Best Online Divorce Counseling

All providers with Couples Therapy Inc specialize in working with couples, including those going through a divorce. Therapists can help with discerning whether divorce is the right choice for your family, managing stressors contributing to divorce, such as affairs, and both pre- and post-divorce support for each member of the couple.

Couples Therapy Inc. seeks to provide intensive, evidence-based treatment for couples looking to address problems in their relationship. Its approach emphasizes “First study, then intervene.” This means that providers complete comprehensive assessments of each couple to determine their strengths, needs, and the best course of treatment.

All Couples Therapy Inc. providers specialize in the Gottman Method, and many have additional training in emotionally focused therapy and discernment counseling.

If couples are unable to afford Couples Therapy Inc.’s treatment cost, they can complete free questionnaires on the website. It also has free educational resources and self-guided options that anyone can use.

The cost of ongoing sessions varies, with providers setting different rates. The founders state that many insurance providers do not cover couples therapy, though they sometimes are covered by employee assistance programs (EAPs).

You can schedule a free 15-minute consultation call prior to starting with your therapist. The company additionally has free, self-guided resources available on the website.

Intensive retreats start at $3,500. Coaching sessions are $150 to $275 per session.

Users who responded to our survey had positive feedback about Couples Therapy Inc. Overall, 76% of users described its services as very good or excellent. Eighty-five percent of users rated therapist qualifications as very good or excellent, and 86% indicated that the therapists had very good or excellent response time to inquiries.

Although Couples Therapy Inc. is more pricey than other options, 75% of users rated the cost as very good or excellent for the quality of service provided.

ReGain’s platform was created specifically to address relationship issues. Couples can use the platform when deciding whether divorce is the right option for them or to help them navigate separation. A single user can sign up if they are seeking therapy services related to their marriage, and they can add their spouse later on if needed. Users can also register anonymously using a nickname for privacy. 

After registering, the platform matches users to a therapist whose expertise suits their goals for treatment and any indicated preference, such as gender. Users can request to be matched to a different therapist if they feel their initial match isn't a good fit.

ReGain clients can schedule weekly video or audio sessions, as well as access a private therapy “room” that allows asynchronous messaging at any time. Therapists can send resources, check-ins, and worksheets through the messaging system, and clients can send questions, concerns, or updates that the therapist will answer when they are able.

According to ReGain’s website, the cost of therapy varies depending on whether you are seen individually or as a couple, and pricing varies by location. When you sign up, you are asked questions about your financial situation and disability status, but information about whether this impacts your price is not available.

ReGain’s website states that therapy costs are between $60 and $90 per week, with subscriptions billed monthly.

Of the users who took our survey, 77% rated ReGain’s services as very good or excellent. Users rated therapist qualifications as very good or excellent 86% of the time, and 85% were satisfied by the types of therapy offered. ReGain is rated as very user-friendly, with 82% finding the sign up process easy and 84% indicating that the site is easy to use.

Circles offers 12-week group therapy sessions on a variety of topics, with some divorce-specific options available. Group therapy can be a great source of support and treatment for those who want to connect with others going through similar difficulties. 

When signing up for Circles, you are prompted to answer questions about why you're seeking group therapy. If you indicate you're seeking support following separation or divorce, you'll also provide information about how far along you are in the process, describe your current mental state, and discuss what you hope to get out of therapy. You'll also indicate whether you're living with your spouse and whether children are involved to ensure that you're matched to a divorce-specific group that best fits your needs.

You are then given options for appropriate groups and can choose a group in a time slot that fits your schedule. Users can stay in a group for as long as they find it helpful, and there is no set start or end date. This means that you won't be cut off by a set end date, but there may be changes over time as some users end therapy and others join the group.

All groups are facilitated by trained and licensed professionals who receive group-specific training by Circles before being allowed to lead groups.

Circles offers one monthly subscription plan that costs $79 and is billed monthly. The first week is free, so you can attend one session before committing financially. The Frequently Asked Questions page indicates that Circles can sometimes provide financial assistance to help with the subscription fee.

Of those we surveyed, 80% rated Circles as very good or excellent. Specifically, 82% of users found the platform easy to use, and 81% appreciated the high number and variety of therapists available. In addition, 86% found the therapists’s communication and responsiveness to be very good or excellent.

Overview

Couples considering divorce might feel shame, guilt, embarrassment, anger, sadness, and many other feelings. Seeking couples therapy for discernment—which involves deciding on how to proceed with the marriage—is particularly challenging, because many couples therapists might emphasize saving the marriage at all costs, even if this is not the healthiest choice.

Discernment counseling with Growing Self includes assessing whether the couple is “leaning in” (working towards repairing the relationship) or “leaning out” (seeking to end the marriage). Counselors with Growing Self who provide discernment counseling have specialized training in helping each couple come to the right decision for their family, whether that means reunification or parting on the best possible terms.

Growing Self was created to offer evidence-based marriage and family therapy focused on love, happiness, and success. Clients can receive in-person sessions at its office in Denver, and telehealth is available in every U.S. state and internationally.

Lisa Marie Bobby, PhD, LMFT, founded Growing Self following her clinical training and personal experiences in therapy with the goal of offering competent, evidence-based care. She wanted to provide trauma-informed services that promote healthy relationships and personal growth.

Growing Self offers a free consultation prior to starting services. The fee for sessions varies based on each provider’s experience:

• Most Experienced: These therapists have doctoral degrees in psychology or counseling and charge $160 per session, with some sliding scale options available.
• More Experienced: These “advanced clinicians” are licensed mental health professionals who charge $135 per session, with sliding scale fees available.
• More Affordable: Providers in this tier are master's level clinicians with fewer years of experience. Sessions are $115, though sliding scale fees may be available.
• Most Affordable: Master's level clinicians with training in counseling or coaching fall into this category, charging $105 per session and sliding scale options as low as $65 per session available.

Growing Self is not in-network with insurance, and its therapists are not Medicare or Medicaid providers. According to its website, if a client has a diagnosable psychiatric condition, it can provide out-of-network services that can be billed to insurance. However, since its approach emphasizes “personal growth, healthy relationships, and positive change—not the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric conditions,” it does not guarantee that services will be reimbursable.

Of the users we surveyed, 65% rated Growing Self as very good or excellent overall. Eighty-two percent indicated that the service was easy to use, and 84% were satisfied with the qualifications of the therapists on the platform.

When going through a divorce, people may feel many extreme emotions, especially toward their soon-to-be ex. There might be hurt feelings about getting a divorce on top of the circumstances that led to the couple deciding to separate. Behaving civilly for the children's sake can feel impossible.

Co-parenting classes are a fantastic resource for parents who want to be able to put their children’s needs first and work together to the best of their ability. Crossroads of Parenting & Divorce provides various options to develop these skills and implement them in your family.

If a trained facilitator offers in-person classes in your area, you may be able to sign up for a seminar. However, there is also a self-guided option that you can do online from anywhere. The virtual class gives you 60 days to complete coursework on your own schedule and pace. The self-guided course offers access to a moderated online discussion forum, so users can talk through the skills they are learning and gain peer support from others who are taking the course.

If a judge has ordered you to complete a co-parenting class as part of your divorce or custody arrangement, Crossroads of Parenting & Divorce can often meet this requirement. It provides a certificate of completion after the class is done. However, check with your lawyer and the judge making the order to ensure that the course meets your specific requirements.

In-person and live online courses vary in price depending on location. The self-guided course is $79.95, and users have 60 days to complete the course.

In addition to the courses offered, Crossroads’ website has a free parenting quiz to determine your parenting style. It sells various games and books for parents as well.

Since this is a course and not therapy, Crossroads does not accept insurance and is not a reimbursable service.

Crossroads of Parenting & Divorce is consistently rated among the best co-parenting resources. Few online user reviews are available, though the class is consistently recommended by therapists and family courts.

Divorce can be especially stressful and difficult for children. Kids often do not understand the adult reasons behind the divorce, and it may not be appropriate to share that information with them. They are on the front lines of their parents’ disagreements, arguments, and custody negotiations, and although children are not responsible for their parents’ marriage, they may feel guilty or like they caused the divorce. For all of these reasons, divorce counseling for children is important.

Thriveworks is designed to offer personalized, effective care to anyone who needs it, including children and teens. It additionally employs therapists who specialize in divorce and related stressors. If Thriveworks is available in your state, you can choose to see your therapist in person or via telehealth, and you can connect with your therapist via phone or email in between appointments for updates or check-ins.

When enrolling in therapy through Thriveworks, you and your child can review the profiles of available providers and choose the therapist you think will be the best fit. This can help children engage in therapy, as they have a say in their care from the start.

Thriveworks has free educational blogs, support resources, and a mobile app called Therapy Buddy that provides additional resources.

Thriveworks is in-network with most insurance providers and encourages clients to use their insurance. Because insurance coverage varies, the company cannot guarantee what your cost of treatment will be when using your insurance. You may have to meet a deductible before your coverage starts or owe a copay for each session. 

Specific information about self-pay cost is not clearly listed on the website, but Thriveworks’ payment page indicates that sessions may cost as little as $160.

Client reviews of Thriveworks indicate that it is consistently rated high in trustworthiness and quality of care provided. Users report that its customer care team responds quickly and positively when issues arise as well. Of those we surveyed, 90% indicated that they had an overall positive experience with Thriveworks, and 88% rated the therapist qualifications as very good or excellent. Seventy-eight percent said that most or all of their needs were met, and 80% would recommend the company to a friend.

LifeStance Health provides individual and couples therapy for a wide variety of concerns, including life transitions, stress, trauma, and attachment issues, all of which can arise during and after a divorce. 

LifeStance was created to offer individualized, tailored mental health treatment to all clients who need support. It offers both in-person and telehealth appointments, and it employs therapists as well as prescribers, so it can offer both therapy and medication management services.

In addition to these services, LifeStance provides psychological assessment services. This can allow clients to gain more information and insight about their mental health and symptoms, and it can provide clarity about their diagnosis or diagnoses. For many, mental health changes and new symptoms emerge following a stressor such as divorce. Having access to evaluations that can provide current mental health information is essential to treatment planning. An accurate diagnosis is essential for matching clients to appropriate treatment. 

Currently, LifeStance operates in 34 states, but it is in the process of expanding, with the goal of providing nationwide coverage.

LifeStance indicates that it accepts most insurance plans. Additional pricing information is not listed on its website.

LifeStance offers a variety of services and accessible treatment options for clients. Users have indicated that providers have excellent communication and are responsive to client needs. However, clients have also reported difficulty dealing with the billing department; of those who completed our survey, only 63% were satisfied with LifeStance’s customer service, which is lower than the company's rankings in other areas. Of those we surveyed, 88% reported an overall positive experience with LifeStance, and 90% rated therapist qualifications as good, very good, or excellent

LGBTQIA+ individuals going through divorce face the same stress and adjustment issues as straight and/or cisgender individuals, with the added difficulty of finding a provider who will affirm their identity without stigma and discrimination. Inclusive Therapists was developed to ensure that everyone could find competent care with a provider who understands them, regardless of identity.

All providers listed on the Inclusive Therapists directory make a commitment to uphold the company’s values and social justice ideals. LGBTQIA+ clients can feel confident that they will find a therapist who will not degrade them because of their identity or try to recommend conversion therapy.

Providers on Inclusive Therapists can offer support to individuals, couples, families, or groups. Users can search based on the type of service they need and filter results based on factors including the therapist’s training, specializations, and insurance coverage. Therapists can also indicate whether they offer low-cost or sliding-scale services to support low-income families.

In addition to access to therapy services, Inclusive Therapists has a blog and other free educational resources that users can explore to understand their mental health better.

Because Inclusive Therapists is a directory and not a platform that employs therapists directly, therapists set their own rates, so prices vary. Some offer sliding scale pricing and accept various insurance plans. When searching for a therapist, you can filter results based on your insurance plan.

Of those we surveyed, 89% of users indicated that their experience with Inclusive Therapists was very good or excellent. Sixty-seven percent were able to find a therapist who met all of their needs, and an additional 30% were able to find someone who met most of their needs. Eighty-one percent were satisfied or very satisfied with the options available.

Daily Strength is an online forum with many different communities, one of which caters to those dealing with breakups and divorces. Although an online forum is not a substitute for traditional therapy, Daily Strength uses its position to create space for peer support, which can be an important component of healing. These forums are free to use, and members can connect with peers going through similar experiences at any time.

Although users can create an anonymous username and profile, posts are published on the internet, so users should be mindful when sharing information that could identify them. They must also be aware that anyone could potentially read their posts.

Daily Strength has clear and specific rules for use: Users must treat each other with respect, not engage in abusive behavior, and seek the advice of a health care provider for questions about medical conditions. Forums are not moderated, however, members have clear instructions for reporting abuse when needed. Members who do not follow the rules may be warned or banned from posting in the future.

If you find that an existing group is not meeting your needs, you can develop your own groups to address specific issues or concerns. With this feature, users seeking support can foster very specific community environments, and they can connect with peers around the world.

The versatility, flexibility, and commitment to emotional and physical safety make Daily Strength a great resource for people going through a divorce.

Daily Strength is free to use and does not require payment, credit card information, or subscription.

Some users report a positive experience finding support and connection through Daily Strength’s forums. Others have indicated that some forums have rules that are not enforced consistently, and moderators do not always clearly communicate the reasons why someone was banned.

Yuri Tomikawa started Zencare after she struggled to find the right therapist to help with her mental health needs. She realized that the platforms in place were not optimally set up to help BIPOC people find a therapist they feel well supported by, so she created Zencare to solve that problem. Many therapists listed on the platform advertise that they specialize in issues related to divorce, and you can filter your search to reflect that specialization.

When searching for a therapist on Zencare, users can use various filters to connect with the exact therapist who fits their needs. Filters include the type of therapist, insurances accepted, specialties, and therapeutic approach. In addition, users can choose to seek a therapist who shares their identity (including gender identity, religion, race, and sexual orientation).

Clients can search for a therapist with session availability that fits their schedule. Since Zencare is a directory rather than a therapy platform, it does not provide a specific session type or subscription plan. Once you connect with a therapist, you can schedule a free phone consultation via Zencare. However, going forward, you and your therapist will schedule sessions through a platform that works best for both of you. This provides great flexibility and may help providers better tailor sessions and care to clients.

Users can also benefit from a variety of blog posts and free information about mental health on Zencare's website.

Zencare is an online directory that allows therapists and therapy practices to list their business for prospective clients. As such, there are no set prices or plans to choose from. However, many therapists listed on Zencare are willing to work with insurance or offer low-fee sessions for some clients. Session rates vary greatly depending on the provider and location, from $50 per session to more than $400 per session.

90% of users we surveyed indicated that Zencare’s services are very good or excellent. Eighty-six percent found the platform easy to use, and 74% reported that they did not have trouble finding a therapist. Seventy-one percent were able to find a therapist who met all their needs, and an additional 25% found a therapist who met most of their needs. Eighty-five percent rated diversity on the platform very good or good, and 82% would recommend the directory to a friend.

The Gottman Referral Network is a directory of therapists trained and certified in Gottman couples therapy, an evidence-based approach to marriage and couples therapy with more than 40 years of research demonstrating its effectiveness.

Gottman-trained therapists can be Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, or Certified, with each level building on the previous one and giving the therapist tools and techniques to better support couples in their therapy process. While the goal of Gottman couples therapy is often reunification, the techniques can also be applied to discernment counseling, co-parenting work, or individual recovery following separation or divorce.

Providers listed on the Gottman Referral Network often have additional training and expertise in issues including addiction, trauma, and other mental health diagnoses. When searching, you can filter results to indicate your needs and connect with a therapist who has training to address your concerns. Users can browse therapists confidently, knowing that all have extensive training and specialization.

Each provider in the directory chooses their rate and whether or not they accept insurance. You can filter search results based on whether or not a provider accepts insurance.

Of the 180 users who responded to our survey, 78% rated the Gottman Referral Network as very good or excellent overall. Fifty-five percent were able to find a therapist who met all their needs, and 40% found someone who met most of their needs. Seventy-two percent indicated they would use the directory again in the future. Finally, 74% rated Gottman Referral Network’s additional resources as very good or excellent.