Our Online Therapy MethodologyCurious about the extensive work we did to research and evaluate online therapy companies? Take a look at ouronline therapy methodology.
Our Online Therapy Methodology
Curious about the extensive work we did to research and evaluate online therapy companies? Take a look at ouronline therapy methodology.
Over the past few years, Verywell Mind has tested MDLIVE’s online therapy services multiple times, for both individual and couples therapy. In this review, we first hear from Cathy Brown about her experience testing MDLIVE in 2023. Then, we discuss our findings from our most recent test of the company in 2024.
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Cathy’s 2023 Testing
In 2023, we asked Cathy to test MDLIVE’s online therapy services to learn about the quality of care the company can provide. These are her personal insights.
Why I Chose MDLIVE
Lately, I’ve been in a bit of a disappointed funk after some very underwhelming and (what I thought to be) overpriced online therapy I had recently tried for low-levelanxietyanddepressionaround my dad’s failing health. The last thing I needed in my life was to stress about unclear billing processes and costs that doubled unexpectedly. That’s why I turned to MDLIVE—it communicated clearly on its website that its talk therapy sessions cost $108 a session, which for me was a very reasonable price.
On its homepage, the company advertises “MDLIVE is dedicated to helping you get better and stay well. No surprise costs. No hassle.” That kind of simplicity sounded exactly like what I was looking for. I have done therapy before through companies that change their rates through a surge pricing structure that depends on where you live and the demand for their services. That pricing system never sat well with me. This time, I wanted upfront, direct information and a website and patient portal that was easy to navigate. I hoped to work with a company that had a responsive customer service department. A quick Google search online showed me that most clients were happy with the company, so I gave it a go.
My initial experience with MDLIVE was a bit rocky to start, but turned around eventually. After a couple of sessions, I now feel really good about working with and recommending the company.
Pricing at MDLIVE
The clarity around pricing was one of the highlights of working with MDLIVE.
Talk therapy costs $108 out-of-pocket for a 45-60 minute session. Psychiatry appointments cost $284 for the initial psychiatric appointment then $108 for subsequent 15-30 minute appointments.
MDLIVE
MDLIVE also accepts a handful of insurance plans, working with companies like Cigna, Humana, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Aetna, as well as some Medicare and Medicaid plans. If you are in-network, MDLIVE will even process the claims for you. If you’re out of network, you can submit your own bill to your insurance provider to be reimbursed.
How I Signed Up for MDLIVE
My first impression of the site was that it was very easy to navigate. I appreciated that it had imagery of male, female, and POC therapists - I hadn’t searched for a therapist yet to be able to speak about the actual diversity of its pool of therapists, but at least it showed an awareness of the importance of diversity. MDLIVE also proudly states on its website that most of its therapists average about 10 years of experience in their profession.
Great Customer Service
The MDLIVE site then listed conditions that are outside MDLIVE’s scope of practice, including emergency or crisis situations,substance usein active medical detox, activepsychosis, moderate to severeautism spectrum disorders, and “any condition or combination of mental health conditions that prohibit the ability to perform normal day to day activities” (which might encompass things likeschizophreniaorbipolar disorder). Providers are also not able to fill out any disability applications,emotional support animalletters, leave from work notes, or legal documents.
First Session Attempt
After receiving a confirmation email and call, I received another email from the company saying that my appointment was canceled on the provider’s end. There was no reason given. While it got me nothing more than annoyed and a bit curious, if a client had intense anxiety or abandonment issues or patterns around worthiness it could have created a situation that was more than just “annoying” when presented in such a vague way.
A day after that email, the therapist reached out to me directly and explained she couldn’t see me because she was not licensed in the state I was booking the appointment from.
I figured that should’ve been something the website would’ve handled, since they’d already asked for my state and zip code prior to this. It was odd to me that MDLIVE would let me get to the point of booking a session if it wasn’t something that could actually happen. The therapist was warm and lovely and made me wish I could have worked with her, but I got back on the site to find someone else.
Second Session Attempt
It seemed to me that if that was the case, he could have messaged me 40 minutes earlier at the time he was having problems, instead of leaving me waiting and wondering and having to put in the effort to track him down. We rescheduled for a few days out.
How Therapy Sessions Actually Work
For our next attempt, he called my phone promptly with no issues connecting and we had a 60-minute video session. I could choose what kind of session was most comfortable for me and he gave me the option to shut off video if I felt better that way. After our first meeting attempt I went in with my guard up a bit, but I soon softened and found him to be quite professional once we got chatting.
My therapist was incredibly invested and focused in the two sessions I had with him, even taking the time to grab certain books to recommend when they applied to the themes of what we were talking about. He also took time to build connections, giving brief personal background when it felt relevant to the conversation.
I felt we were getting to know each other in a casual, relaxed setting as opposed to a more cold “patient-therapist” approach.
I felt like a human to him, not a test subject being examined.
For the first time in a long time in therapy, I felt like I found someone I would actually feel comfortable opening up to.
It felt more like a connection was being formed, and less like some stranger listening to me and just validating me every few minutes.
Switching Providers at MDLIVE
Once your account is set up, changing therapists is as simple as getting on the website, selecting that you’re booking another therapy session, and finding someone new on the site and booking the appointment. You can also call into customer service—they’ll ask you for your full name and phone number and can find you a new provider in minutes. The only personal information that would be required is a brief summary of why you’re wanting to attend the session with a new provider.
Our Most Recent Testing
In the summer of 2024, we had a tester in a rural location try out MDLIVE’s online therapy services for a month; unfortunately, her experiences were much more problematic than those of our previous testers. These are her firsthand insights.
I have rapidly changing, high-stress environments at work and home. I’m a step-mom in a tenseco-parentingrelationship with a history of child loss. I live in a rural part of the state and driving 1+ hour in each direction for care is challenging to schedule as a working mom.
I have not tried online therapy before.
Signing Up for MDLIVE
I had to provide basic health/history—height, weight, family health history, and personal contact and payment information—before signing up. I did need help adding my insurance as it wasn’t clear which one aligned with the plan name on my card. I reached out to the testing team, and they passed along an 800 number. I called and was able to get assistance in less than 10 minutes.
After signing up, I was able to pick my first therapist from a short list. I selected one that had availability at the end of the week. The therapist that interested me the most didn’t have availability until June 3 (which was almost a month away), and I was busy that day, so I opted for someone who could meet sooner.
I was not able to schedule outside of business hours, which was a challenge.
I really would have preferred to meet outside the workday. Jumping back into productive work/meeting mode is hard for me after a meaningful therapy session. I typically need some unwind time.
I tried to schedule two appointments with two different providers, even though I only ended up seeing one. The first provider I selected had availability the week I signed up and expertise in several areas I’m interested in working on. The second provider I selected was the only provider that had availability before my test period ended, according to the MDLIVE representative I spoke to on the phone.
With my first provider, I could choose between an audio or video call. The call was held in the platform.
My Therapy Session
My provider mispronounced my name multiple times and seemed very transactional. I shared about the traumatic death of a person close to me, and her only response was, “Ok, sorry,” and moved to the next question.
Later, when she asked more about the death, it was as if she was reading from a script, not providing care.
She never looked at the camera and the image quality was poor on her end.
At the end of the session, she assigned me to look upCBT, but did not explain it herself. While I was aware this was one of the approaches she practices before scheduling the appointment, she did not share anything about herself or her history working with this method that would have built trust with me or our relationship. Then she asked me to schedule a follow-up appointment for the next week.
She did not provide empathy, support, or advice based on the first session.
It seemed to be for intake purposes only, and I didn’t feel much of a connection. It felt like she was more into taking notes than engaging in conversation. I was hoping that would change after the intake process was complete, but I never got to see if that was the case.
My Problems with MDLIVE
The support person said he can’t message providers either and that my best option, if I still wanted care, would be to start over with someone else.
The next provider with availability was May 23, so I rearranged my schedule and took that appointment. The support person I was speaking to was not able to provide me with any information about this therapist’s area of expertise or background, just a name and that they were licensed in my state.
As soon as I woke up on May 23, I thought it was odd that I still hadn’t received an appointment reminder or confirmation text. I logged into MDLIVE and there were no appointments in my profile.
Again, I called the support line, explained the history described above, and asked if they could confirm I had an 8am appointment. The lady on the support line struggled to find my records: I had to give her my name, spell it, and provide my DOB at least three times.
Finally, she was able to confirm I did not have an appointment with this second provider. Upon my request she also confirmed I was not charged for this second appointment. She did not have record of my call to support on May 17.
I asked what my options to move forward were. She said I could schedule another appointment with a new provider. There was one appointment the following week with a provider who practices in my state. The support line lady was not able to tell me anything about this provider, including if they were male or female. It’s important to me to meet with a woman, so I declined that option. I asked her to confirm if my original provider still didn’t have any availability and if the June calendar was still blocked. The support lady confirmed both of those things. She did mention other providers were available in early June. Other than their name, she was not able to tell me anything about their practice.
At that point, I was so discouraged I decided it was best for my mental health to stop trying.
Due to these tech and scheduling issues, I never met with that therapist again. It was frustrating to stir up all those thoughts and feelings and history, take an hour out of a busy day, and have no support to calm and settle myself down after recalling all my traumas.
How I Felt About MDLIVE
The value of my first appointment was not worth the $90 I paid given it was intake questions only, and I had no way to access a follow-up appointment as directed.
I would not use this company again. Using the service required multiple calls to its support line, the care I received was disappointing, its website functioned poorly, and the whole effort only added to the stress and frustration I was seeking relief from.
Other than the fact that I didn’t have to wait on hold long when I had to call support three separate times (for a total of one completed appointment), I don’t have anything nice to say. “Biggest waste of time” comes to mind.
Our Other Testers' Experiences with MDLIVE
We also tested MDLIVE three other times from Missouri, Florida, and Connecticut, and tried out both its individual and couples therapy services. Overall, unlike our most recent 2024 testing, we had great experiences with MDLIVE.
In our individual therapy sessions, we found our therapists to be compassionate, helpful, and highly qualified—in fact, we felt they were so skilled that we would consider seeing them on a regular basis, even after our testing was done.
We were especially impressed with the range of backgrounds and expertise that all of our therapists had; with years of talk therapy experience under their belts, we felt that the care we received was worth recommending MDLIVE to family and friends (which we did).
Our couples therapy sessions stood out to us the most. We found that the care we received at MDLIVE was closer to our experiences with in-person therapy than any other online therapy company we’d ever tried. From getting a heads-up that our therapist would be a few minutes late (something we’d never gotten before) to taking the time to cover important aspects of therapy like confidentiality (something only our in-person therapists had ever done), our provider went above and beyond.
The first question our therapist asked us was, “What was it that initially drew you to your partner?”—we really liked this approach, as it set us up for a positive and personal session that focused on our strengths as well as our challenges.
Our therapist was attentive but also gave us the space to talk, and helped us use reflective listening to really understand what our partner was saying. We especially appreciated that, at the end of our first session, our provider asked us if we had been comfortable with him and if we’d like to continue to work with him, rather than assuming we wanted to schedule a second session. Our provider’s understanding and empathy really impressed us.
Pros and Cons:
After getting through a couple of technological glitches, overall I was very satisfied with the transparent and reasonable pricing, responsive customer support, and quality of my therapist.
ProsSession rates are less than many competing companiesVery friendly and helpful customer supportAccepts insuranceBills insurance company for youTransparent pricingYou get to choose your own therapist from detailed biosConsUnable to contact your provider directly until they write you firstProviders are not able to fill out any disability applications, emotional support animal letters, leave from work notes, or legal documentsYou may end up accidentally booking a session with a therapist not licensed in your state
ProsSession rates are less than many competing companiesVery friendly and helpful customer supportAccepts insuranceBills insurance company for youTransparent pricingYou get to choose your own therapist from detailed bios
Session rates are less than many competing companies
Very friendly and helpful customer support
Accepts insurance
Bills insurance company for you
Transparent pricing
You get to choose your own therapist from detailed bios
ConsUnable to contact your provider directly until they write you firstProviders are not able to fill out any disability applications, emotional support animal letters, leave from work notes, or legal documentsYou may end up accidentally booking a session with a therapist not licensed in your state
Unable to contact your provider directly until they write you first
Providers are not able to fill out any disability applications, emotional support animal letters, leave from work notes, or legal documents
You may end up accidentally booking a session with a therapist not licensed in your state
Final Thoughts
I feel that MDLIVE is one of the more straightforward and easy to use online therapy services I have encountered. Costs and billing are transparent, it’s easy to both choose and switch therapists, and the customer service team is top notch. Add this to the fact that I ended up paying less than half per session of what I was paying with my last online therapy company, and I was a happy customer.
MDLIVE User Survey ResultsOverall, once I got into my session, I was very happy with the level of professionalism and genuine human connection I felt. This matches up with the experiences of the 100 MDLIVE users we surveyed:100% rated MDLIVE as good, very good, or excellent overall98% reported that they found a therapist that met all or most of their needs95% found the website easy or very easy to navigate96% were satisfied with the therapist options available96% felt the diversity of therapists was good, very good, or excellent
MDLIVE User Survey Results
Overall, once I got into my session, I was very happy with the level of professionalism and genuine human connection I felt. This matches up with the experiences of the 100 MDLIVE users we surveyed:100% rated MDLIVE as good, very good, or excellent overall98% reported that they found a therapist that met all or most of their needs95% found the website easy or very easy to navigate96% were satisfied with the therapist options available96% felt the diversity of therapists was good, very good, or excellent
Overall, once I got into my session, I was very happy with the level of professionalism and genuine human connection I felt. This matches up with the experiences of the 100 MDLIVE users we surveyed:
My therapist did seem to embody the company mission of “dedicated to helping you get better and stay well”—I felt he cared about me as a unique human, not just one more client. I tend to go into therapy with many walls up and it takes me quite a few sessions to decide whether I fully trust the therapist or not. My sessions with MLIVE had me trusting my therapist from the first video chat and I would happily recommend both him and the company to family and friends.
Hannah Owens, LMSW
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