Then Vs. Now: How BetterHelp Gave Me The Tools To Conquer Life

My Stress 

I was at a point where the smallest problem led to a total breakdown. Minor inconvenience? Instant tears. Unclear text message? Angrily obsessing for hours. I was just so on edge all the time, and it felt like I couldn’t handle anything life threw my way.

When I stopped going out with friends as much because I was too exhausted, one of them checked in on me. We had a looong chat, and she asked if I’d ever seen a  therapist. 

I gave her a big sigh. Honestly, I was nervous! Talking to strangers is hard, let alone pouring your heart out. Therapy didn’t seem like the thing for me, but she really liked hers from BetterHelp, and  signing up from my couch seemed really manageable.

My Mental Health Turning Point

I’d heard of  BetterHelp, but really didn’t know anything about it. The website was promising. The questions really inspired me to continue; suddenly I started imagining being less tired and having someone to work things through, so I took the quiz to get my match. 

There are multiple plan options, ranging from $65–$100* a week, which is more affordable than some in-person sessions. Also, BetterHelp accepts HSA/FSA cards and is recognized as an eligible expense by most HSA/FSA providers!

Most people can get matched with a therapist within 24 hours. After only a few hours, I got my match. We decided on a weekly video conference, but I could also  write her messages or talk on the phone whenever needed. For my first session, I was nervous, especially because I didn’t really know what therapy would look like. How much was I supposed to talk about my childhood?!

My  therapist introduced herself and asked me what I wanted to get out of our sessions. I told her what was going on, and she empathized. It was nice to have that support right off the bat. She made me feel so welcome; I opened up immediately. It also helped that I was on my couch with my mint tea and bunny slippers. It was nice to have a conversation from home instead of heading to some random building.

After the first session, I realized I was really looking forward to going again. 

Six Months Later

Six months later, and I still see her once a week! We skip occasionally or even double up for tricky situations, but fitting therapy into my schedule is so easy since it’s virtual.

Nothing got better overnight, but after consistent sessions, I would suddenly realize I hadn’t screamed in the car for weeks. I hadn’t cried in the shower (unless I was listening to Phoebe Bridgers). I answered my text messages instead of putting off replying for weeks and pretending I just saw them. I guess I had been a lot more stressed than I’d understood at the time.

My therapist helped reframe life for me. Things still happen (frustrating! sad! bad!), but now I feel so much more equipped to deal with them. The best way to describe it is that I feel so much lighter. If my friend hadn’t suggested BetterHelp, I can’t imagine I’d be feeling this good about my life.

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