We Tested 65 Online Therapy Companies — These Are the 10 That Therapists Recommend for Kids and Teens

In mid-2024, Teladoc Health expanded its mental health services to provide therapy, psychiatry, and primary care to younger patients. Through a partnership with Brightline, Teladoc offers family and individual therapy for teens age 13 and up.

Teens who use Teladoc Health need parental consent, which is standard and compliant with informed consent laws in many jurisdictions. A parent makes an account and lists the teen as a dependent, allowing the teen to make appointments, message their therapist, and access sessions. Joint accounts like this give adolescents a level of control around their care while maintaining a connection to the parent — balancing autonomy and age-appropriate guidance. They can attend sessions alone or bring a parent, so sessions can be exactly as flexible as the teen needs.

Teladoc Health’s additional resources, including a mood tracker, educational content about mental health, and self-guided self-care tools, can engage teens outside of sessions and help them implement positive changes in their daily lives. Teladoc Health hires therapists who specialize in adolescent mental health to ensure that patients receive developmentally appropriate treatment geared toward their age and cognitive abilities. Its therapists address common adolescent issues, including depression and anxiety, life stressors, low self-esteem, and bullying.

I personally tested Teladoc Health’s individual therapy. Although I am an adult, I got a sense of the quality of care and variety of services offered. I had some challenges signing up because I was not using my insurance and had trouble getting the self-pay option activated. However, once I was signed up, the website was easy to use, and the therapy I received was one of the best experiences I have ever had with an online therapy platform (and I have tried over a dozen).

While many telehealth companies have pivoted to providing mental health treatment for children, LifeStance Health does not have a lower age limit for its services. It advertises age-appropriate mental health care across the entire lifespan. Its providers who work with children are required to have extensive training and expertise in children’s mental health care. Of course, a newborn baby will not engage in individual therapy, but LifeStance Health providers who work with children offer individual, family, and parenting support.

In addition to therapy services, LifeStance Health provides diagnostic evaluations for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism, as well as testing for IEP and supportive services at school. Early detection is essential in ensuring that neurodivergent kids receive appropriate support. Diagnosis can also inform appropriate treatment plans and recommendations for care. Many platforms do not offer diagnostic assessments to confirm or rule out these diagnoses, so LifeStance Health’s commitment to diagnostic accuracy is unique and makes it stand out from other platforms.

In addition, LifeStance Health providers use several approaches, including art therapy, play therapy, and evidence-based treatment for many concerns. LifeStance Health also has several in-person clinics around the country, so if a child does not take well to telehealth, they may be able to receive in-person services with their existing provider.

The variety of services, including diagnostic and accommodation evaluations, make LifeStance Health an excellent resource for families with young children needing support.

Our tester found LifeStance Health’s providers to be well qualified, and the platform has extensive biography information so users can make an informed choice. You must input credit card details before pricing is shared, but our tester quickly received an estimate after providing this information. The providers have weekend availability, and our tester received high-quality support.

Rula aims to make mental health care affordable and accessible by making it easier for therapists to accept insurance. Although therapists can choose which insurance carriers they will accept, Rula advertises a set self-pay rate.

Children who require mental health support usually benefit from a family approach. Kids exist within a family system and are highly responsive to their environment. If environmental stressors or family conflicts are not addressed, a child will struggle to make progress in their therapy.

Rula provides individual, couples, and family therapy, with individual and family sessions available for all ages; its providers see children as young as 5 years old. In many situations, families seeking family therapy also have members who need to be seen individually. Rula’s platform has a huge variety of providers who specialize in different age ranges and approaches to therapy, so users can find individual and family therapists who meet the whole family’s needs. It also offers psychiatric care for those who may require medication management and are at least 13 years old.

Rula family therapy providers are trained in a variety of evidence-based treatment approaches, including systemic, structural, Bowenian, and solution-focused family therapy, for flexible approaches based on a family’s needs and preferences. Systemic family therapy focuses on how the family functions as a system and how individual members influence the system. Structural family therapy emphasizes how family members interact and communicate. Bowenian family therapy looks at intergenerational patterns and how they play out. Solution-focused therapy is a short-term and structured approach that emphasizes resolving a specific issue.

Rula offers flexible scheduling, and users can filter for providers who have availability at times that work for them. Appointments may be available within 24 hours.

Our tester found Rula’s intake process thorough, offering comprehensive information about providers and scheduling. According to our tester, the therapist was “very easy to talk to and gave excellent advice.” Scheduling sessions was quick, easy, and user-friendly. Although the initial intake was rather formal, the sessions were very helpful.

The flexible scheduling and range of services to address a whole family’s needs make Rula a fantastic choice for those seeking family therapy.

Thriveworks has providers who specialize in all age groups. Children as young as 1 can participate in mental health therapy on this platform.

Thriveworks providers are trained in trauma-informed care and evidence-based treatments for trauma, including eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). EMDR involves reprocessing while moving the eyes or engaging in tapping to engage the brain. TF-CBT is a narrative approach to trauma therapy that helps patients develop regulation and coping skills, then create a narrative around their experience so they can reprocess what happened and cope with any big feelings relating to the trauma.

Both family and individual therapy are offered, so parents can process their individual emotional response to their child’s traumatic experience as well, and the family can meet with a family therapist together to process the experience as a unit.

Our tester was impressed by Thriveworks’s insurance options, with transparent pricing upon sign-up. While only a few therapists were available to our tester, their qualifications were impressive.

Because Thriveworks has more than 340 in-person offices across the country, families can try telehealth and transition to in-person services as needed if an office is located in their area. Thriveworks also operates TherapyLand locations, play therapy centers that specialize in children ages 12 and under. Thriveworks’s commitment to evidence-based services sets it apart from other platforms.

With busy schedules and tight budgets, it can be difficult to stay on top of scheduling sessions and to afford the out-of-pocket cost of care. Subscriptions can make these challenges more manageable, since you know exactly what the service will cost each month. Brightside Health offers monthly subscriptions for therapy, psychiatry, and crisis services. Building therapy and medication management can make treatment even more affordable.

Children ages 13 and older can sign up for Brightside Health with parental consent. Teens are matched to providers with expertise and training in adolescent mental health care. Brightside Health providers specialize in many presenting concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, OCD, sleep issues, and bipolar disorder. In addition to services with qualified professionals, Brightside Health patients gain access to the self-care program to learn about mental health and build coping skills alongside formal treatment.

I also tested Brightside Health for Everyday Health. It was a fantastic fit for my busy work schedule and provided a thorough intake, gathering extensive background information. I appreciated knowing exactly how much to budget for my sessions using the subscription and had a great connection with my provider.

Brightside Health’s psychiatry services offer a variety of medication options, including antidepressant and anti-anxiety medication. However, Brightside Health does not prescribe controlled substances like benzodiazepines and stimulant medications.

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is credited with saying, “The only constant in life is change.” This is particularly true for children and teens, who are constantly changing as they go through a series of transitions. Therapy can help children adjust to these changes and develop a healthy sense of identity.

As the name suggests, Grow Therapy centers its philosophy around helping people become their best selves through growth and positive change. It offers a variety of services and therapy options throughout the United States.

Children as young as 6 can receive therapy through Grow. Users input information about their insurance or payment method, as well as the issues they want help with, and can choose from a list of providers who meet their needs. You can find a therapist for your child, yourself, and even couples or family therapy if you want to work through life adjustments as a unit.

Everyday Health tested Grow Therapy, and our tester appreciated the transparency of its pricing and ease of scheduling. Our tester was happy with the provider options and had a better experience with Grow Therapy than with other platforms. Our tester found that the experience closely replicated in-person therapy.

Grow also has in-person options if teletherapy is not a good fit for your child. The Grow network includes providers who can help with medication management if needed. Grow has an extensive library of articles and educational resources so you can learn more about mental health diagnoses, therapy, health insurance, and more.

The LGBTQ+ community faces discrimination and mistreatment that lead to increased stress. While therapy cannot undo systemic oppression, it can help people cope, and it can help individuals who are exploring their gender identity or sexual orientation get to know themselves better. People in the LGBTQ+ community who seek support for mental health often want a provider who understands their experiences.

Amwell provides counseling to address and support the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. It offers therapy services for children age 10 and up with parental consent, with providers specializing in LGBTQ+ issues and mental health. This means that providers can see children who identify as LGBTQ+ or would like a therapist’s help in exploring this possibility. The platform can also help the people who love them. And if a child’s parent, other relative, or friend comes out as LGBTQ+, a child might benefit from processing this information with a qualified professional.

Our tester felt that Amwell’s providers were highly qualified and skilled: “The therapist was wonderful.”

Amwell’s specialization in LGBTQ+ counseling and inclusion of children and teens makes it stand out as a safe resource for this community.

Mindful Care offers a variety of mental health support for children age 12 and up. Although other online platforms provide support groups, Mindful Care’s groups are true group therapy, involving evidence-based treatment for mental health issues provided by a licensed therapist in a group setting. Mindful Care’s commitment to quality care sets it apart from other platforms.

Group therapy typically focuses on a specific concern so that group members can connect with others going through similar experiences, and recover and heal together. Mindful Care has two groups specifically for adolescents:

• Teen Connection This group is for teens to build connections and navigate life stressors with peer support.
• Connect and Reflect This dialectical behavioral therapy group teaches skills around emotional regulation, communication, mindful coping, and other strategies for dealing with mental health issues. It is for individuals ages 15 to 17.

Additionally, Mindful Care provides a group called Nurture, which creates a supportive space for parents looking to process the challenges that come with parenting and work on improving their parent-child relationships.

“I appreciated that the company offers group therapy online, since it can be a good resource for some people,” says our tester. “I also liked the continuity of having the same therapist for my individual and group therapy sessions.”

Both parents and teens can benefit from group therapy at Mindful Care to treat mental health concerns and build positive family relationships. Note that Mindful Care is not available in all states.

It can be difficult to find a psychiatrist who works with children and adolescents. Telehealth increases access to care, but providers must be qualified to work with this age group. This is especially important for children who need medication management due to developmental considerations. Fortunately, MD Live offers therapy and psychiatry services for children age 10 and up.

When signing up, you can choose to find the provider with the soonest available appointment or assess different providers. If needed, you can change providers quickly and easily. Since the therapeutic relationship is the most important component of mental health care, this allows users to try different providers and find the best fit for them. Urgent care is available every day, including holidays, and specialist appointments like psychiatry are available from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days per week, so mental health care is flexible and accessible regardless of school and activity schedules. Additionally, MD Live has providers who specialize in pediatric psychiatry.

Our tester found MD Live’s intake process to be quite medical, which makes sense for a platform that primarily provides medical care. Their therapist was highly qualified and attentive, and provided specific guidance based on a “curriculum that she adapted to my specific circumstances,” according to the tester.

MD Live has providers who are fluent in Spanish, and interpretation services for deaf or hard-of-hearing clients are available. This commitment to accessibility is not standard, and many similar platforms do not offer this additional support. In addition to mental health services, MD Live offers urgent care, medical care, and dermatology. Many insurance carriers are accepted. For those who aren’t insured, or if your plan isn’t accepted, MD Live has affordable out-of-pocket rates.

Self-esteem is a common concern among children and adolescents. Social challenges, body changes, and hormone fluctuations can hit self-esteem negatively. Therapy can help mitigate these effects and improve self-esteem in healthy ways.

Wellnite offers therapy for teens with parental consent. Its therapists’ areas of specialization include addressing self-esteem using evidence-based treatments to improve self-image and mental well-being.

In addition, Wellnite has self-guided resources that can capitalize on progress made in sessions and promote healthy self-esteem:

• Wellnite Mood Flow An emotional well-being tracker to note changes in your mood and triggers for emotional fluctuations
• Wellnite Progress A progress tracker that follows the steps taken toward your personal goals, highlighting achievements
• Wellnite Self-Awareness A tool to identify triggers and underlying causes for mental health symptoms, and to identify patterns and build insight

These tools can help children make progress toward their personal goals and build self-esteem. Wellnite’s flexible, affordable options; emphasis on treating issues related to self-esteem; and accessibility for teens make it stand out as a resource.

When our tester tried out Wellnite, the experience was positive and enjoyable. While some of the intake questions felt “really negative, pathologized, and stereotyped,” according to the tester, their overall experience was good. The tester frequently referenced how fantastic the experience was.