Talkspace’s Mobile-Enabled Approach to Behavioral Health Therapy

Mark Hirschhorn is a New York-based entrepreneur who has taken on C-level executive responsibilities with several tech-enabled growth enterprises. Mark Hirschhorn currently serves as the chief financial officer of Talkspace, a leader in the provision of mobile-based behavioral health services.

Talkspace offers online access to thousands of licensed therapists who provide unbiased perspectives on mental health issues. A core advantage of this approach is that allows clients to avoid waiting extended periods for in-person therapy sessions. Through Talkspace, clients can send messages to therapists any time they are on a device such as a smartphone, tablet, or computer. With the conversation seamlessly integrated across devices, confidentiality and safety are ensured through banking-grade encryption.

Using Talkspace is simple and seamless. Clients initially chat with the background-checked and trained therapists to identify their needs. At this point, payment plans, which start at $65 per week, are selected to match their needs and budgets. While text messaging is the norm, live video chat is also an option.

After a match is decided upon, clients can start messaging their primary therapist, who stays with them in the long term, anytime, anywhere. Also, flexibility is a mainstay of this platform. Many clients set aside a specific time each day for therapist interaction, while others message “when the mood strikes.”

As reported in the Washington Post, Talkspace has been on an upswing at a time of coronavirus-related social and economic uncertainty. Its client base increased by 65 percent from mid-February to May 2020.