Something unexpected blossomed when the pandemic suddenly closed off therapist couches and office doors. Once an anomaly, online therapy has become commonplace. It was a sudden source of solace for those who had never thought to open up to a stranger on screen. Amazingly, it did the trick.
The percentage of Americans receiving therapy increased by more than 30% by 2022. This change was more than just a practical one for many, particularly those who lived in remote places or had busy schedules. It was also very personal. Accessing therapy from the comfort of home made it seem less daunting. The awkward waiting room, the commute, and, for some, the shame were all eliminated during virtual sessions.
| Topic Area | Description |
|---|---|
| Definition | Expansion of therapy through digital platforms using video, chat, and messaging. |
| Rise in Popularity | Accelerated sharply during COVID-19, continued growth post-pandemic. |
| Leading Platforms | BetterHelp, Talkspace, Teladoc, Klarity, The Therapy Collective. |
| Primary Advantages | Convenient, private, affordable, geographically flexible, stigma-reducing. |
| Major Concerns | Access disparities, broadband gaps, inconsistent provider quality, privacy issues. |
| Disproportionate Impact | Low-income groups and children of color saw reduced access, while others expanded usage. |
| Cultural Shift | Therapy is increasingly normalized, even among young men and rural populations. |
| Notable Reference | New York Times: “The Online Therapy Boom Left Some Children Behind” (2023) |
Online therapy’s emotional accessibility has been especially helpful. Subscriptions to sites like BetterHelp and Talkspace increased, but so did smaller collectives that provided culturally matched therapists and trauma-informed care. The field of therapy expanded, accelerated, and became much more flexible.
Many of these platforms grew quickly through strategic alliances with healthcare networks and insurers. However, the rapid expansion brought about its own blind spots. While therapy use increased among white children during the pandemic, it fell sharply among Black children, according to a particularly telling study that was published in the New York Times. 4% in 2021 compared to 9.2% in 2019. It’s a collapse, not a slight slip.
The digital format’s claim of equality seems deceptive in light of this disparity. Quiet obstacles were produced by broadband deserts, especially in inner-city and rural areas. Additionally, some people found it difficult to find even five minutes of privacy in crowded living spaces, while others were able to talk freely in their home office.
The ability to start therapy sessions virtually was very beneficial for early-stage users, such as teens, new parents, and frontline workers. Reaching out seemed less intimidating as a result. But virtual therapy remained frustratingly unaffordable for low-income families, especially those without reliable internet or private insurance.
Nevertheless, there is no denying that the emotional breakthroughs depicted on screen are genuine. A slower but more deliberate method of emotional communication, writing heartfelt letters has been likened by some therapists to virtual connection. Practitioners report that even digital interactions can feel remarkably intimate when they pay more attention to eye contact, tone, and pauses.
Additionally, the development of helpful technology extended beyond video calls. Participation in apps like 7 Cups and forums like Reddit’s r/KindVoice skyrocketed during the pandemic. These websites provided anonymous assistance, frequently under the supervision of qualified volunteers. Although they couldn’t replace medical care, they served as gentle introductions to the concept of healing and were surprisingly consoling to many.
Strangers validated and even showed empathy for emotionally isolated users through these forums. The digital counterpart of a comforting nod or contemplative look. Even the phrase “digital hugs” has surfaced. They are more than just emojis. They are words, gestures, and check-ins that are timed to coincide with a person’s moments of greatest loneliness.
Micro-check-ins, brief text-based therapy sessions in between longer sessions, were introduced by Klarity Health. The goals of these touchpoints were very clear: maintain connection, lower relapse, and strengthen care. The model was very effective and especially helpful for clients who are prone to anxiety and benefit from frequent, short engagement.
At the same time, games with a therapeutic theme started to come up. Titles such as “Celeste,” “Kind Words,” and “Sea of Solitude” were intended to affirm as well as to amuse. Through gentle storytelling and user-driven support systems, these experiences encouraged players to investigate mental health themes. Despite being unorthodox, there was a noticeable emotional resonance.
Even so, there are still disparities in the funding system for online therapy. Medicaid users are not included in the subscription models used by many platforms. In order to discourage longer, more intensive care, some provide tiered pricing. This has increased the gap between what is ideal and what is accessible, and it has drastically decreased the number of providers available to high-needs patients.
The American Psychological Association’s C. Vaile Wright has expressed concern about this trend toward profit-first models. “Telehealth has not yet lived up to its full promise,” she said, especially for the weak. A larger tension is reflected in her statement: therapy is growing, but not equally.
A hybrid model is what is emerging. Individuals use self-care apps to manage symptoms in between sessions, participate in group chats to connect with peers, and attend virtual therapy once a week. This multi-tiered care is highly adaptable, combining self-managed routines with expert advice. Although it isn’t flawless, it is empowering.
The rise of online therapy has, in many respects, brought about a change in culture. Men who used to write off therapy as a sign of weakness now talk about it on podcasts. Teens create Discord support groups to discuss identity, hope, and grief. It’s even becoming common for grandparents to text their therapists.
The future appears to be both bright and challenging. Anticipate an increase in AI-enhanced therapeutic tools in the upcoming years, such as chatbots trained on cognitive behavioral techniques, which provide initial assistance before clients see a human therapist. If used properly, these tools have the potential to be especially creative in reaching people who have felt excluded.
Healing is still fundamentally a human process, despite all the convenience and glowing screens. “People don’t heal from being fixed,” as therapist Dr. Liana Harper famously stated. Being seen helps them heal. Although technology can provide access, the most important thing is still presence—real, focused presence.
If this boom has taught us anything, it is that connections can be made across fiber-optic cables with equal strength to those made across a shared room. Even though the hugs are virtual, the healing they cause is incredibly genuine. The kind of care society decides to provide itself with, as well as the therapy of the future, will be determined by what we do next—who we reach, how we include, and what we build.
