Meru Health is a newer company on the mental health telehealth scene, but one with a lofty goal\u2014to shake up the way people access mental health care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talkspace works very similarly to traditional therapy, except that it takes place online. When patients sign up, they fill out a questionnaire about their mental health challenges, treatment preferences, and more. Then, Talkspace matches them to a therapist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As soon as patients receive a therapist match, Talkspace creates a private, secure chatroom between the patient and the therapist. Patients can chat with their therapist at any time, although therapists only guarantee a response within one business day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients can also schedule 30-minute video appointments. It\u2019s important to note that not all Talkspace plans include this, and people on the most basic plan only have access to text therapy. The video appointments are similar to in-person therapy\u2014the only difference is that it occurs online. Patients talk through their issues and receive feedback from licensed counselors or therapists based on psychotherapy techniques. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients can switch therapists at any time or stop using Talkspace if they feel as if they have accomplished their mental health goals or need a new therapist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meru Health is a bit more complex than most telehealth mental health providers because the company has the ambitious goal of providing comprehensive mental health at a distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When patients sign up or are referred to Meru Health, they download the app. They then complete an assessment, just like with Talkspace, that gives the app a sense of what the patient needs. Then, the app matches patients to a therapist and schedules an onboarding call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The onboarding call is similar to an introductory session in traditional therapy, where a therapist explains the process and gets a feel for the patient\u2019s mental health goals. However, after that, the program changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meru Health ships an HRV biofeedback device to patients, which includes a smartphone and monitors for breath and heart rate. The patient begins a 12-week program with themed weeks guiding through different aspects of mental health. The feedback from the machine combined with self-reported feedback allows the patient and therapist to monitor outcomes in real-time. The rest of the 12-week program includes guided activities with lessons around different topics, such as mindfulness and stress resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relationships between therapists and patients are a bit different on Meru Health than on other platforms. Patients have continuous text support from therapists but do not have traditional in-person or even video appointments. There is a separate, shorter module that pairs patients with coaches who offer a few video sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the big advantages of Talkspace is its simplicity. The company is not trying to reinvent the wheel or disrupt anything; it is just trying to deliver therapy through telehealth, enabling people to access traditional talk therapy from the privacy and convenience of their own homes. There is a reason why therapy has remained the primary mode of mental health care for so long\u2014it\u2019s highly effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to its similarity to traditional talk therapy, Talkspace makes it easier to build relationships between a therapist and a patient. This relationship is one of the most important relationships in the mental health sphere. Without a trusting therapist-patient relationship, patients feel less comfortable opening up about deep-rooted issues and exploring those traumas. Regular video sessions help to build up that trust. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an established player in the field of telehealth, Talkspace also gives patients access to a lot of resources other providers may not. For example, one of the add-on plans allows you to access psychiatry, which many other telehealth providers (including Meru Health) do not provide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talk therapy is great, but it isn\u2019t enough to help with more acute situations of anxiety and depression. Talkspace also offers mental healthcare for teenagers, which smaller sites often don\u2019t have the capacity for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talkspace\u2019s size also means it\u2019s easy to find therapists specializing in almost every mental health care issue. For certain complex issues such as sexual trauma or eating disorders, a generalized therapist may not be the best option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Talkspace\u2019s biggest advantage is its similarity to traditional talk therapy, Meru Health\u2019s biggest advantage is that it goes in the other direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meru Health uses scientifically proven techniques to analyze mental health and provide suggestions. Biofeedback monitors are not just there to give a veneer of IT advancement; they provide valuable feedback about heart rate and breathing rate and alert patients to their anxiety levels. Sometimes, the alert can pick up on a patient\u2019s stress levels before they even realize it themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meru Health also has a comprehensive, holistic approach that recognizes the importance of physical health for mental health. Its therapists and counselors help patients work through physical health challenges, such as stress eating and insomnia, that are affecting their mental health. The techniques from Meru Health also help patients identify potential physical causes of their mental health challenges, such as vitamin deficiencies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Meru Health offers support for building healthy habits, not just talking through your problems. Through anonymous support groups, video lessons, and worksheets, patients learn that they\u2019re not alone and build important lifelong skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n