June 27, 2025

How Long are BetterHelp Sessions?

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Are you considering therapy for the first time? Have you been to therapy before but are new to online therapy? Maybe you want support but are concerned about the time commitment, worrying it will take too long to see results.

BetterHelp, an online therapy platform, offers a convenient solution for your therapy needs. Over 30,000 licensed and experienced therapists are available to work with individuals, couples, and teens. Online therapy saves significant time, as sessions are conducted at your convenience, eliminating the need for commuting or making other arrangements, such as childcare.

How long does a BetterHelp session last?

BetterHelp sessions typically last 45 minutes, providing ample time for meaningful discussions. For comparison, in-person therapy sessions usually last 50 minutes.

Factors affecting the length of therapy sessions

At BetterHelp, therapists understand that each session is unique. There may be times when you don’t have much to say, and that’s perfectly fine. In such cases, sessions can last as little as 30 minutes and still be effective.

On the other hand, if you are experiencing a great deal of stress and feel you need more than one 45-minute session, you can always schedule additional sessions.

The length of your overall treatment (the number of sessions required to reach your goals) depends on several factors.

Type of treatment

Some therapy modalities require more time than others. For instance, traditional psychoanalysis often follows the client’s train of thought, which can require the entire length of a session and a greater number of sessions in total.

Solution-focused treatment is a more structured therapy modality that focuses on problem-solving. It typically addresses issues one at a time, and it was developed to treat clients in fewer sessions.

Depending on your preference

When you sign up with BetterHelp, you will complete a questionnaire to select your treatment preferences. Preference options include the gender of your therapist, their age range, your therapy goals, and more. Preferences, such as your treatment goals, will help determine your session length and the length of treatment.

Your condition’s severity

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may require more sessions to treat than someone who is experiencing a challenging life transition, like moving. PTSD requires addressing the trauma, processing the trauma, and developing healthy coping skills. If the PTSD has been left untreated for a long time, it’s likely the client will have to spend longer in treatment as certain habits or unhealthy coping mechanisms have been deeply ingrained.

A life transition like moving may require support in developing a sense of community and belonging. The therapist may work on motivating the client to seek out community resources or opportunities to socialize. This work may be more solution-focused and require fewer sessions to achieve goals.

How often should I talk to a therapist on BetterHelp?

Weekly sessions are highly effective for those wanting immediate relief from symptoms. Those who have sought treatment in the past and have developed healthy coping mechanisms will continue to benefit from therapy but may only desire “maintenance treatment,” which might involve a regularly scheduled monthly session or less. Maintenance sessions provide ongoing support when things come up, and they also serve as a preventative measure to keep other challenges from significantly impacting one’s mental health.

Taking care of one’s mental health is akin to caring for one’s physical health. For example, you may exert a lot of work and effort to obtain a certain weight or muscle mass. Once you have reached that physical goal, you don’t have to workout as hard to maintain that weight, but you still need to workout. Therapy is very similar in this way.

How is long-term therapy the best solution?

Long-term therapy typically means meeting with a therapist for more than 12 sessions. The benefits of long-term therapy include:

  • Establishing a trusting and supportive relationship with your therapist so you are comfortable being open and honest. Honesty is vital if you want treatment to be successful.

  • Establishing a support person you can rely on when life feels stressful or overwhelming.

  • Long-term therapy allows more opportunities to develop and meet your treatment goals.

  • Long-term therapy allows the therapist time to assess the treatment plan and ensure its effectiveness.

  • Long-term therapy gives you enough time to practice coping skills in real-world situations. This allows you to make adjustments with your therapist if you aren’t finding these new coping skills as helpful as you hoped.

Long-term therapy isn’t for everyone, and if it’s not for you, that’s okay. Many effective therapy modalities can be executed in fewer than 12 sessions.

The most essential components of successful treatment are the client’s willingness to “do the work” and establishing a trusting relationship with a licensed and qualified therapist.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a typical session?

Sessions typically last 45 minutes. You can interact with your therapist through live chat, live video, or by phone. If concerns arise between appointments, you can also message your therapist. Your therapist will typically respond within 24 hours.

How do I get the most out of a 45-minute therapy session?

Once you have established a safe and trusting relationship with your therapist, it’s important to be honest about your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and circumstances.

It may reassure you that therapists aren’t easily shocked; they’ve heard it all and are not there to judge you. They chose this profession because they want to help people. They want you to live your best life possible, and to help you, they need 100% honesty.

If you were having a health problem, you wouldn’t forgo telling your doctor about your symptoms, even if they were embarrassing. Likewise, a therapist needs full disclosure to help solve the problem.

BetterHelp offers an option to keep a journal to reflect on your sessions and jot down questions or thoughts you want to share with your therapist. Your therapist can look at your journal (upon your agreement) and utilize this feedback to serve you better.

Be an active and engaged participant in your treatment. You and your therapist work collaboratively, determining what goals you want to achieve and what treatment will look like. Speak up if something isn’t working for you, ask questions, and be open to feedback.

How long is a treatment plan good for?

Treatment plans are often adjusted as clients change, grow, and develop healthy coping mechanisms. Treatment plans are developed together in the beginning and altered as you reach certain milestones.

For instance, perhaps you came to treatment because you struggled to communicate effectively with your co-workers. Now, six weeks into treatment, your communication has improved, but other issues have arisen that you want to address. This is common in therapy, and treatment plans are adjusted to account for other concerns.

Treatment plans are good for as long as they are helpful. If you’ve completed treatment for your particular concern but feel something is amiss six months after stopping therapy, reach out to your therapist. Together, you can assess whether this was just a speed bump in the road or if you may need to come in and look at some other aspect of your life.

Conclusion

Therapy is a wonderful opportunity to make positive adjustments to your life. Regardless of the length of your session or the time it takes to reach your goals, you are investing in your mental health, which is a priceless investment. We all need support. Make sure you get the support you deserve.

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