Talkspace
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Psychotherapy |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founders | Oren Frank, Roni Frank |
| Headquarters | New York City, New York, U.S. |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Oren Frank (CEO) Dr. Irvin D. Yalom (Advisor) |
| Services | Online therapy Unlimited Messaging Therapy |
| Website | www |
Talkspace is an online and mobile therapy company based in New York City. It was founded by Oren and Roni Frank in 2012.[1] Talkspace users have access to licensed therapists through the website or mobile app on iOS and Android.[2][3]
Talkspace is advised by Irvin D. Yalom, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Stanford University,[4] and Dr. Andrew Sekel, Ph.D.[5] Linda Sacco, LCSW, Ph.D, was hired on in 2016 as the Vice President of Behavioral Health.
Psychologist Todd Essig has criticized Talkspace for conflicting business and clinical interests,[6] making questionable scientific claims about its effectiveness,[7] violating patient confidentiality,[8] and other issues.[9]
History
Oren and Roni Frank, the co-founders of Talkspace[10][11] are a married couple. They founded the company in 2012, after an experience with couples counseling that helped save their marriage.[12] Roni Frank previously worked as a software developer before choosing to pursue a master's degree in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy.[13]
In May 2014 Talkspace raised $3.5 million in a seed round of financing from investors that include Spark Capital, SoftBank and Metamorphic Ventures.[14][15] Talkspace raised another $9.5M in Series A funding from Spark Capital and SoftBank in May 2015.[16]
Services
Talkspace introduced Unlimited Messaging Therapy in 2014,[17] offering users unlimited text messaging with a therapist on the Talkspace website or mobile app.
In February 2015 the therapy platform was extended to include couples therapy.[18]
In September 2015 Talkspace launched “Social Media Dependency Therapy,” a 12-week program that addresses mental health issues related to social media use.[19][20]
As of October 2015, clients and therapists can also send audio and video messages on the platform.[21]
As of July 2016, users and licensed therapists can use real-time voice and video calls during therapy sessions for its Unlimited Messaging Therapy™ and LiveTalk Online Therapy™ programs.[22] Talkspace's Live Video programs are powered by Agora.io, a provider of HIPAA compliant video services.[23]
References
- ^ Furhlinger, Josh. All-You-Can-Text Therapy Services Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- ^ Brodwin, Erin. "I spent 7 amazing days with a therapist who only knew me via text message". Business Insider.
- ^ Garun, Natt. "Talkspace now lets you send audio and video messages to your e-therapist". The Next Web.
- ^ Kolodny, Lora. "Talkspace Raises $2.5 Million to Deliver Affordable Therapy Online". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Oran, Nicole. "Q&A: Dr. Andrew Sekel on why web and mobile psychotherapy has unique, important benefits". MedCity News.
- ^ Essig, Todd (June 29, 2015). "Talkspace Argues With Talkspace: Conflicting Messages And Clinical Risk". Forbes. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- ^ Essig, Todd (December 14, 2015). "Talkspace Tarnishes Promise Of Telehealth With Extravagant Claims". Forbes. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- ^ Essig, Todd (August 18, 2016). "Talkspace Reveals Clients' Email, Violating Clinical Confidentiality". Forbes. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- ^ Essig, Todd (June 29, 2015). "Should Buyers Beware? Hidden Risks In Talkspace's Text-Only Therapy". Forbes. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- ^ O'Brien, Sara Ashley. Does text therapy actually work? CNN. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- ^ Trinh, Trian. The Doctor Is In Cyberspace! ABC News. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- ^ Lyster, Lauren. "Disrupting psychology: Text a shrink for $25/week. Does it work?". Yahoo! Finance.
- ^ Castillo, Stephanie. "The Adverse Effects Of Social Media: Talkspace Brings Attention To How Overuse Can Harm Mental Health". Medical Daily.
- ^ Crook, Jordan. Talkspace Therapy Platform Piles On Another $1M From Metamorphic, Launches On Android TechCrunch. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- ^ Halper, Bonnie. NYC Smartphone Talk Therapy Startup Talkspace Raises $3.5M AlleyWatch.com. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- ^ LaMantia, Jonathan. "Too busy for therapy? There's an app for that". Crain’s New York Business.
- ^ Lawler, Ryan. "Unlimited Messaging Therapy Startup Talkspace Raises $2.5M From Spark Capital And Softbank". Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ^ Reader, Ruth. Couples Therapy - yeah, there's an app for that too VentureBeat. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- ^ Flynn, Kerry. "Social Media Dependency Now Has A 12-Week Therapy Plan Created By Talkspace, Encourages People To #ReflectReality". International Business Times.
- ^ Kessler, Sarah. "What I Learned in 12 Weeks of Therapy for Social Media Addiction". Fast Company.
- ^ Crook, Jordan. "Talkspace Therapy-By-Text Service Launches Asynchronous Audio, Video Messaging". TechCrunch.
- ^ Lim, Jason. "Agora.io Is Poised To Dominate Real-Time Voice And Video Apps". Retrieved 2016-09-07.
- ^ Talkspace. "Talkspace Launches LiveTalk Online Therapy™, Bringing Real-Time Video And Voice Calls To Its Mobile App". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2016-09-07.