Digital mental health company Headspace announced that it will offer direct-to-consumer mental health counseling to its subscribers, with therapy offerings available later this year.
US subscribers will have access to a mental health coach within the company’s app for topics that may not require a therapist, such as sleeping better, managing everyday stress or improving emotional resilience.
Mental health coaches will have completed the National Health and Wellness Training Board training program or have earned a master’s degree in a psychology-related field.
Trainers must also have two years of experience, participate in Headspace’s weekly continuing education training through the company’s training program, and have more than 200 hours of supervised training.
The company said it would also ensure that its mental health coaches culturally match the makeup of its member population.
Consumers can get three 30-minute workout sessions for $99.99 per month starting this month.
Headspace also announced it would offer therapy services later this year, but did not specify what type of services would be available.
“By bringing mental health services closer to consumers, we are advancing our mission to provide every person with lifelong mental health support. We believe that coaching is a more affordable and accessible level of care than therapy, which can help the majority of our members stay on track toward their health and wellness goals and feeling supported,” said Dr. Jenna Glover, Headspace’s chief clinical officer, in a statement.
THE BIGGEST TREND
The direct-to-consumer mindfulness company has offered mental health counseling through employers and health plans since its inception. merger with digital mental health giant Ginger in 2021.
In August 2022, Headspace and Amazon announced that the tech giant would add behavioral health services to its Amazon Care offering through Ginger, which would serve as a complementary service for employers purchasing Amazon Care.
That same month, a publicly disclosed email from Neil Lindsay, senior vice president of Amazon Health Services, stated that Amazon Care would officially close at the end of 2022.
Last year, Headspace announced an expanded partnership with an employer health technology company. Virgin Pulse, which will give Virgin members full access to Headspace within its AI-enabled health and wellbeing platform.
Headspace would be fully integrated into Virgin Pulse’s Homebase for Health platform, giving employers, health plans and members of Virgin’s health system access to program services in psychiatry, therapy, clinical care, self-guided care, health coaching behavioral and assistance to Headspace employees.
The mental health digital platform also partnered with Castell, a value-based care subsidiary of Intermountain Health, will provide on-demand behavioral health services to select insurance plan members in Utah.
Through collaborationHeadspace would be integrated into Castell’s care model, and the company’s value-based care providers can directly refer members to Headspace for behavioral health counseling and therapy.