Compensation was provided by Amwell via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Amwell or Momtrends.
In ‘doing it all,’ moms can often neglect an important person: themselves. It's easy to do with soccer practice and cleaning the house and making dinner and getting the kids to all of their appointments, not to mention running a business or working. Over the years I have found myself wanting to get therapy but something always gets in the way. Worry over finances, anxiety about work and life, and even feelings of doubt and helplessness cross everyone's minds at one time or another. But for moms, it is even more essential that we get the help and care we need so we can continue to be there for our family every day. It isn't until things are incredibly dire and intense that I actually will go find a therapist and then go to an appointment. There are so many barriers stopping me from getting therapy, even when I want it. When I found out that Amwell offers Therapy and Psychology services online in addition to their medical services, I was really interested! Amwell is the nation’s largest telehealth company, connecting users with board-certified, licensed doctors, dieticians and psychologists for immediate and live, online visits—day or night, on either mobile or desktop. I signed up for online therapy with Amwell and was able to talk to someone the same day.
How Amwell works:
With Amwell, you can talk with a therapist on your schedule from the privacy and comfort of your own home. For me this is HUGE! It means no sitting in traffic, wasting time in waiting rooms, or trying to find childcare. The last time I called to get a visit with a traditional office-based therapist, they told me they could see me in 4 weeks – I needed to be seen now! With Amwell, I can talk to someone usually the same day or within a few days. An Amwell visit takes place with just me, my webcam, and the therapist or psychologist. Amwell’s behavioral health services are available nationwide and include a network of more than 350 therapists, social workers and psychologists with a wide variety of specialties so you're sure to find someone great to connect with for your specific situation.
Prioritizing the mental health of moms is a mission for Amwell so they offer an approach that is convenient, affordable and private. Here are a few examples of situations in which Amwell therapy can help:
• Trauma and Loss
• Stress and Anxiety
• Infertility Stress
• Changes in Mood
• Postpartum Support
• Parenting Issues
• Anger Management
• Financial Challenges
• Substance Abuse
• Relationship issues
With therapy sessions being online, you might be worried about security. With Amwell, your visits with their doctors, dieticians and psychologists are secure, HIPAA compliant, and are accepted by many major insurers, with more added every day. Enter your health insurance information for a lower cost visit when you register on the site or sign up for an appointment.
Here's how my online therapy visit with AmWell went:
I registered for an account online at Amwell‘s website using my email address. Then I called the toll free number on their site to schedule an appointment. I told the operator what I was looking for, they found my account in the system, and started looking for a therapist that would fit my needs and schedule. They had a therapist available right away but I wasn't able to talk right then so I asked for an appointment later. Rather than keep me on hold, they called me back in about an hour with my appointment time. I also received an email confirmation with my appointment information and a tutorial on checking my computer to make sure the visit would go smoothly.
I received an email reminder of my appointment 15 minutes before the appointment. I clicked the button in the email to be taken to the site, where I tested my computer connection and filled out a one page questionnaire about my health history. After that, I clicked the button to start the appointment. This alerted the provider that I was ready to go. I sat “on hold” online for a few minutes until the provider accepted and we were on our way to the therapy session! I spoke to a very nice male therapist who was eager to listen, help, and offer advice. I used my webcam to meet with him and he was using an iPad. What's great is Amwell works on desktop and mobile devices so you can get service wherever you need it.
Our call was cut short due to a technical difficulty. I called the customer service line and they immediately credited my account for the visit and arranged for me to get another appointment. I like that they don't charge you if the issue is on their end – it's good to know that they really do care about the welfare of everyone using their service.
At the end of the session, I was able to rate the provider. Usually, if I am unhappy with a therapist, I would have to just keep it to myself and find another provider. I love that we can give feedback right away and if a provider is not a good fit, you can find another easily and without a lot of hassle. You can also choose to use your insurance or pay out of pocket for service – whichever works best for you.
Reasons to Use Amwell for online therapy:
Amwell was created by doctors and was voted the most popular consumer telehealth app worldwide in 2014 according to App Annie, with more than 1.3M downloads. Integrated with Apple's Health App, Amwell is also the first telehealth service awarded accreditation by The American Telemedicine Association. Amwell is the only service that allows you to select the doctor you want to see for an on-demand visit. Here are a few reasons to use Amwell over traditional office based therapy:
Lower cost:
In-office visits cost, on average, $165 for first-time patients according to the Healthcare Blue Book. Compare that to Amwell's $79-95 for a therapist or psychologist visit – a savings of $80+ per visit. As more insurers are beginning to cover telehealth visits, the cost of an Amwell visit has been as low as a copay only in some cases.
Accessibility:
Amwell is available after hours and on the weekend, making it perfect for busy moms who are working during the week, moms with small kids at home during the week, or people with a busy daytime schedule. Being online, Amwell helps solve the problems of those who don't have transportation or don’t feel well enough to drive as well as those who are newly relocated and don’t have providers yet. If I were still working in an office, I could see myself using Amwell's service during my lunch hour to get therapy without even taking time away from my day!
Convenience:
With Amwell, you can get an appointment FAST, sometimes the same day. Call in between 7am and 11pm and Amwell staff therapists may be able to see you that day or in the next couple of days – and all from the comfort and convenience of your own home. No babysitters needed, no time taken off from work, no hassle and total privacy.
Get your first visit for $1:
Amwell makes it easy to take care of yourself without sacrificing lots of time from your family or your busy schedule. I think Amwell makes therapy so much more accessible so we can get help when we need it and before things spin out of control. Try Amwell now with this coupon code for your FIRST VISIT for $1: SOULCARE. Enter this code at checkout to get your first Amwell visit for $1!!
Find out more about Amwell here:
I hope you try Amwell to get you the care you need, when you need it, from the comfort of your own home. Thanks again for stopping by! Click HERE to sign up for my monthly newsletter, full of creative goodness. See you again soon!
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