talkiatry requires its users to utilize insurance to pay for services, so price is dependent on your specific coverages and benefits. Accepted insurance providers include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Medicare, and United Healthcare.

You pay per session, plus the additional costs for psychotropic medications, since Talkiatry does not have subscription plans. The average cost of generic Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), which is the typical medication prescribed for OCD, ranges between $5 and $25 per month.

User survey results provided great insight into the quality and attentiveness of Talkiatry’s psychiatric services. When asked what they liked about Talkiatry’s medication management services, 50% of users said “My prescriber is available when I need them” and 45% of users said, “They are responsive to my questions and medication needs.” Talkiatry has one of the highest user satisfaction ratings among the 55 online therapy companies we reviewed. Overall, 95% of users surveyed rated Talkiatry as excellent, very good, or good, and 89% of Talkiatry users rated Talkiatry’s medication services as good to excellent.

LifeStance Health accepts a wide variety of insurance plans for its virtual and in-person mental health care services, including treatment for OCD.

LifeStance Health provides comprehensive mental health care to individuals by employing psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, and nurse practitioners on its telemedicine platform. Founded in 2017, LifeStance offers therapy and psychiatric care for children, teens, adults, couples, and families. The company is unique in creating the opportunity for users to choose between in-person or virtual locations.

Today, LifeStance operates 600 national locations and accepts most commercial health insurance plans. The company has an informational blog page about obsessive-compulsive disorder in which it notes the importance of treating OCD with a combination of therapy and medication—two services LifeStance Health can offer through the collaborative care of its providers.

A wide variety of therapeutic services are available through LifeStance Health. Psychologists, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, and therapists provide comprehensive services, such as child-parent relationship therapy, psychological evaluations, and couples and family therapy, as well as individual therapy or medication management for children, adolescents, and adults.

Services on LifeStance Health range from $75 to $300 per session if you pay out-of-pocket. Your costs after insurance will vary based on the particulars of your coverage and benefits.

LifeStance Health accepts most major insurance plans, including Cigna, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, and Medicare. You can search its website for the insurance plans it accepts in each state.

Seventy-two percent of surveyed users said they used insurance benefits to pay for services on LifeStance Health, which is a larger percentage than the other online therapy companies we reviewed. In fact, 88% of LifeStance Health users said the company was much better, better, or a little better than other services they’ve used in the past. Thirty-eight percent said LifeStance Health’s site is easier to use than other services they’ve tried, while 26% said therapists on LifeStance Health were more likely to accept their insurance. Thirteen percent of LifeStance users reported that they sought services in order to treat OCD.

Amwell accepts multiple major insurance plans for OCD therapy, and its out-of-pocket costs are affordable.

Founded in 2006, Amwell is one of the oldest telemedicine providers. Formerly called American Well, Amwell provides virtual therapy sessions and medication management services within a single platform, creating an opportunity for affordable collaborative care between psychiatrists and therapists.

Collaborative care can be especially important in the management of OCD symptoms because the best treatment for this diagnosis is a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Dialogue between psychiatrists and therapists within the same company creates a streamlined treatment process. Amwell’s reputation, reliability, and low prices continue to enforce the notion that quality and accessibility in health care are the company’s top priorities.

Therapists at Amwell use a variety of treatment approaches based on each person’s conditions, needs, and goals. The excellence of its providers is not diminished by its affordable pricing, and the availability of medication management services within the same company could be a benefit to some users seeking treatment for OCD.

Therapy sessions online through Amwell cost between $109 and $129 depending on the experience of the therapists: Master’s-level therapists charge $109 per session, and doctorate-level therapists charge $129. Individuals receiving medications to manage OCD symptoms can expect to pay $109 per follow-up appointment for psychiatric care. Note that the initial, 45-minute psychiatry visit costs $279. 

These prices are out of pocket, so your total cost might vary if you utilize insurance coverage. Amwell accepts most major insurance providers, including United HealthCare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Aetna.

Eighty-eight percent of surveyed users rated Amwell’s value for the money as excellent, very good, or good, while 66% said the company was affordable or very affordable. This could be a result of its low out-of-pocket costs or range of accepted insurance plans. Amwell’s affordability does not affect its quality of service though. In fact, 91% of Amwell users rated their provider’s qualifications as excellent, very good, or good.

Talkspace is a subscription-based teletherapy provider whose high user satisfaction, easy-to-use platform, and variety of services make it stand out as the best subscription service for someone seeking treatment for OCD.

Founded in 2012, Talkspace was created to increase accessibility to inexpensive mental health services without sacrificing quality. Since then, the company has grown into one of the largest, subscription-based teletherapy providers. Talkspace’s positive press reviews, attention to user experience, and streamlined sign-up process make it the best subscription service for treating OCD.

Talkspace’s website and app are easy to navigate with a built-in scheduling system and additional available resources, including a blog where you can search for articles about OCD and a free online OCD test.

The type of therapeutic modality varies based on your mental health provider. While there is no single treatment orientation offered by Talkspace, there appears to be a pattern of providers utilizing strengths-based, solution-focused approaches in individual or teen therapy. Note that Talkspace does not offer group or family therapy. 

As a subscription-based service, Talkspace offers three tiers:

• Messaging Therapy: Includes asynchronous messaging and guaranteed therapist responses five days per week; starts at $69 per week
• Video and Messaging Therapy: Includes one live video session per week and asynchronous messaging; starts at $99 per week
• Video and Messaging and Workshops: Includes access to weekly workshops, one live video session per week, and asynchronous messaging; starts at $109 per week

Keep in mind that out-of-pocket costs may vary based on your location. You also have the option to pay for additional live video sessions at $65 per session.

Talkspace does accept some insurance plans, most of which are employer-sponsored, which might affect how much you pay for services. You can check your specific insurance coverage during the sign-up process.

A staggering 97% of Talkspace users said the platform was much better, better, or a little better than other services they’ve tried, including other subscription services. In fact, 56% said the website and app for Talkspace are easier to use than that of competitors. Talkspace prioritizes user experience in addition to affordable pricing, and 88% of surveyed users rated Talkspace’s helpfulness in connecting them with a therapist as excellent, very good, or good. Six percent reported seeking OCD services specifically. 

Wellnite offers talk therapy and medication management for a range of mild to moderate mental health conditions, many of which can be co-occuring, such as OCD, anxiety, and depression.

Wellnite offers same-day, low-cost appointments for individuals seeking virtual talk therapy or medication management services for OCD, anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. The company is easy to use after sign-up, though costs may be expensive without insurance coverage. Its dynamic range of services makes it the best fit for co-occurring conditions.

The company employs doctors, nurse practitioners, therapists, and mental health coaches in an effort to provide comprehensive mental health care. Wellnite does not specify the type of therapeutic approaches, but based on their expertise and specialties, therapists may use CBT therapy, mindfulness, and other skills-based methods to address your OCD symptoms, treat any co-occurring conditions, and improve your quality of life.

Wellnite offers three subscription plans, depending on your desired type of mental health care and the frequency of appointments:

• Medical Care: Includes one monthly physician appointment and access to wholesale pricing for prescribed mental health medications; costs $95 per month
• Medical Care and Therapy: Includes one monthly physician appointment, access to wholesale pricing for prescribed mental health medications, and the choice between one 60-minute therapy session or two 30-minute therapy sessions each month; costs $245 per month
• Therapy: Includes the choice between six 30-minute therapy sessions, four 45-minute therapy sessions, or three 60-minute therapy sessions each month; costs $450 per month

With each plan, members have the option to pay monthly, biannually, or annually, depending on what their budget allows. This is a unique offering within subscription-based telemedicine providers. Wellnite also provides reimbursement for PPO insurance plans or preferred provider organization plans.

Wellnite is a valuable service for those who need a range of treatments and support. Seventy-one percent of users rated Wellnite’s therapist diversity as excellent, very good, or good, while 73% rated Wellnite’s available additional resources the same way. Nine percent of users sought treatment for OCD specifically, with 45% also seeking treatment for anxiety and 37% for depression, indicating that Wellnite can adequately address co-occurring mental health conditions.

Teen Counseling is a teen-specific teletherapy service for adolescents coping with a variety of mental health conditions, including OCD.

Like its parent company BetterHelp, Teen Counseling is also a monthly subscription therapy service. The company focuses on providing virtual therapy to teens ages 13 to 19. The parents of teens are also able to access services independently or as a family.

Licensed therapists at Teen Counseling specialize in working with teens and issues related to the adolescent period, such as body image, peer conflicts, and processing the transition into college. Its providers also understand how mental health conditions present in teenagers, like depression, anxiety, and OCD, whose symptoms often begin in childhood and early adolescence.

Teen Counseling providers offer a variety of therapeutic modalities through sessions via text, phone, or video. Teens can access their own sessions in private “therapy rooms” while parents can participate in therapy with their teen or in their own individual therapy in a separate “room.” Twenty-six percent of users surveyed said they received family therapy services with Teen Counseling.

Unlike other subscription services, Teen Counseling offers a single plan to choose from. The monthly plan includes four live sessions, or one per week, and costs ​​between $60 and $90 per week. That said, you will be billed monthly for the total fees, so expect to pay between $240 and $260 each billing period.

Your total cost will depend on your location and availability of therapists, as well as your preferences; the company practices surge pricing, meaning people in areas in which mental health care is in high demand are charged more for services. It is important to note that Teen Counseling does not accept insurance coverage, but 49% of users surveyed found their out-of-pocket costs at Teen Counseling to be affordable or very affordable.

Of the users we surveyed, 88% said Teen Counseling was much better, better, or a little better than other online therapy services they’ve tried. Some mentioned that “the company has more additional resources, such as mental health information, podcasts, videos, worksheets, social media pages” (18%) while nearly half said “The therapists have better qualifications/experience/specialized training” on Teen Counseling. This is important when considering the necessary experience providers must have with the teen population, especially as 4% of our users sought therapy specifically to treat OCD. Overall, 85% of Teen Counseling users rated the company as excellent, very good, or good.

TherapyTribe offers a free online peer support group, OCDTribe, for individuals with OCD to learn coping strategies and encourage one another.

Entrepreneurial couple Ryan and Kristin FitzGerald started TherapyTribe in 2005 to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. The company serves as an online therapist directory in addition to its online wellness company, “The Tribe.” Its mission is to connect users with a community that shares the same experiences, and it is led by the belief that community is healing for those with mental health struggles.

The OCDTribe, a support group specific to managing OCD symptoms, is easy to join. Users simply enter their email address, username, password, date of birth, gender, and country they live in. After choosing which Tribes you would like to be a part of, you can immediately access the online portal. On your online portal, you can interact with wellness activities, mood trackers, and peer support groups.

TherapyTribe focuses its attention on offering peer-to-peer support groups for teens and adults. This includes a 24/7 available forum for a group of community members who share the same experience, whether that is addiction, sexual orientation, a mental health diagnosis like OCD, or a life stage.

On TherapyTribe’s directory, you can filter search results by specialty or by mental health diagnosis. Each provider’s profile individually lists the treatment approaches they utilize as well as a short description of what their approach to therapy looks like in a personalized way.

The directory and peer support groups are free to utilize on TherapyTribe. That said, if you start searching for an individual therapist through its directory, you should expect to pay for therapy services. While you cannot filter search results based on accepted insurance plans or pay ranges, each clinician's profile lists their average session cost as well as whether they accept insurance.

Ninety percent of TherapyTribe users rated the company as good or very good overall, with 11% of them seeking services and support for OCD. Eighty-eight percent found the process of navigating the site easy or very easy, and 75% said the same about finding a provider (with 77% finding one who met most or all of their needs). Seventy-seven percent rated TherapyTribe’s mission statement as good or very good, and 82% felt the same way about the directory’s additional resources (such as the OCD Tribe support group).