Talkspace when you struggle with mental health issues – or even with coping with difficult life changes and events – counseling can be an invaluable option for working toward recovery. However, the process of getting the help you need can be intimidating. You may not be sure what sort of mental health treatments your insurance plan offers. If you don’t have insurance, the expense can seem too great. Even if you’re not worried about finding and affording a therapist, making the call to set up an appointment – not to mention traveling to a therapist’s office – can just seem too difficult for someone in the midst of an episode of depression or anxiety, someone in the grip of addition or someone feeling overwhelmed by grief after a loss or a trauma. An answer to these obstacles is Talkspace, an online therapy platform with more than 2,000 licensed therapists that offers private therapy services for individuals and couples facing an array of challenges. You can get matched with a therapist and get help through unlimited text, video and audio messaging services daily for as little as $49 per week. Live online sessions are also available in premium packages. Talkspace has more than one million users and in 2018 partnered with 28-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps, who publicly shared his story about his own battle with depression and urged others suffering from mental health issues to get help through the service. The Talkspace app is free for iPhone and Android, and the service is compatible with all devices from smartphones to tablets to desktop.