This is a website called Talkspace, and it is what I call modern day therapy. The website and app uses different communication channels with different levels of media richness. Unlike traditional therapy where you have to schedule a time with your therapist and visit them in their office, this app lets you text, facetime or call your therapist in the comfort of your own home. You can text your therapist 24 hours a day 7 days a week and they respond within a given time frame. Depending on the type of membership, fees are paid monthly and range from $198 to $316 . This might seem like a lot at first, but compared to traditional costs of therapy, this can be very cost saving alternative. The app itself is very easy to use and easy to understand, and more importantly it makes users feel comfortable.
This website and app is inspiring to me in two ways. First, it is very well designed and uses a lot of the same functions as other messaging systems; this makes it very easy to learn and start using. It also builds trust and alleviates any frustration a new user might have while using the service. Second, it really meets a need that is not only important but often ignored or not talked about. Therapy (I call it Mental Spa Day) is important to our mental well-being and making it more accessible will not only make it easier for more people to use but hopefully change the perception about therapy.
I love the phrasing and the idea of Mental Spa day, I will remember to cite you if I use it somewhere ;-). Thank you for sharing your inspiration, Tiffany. I agree and think it is important to help overcome the stigma and encourage talk about mental well-being. I am curious as to how this website/app fosters trust and any user-privacy concerns. In your opinion, what are ways in which such easy-to-use and helpful services could build and sustain user trust?
Please feel free to use Mental Spa day! I know that some patients are now allowing patients to text them which I feel might cross a line for user-privacy concerns. With this resource, you are texting through their application which for some reason makes me feel more safe. I am hopeful that they are doing the right and moral thing with our information.
You bring up a great question and I will definitely look more into their privacy policies. To continue building user trust, I think to begin with they should be very explicit about their user-privacy policies and what they are doing to maintain it. From a brand perspective, they are using celebrity endorsements (Michael Phelps) as a means of gaining user trust. I generally have an adverse reaction to celebrity endorsements but this is one that I really like. Having someone who has been so successful talk about his struggles really shows others that it is okay to talk about it.