Frequently asked questions by teens
TeenCounseling is an online platform where teens from ages 13-19 can get help from a licensed therapist online. TeenCounseling.com makes affordable, discreet, professional counseling available through a computer, tablet, or smartphone. All teens can benefit from having a professional counselor at their fingertips to discuss issues such as coping skills, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, depression, bullying, anger, eating disorders or any other mental challenges.
If your parent or legal guardian signed up to the site first, they will be matched with a licensed counselor. They can then invite you and you will receive the invite code via email and text message.
If you are between the ages of 13-19, and would like to be able to talk to a counselor about your issues, TeenCounseling.com may be right for you! Counselors can help you to learn coping skills, feel happier, achieve important goals, do better in school, or improve relationships.
TeenCounseling.com is not the right solution for you if any of the following is true:
• You have had thoughts of hurting yourself or others
• You are in an urgent crisis or emergency situation
• You are required to undergo therapy or counseling either by a court order or by any other authority
• You do not have a device that can connect to the Internet reliably (computer, tablet, or smartphone).
TeenCounseling.com is not the right solution for you if any of the following is true:
• You have had thoughts of hurting yourself or others
• You are in an urgent crisis or emergency situation
• You are required to undergo therapy or counseling either by a court order or by any other authority
• You do not have a device that can connect to the Internet reliably (computer, tablet, or smartphone).
The cost of counseling through Teen Counseling ranges from $80 to $100 per week (billed every 4 weeks) and it is based on your location, preferences, and therapist availability. You can cancel your membership at any time for any reason.
We strive to deliver a web experience that is aligned with the most recent Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) at the AA level, published by World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
If you are on a desktop browser, you can enable and launch the accessibility preferences by visiting the Accessibility page.
For mobile users, we recommend using your device’s native accessibility features. Instructions for iPhone can be found here , and for Android can be found here.
Counseling is done in four ways:
- Exchanging messages with the counselor
- Chatting live with the counselor
- Speaking over the phone with the counselor
- Video conferencing with the counselor
You and your counselor will get a dedicated "room", which will be your private and secure place to communicate. In this room, you will write about yourself, the things going on in your life, ask questions and discuss the issues that trouble you. Your counselor will then read your messages, and respond with questions, feedback, insights, and guidance.
You can exchange messages with your counselor at any time, from anywhere, using any Internet-connected device. The room is open 24/7 and since messaging is not in real-time it doesn't require scheduling. Instead, you can choose whenever you want to write or respond to your counselor. You will get a notification by email and text message when the counselor has sent you a message.
No. This room is for you and your counselor.
It can be sometimes useful to have a text conversation with your counselor in real-time. This way you can still enjoy the convenience and privacy of messaging but also enjoy a "live" interaction that allows instant response and feedback from the counselor.
To have a live chat session, you will first need to schedule a time with your counselor. At the scheduled time, log in to your account to start typing and chatting with your counselor.
Phone sessions are a great way to conveniently speak with your counselor by simply using your landline or cell phone, no matter where you are.
To talk with your counselor over the phone, you will need to schedule a time with your counselor and log in to your counseling room at that time. The counselor will prompt you to start the phone session and the system will ask you for your phone number. The system will then call you at that number and connect you with your counselor to start the phone session. Please note that the phone number you enter will not be shared with the counselor.
You can also have a video session with your counselor where you will be able to see each other and talk with each other in a virtual face-to-face setting (similar to Skype).
To talk with your counselor via video, you will need to schedule a time with him or her and log in to your counseling room at that time. He or she will then prompt you to start the video session. After you confirm, you will immediately begin video chatting with your counselor.
To talk with your counselor via video, you will need to schedule a time with him or her and log in to your counseling room at that time. He or she will then prompt you to start the video session. After you confirm, you will immediately begin video chatting with your counselor.
- If you're using a computer or laptop: Make sure you are using Chrome or Firefox as your web browser. Video sessions are not currently supported in Internet Explorer and Safari browsers. You can download Chrome for free from here
- If you're using an iPhone or iPad: Make sure you use the TeenCounseling app, which you can download from the App Store
- If you're using an Android phone or tablet: Make sure you use the TeenCounseling app, which you can download from the Google Play Store.
You can talk to your counselor about anything, but there are a few things that they would be required to share with either your parents or other adults. If you share any of the following issues with your counselor, they would have to break confidentiality for your protection or the protection of others:
• If you are seriously contemplating severely harming yourself or someone else.
• If you share with your counselor that you are being abused or neglected, or know of another individual under 18 who is being abused or neglected.
• If you share with your counselor that you know of an elderly person who is being abused or neglected.
Please consult with your counselor about what kind of information and updates your parent(s) may get regarding your work with the counselor.
• If you are seriously contemplating severely harming yourself or someone else.
• If you share with your counselor that you are being abused or neglected, or know of another individual under 18 who is being abused or neglected.
• If you share with your counselor that you know of an elderly person who is being abused or neglected.
Please consult with your counselor about what kind of information and updates your parent(s) may get regarding your work with the counselor.
You can reset your pin by first logging out of the account on the app in your account settings. Once you log back in, you will be prompted to create a new pin.
The service is provided by independent providers who work directly with their clients. These providers are not employees of Teen Counseling and the site doesn't oversee them professionally. Our mission is to build, maintain, and support a platform that lets users and counselors communicate effectively, and to facilitate this channel so they can get the most out of their interaction.