Frequently asked questions

The right type of therapy depends on what you're going through, your goals, and how you prefer to work with a therapist. If you're new to therapy, starting with a provider who offers an initial consultation can help you find the best fit — together.

Some of the most common types of therapy include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): A structured, goal-oriented approach that helps you identify and change unhelpful thought patterns. It's widely used to treat symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress.
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Builds skills around emotional regulation, mindfulness, and navigating conflict. DBT is often recommended for managing intense emotions or relationship difficulties.
• Psychodynamic Therapy: Explores how your past experiences shape your present thoughts and behaviors. Tends to be more exploratory and open-ended.
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): A specialized approach used primarily for treating symptoms of trauma and PTSD.
• Couples or Family Therapy: Focuses on improving communication and resolving conflict within relationships.

On Headway, you can browse providers by location, or filter providers by specialty and therapy style so you can find someone whose approach matches what you're looking for.

Online therapy works just like in-person therapy, only your sessions happen over secure video calls instead of face-to-face in an office. Research consistently shows that online therapy is just as effective for anxiety, depression, trauma, and more. In a 2021 meta-analysis, researchers found that video-delivered therapy was no less effective than in-person treatment across 47 comparative studies, with the strongest results for CBT targeting anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

Here's how a typical online therapy experience on Headway works:

1. Find a therapist who takes your insurance and matches your needs.
2. Book a session directly on Headway, often within days.
3. Attend your session via secure, HIPAA-compliant video — no downloads or complicated setup required.
4. Continue care on a schedule that works for you.

For many people, virtual care removes barriers that prevented them from seeking therapy in the first place — like commuting time, scheduling constraints, or stigma. On Headway, telehealth sessions are built directly into the platform, and most insurance plans cover virtual sessions the same way they cover in-person ones. Learn more about how online therapy works on Headway.

Online therapy isn't automatically cheaper than in-person therapy — but using your insurance usually is. With insurance through Headway, most clients pay $20–$50 per session, compared to the standard $100–$300 out-of-pocket rate.

Without insurance, therapy costs roughly the same regardless of format. Some subscription-based online therapy platforms charge a flat monthly fee, but these services often don't accept insurance, meaning you pay entirely out of pocket.

The most reliable way to reduce your therapy costs is finding a therapist who is in-network with your insurance — which is exactly what Headway is built to do. Check your insurance coverage on Headway.

Several mental health provider directories can help you search for therapists by location, specialty, and insurance — including Psychology Today, Headway, Zocdoc, and TherapyDen.

What sets Headway apart is our focus on insurance-based care. Rather than listing all available therapists, Headway allows you to enter your insurance information upfront and instantly filters results to show only in-network providers. You see your estimated cost per session before you even book, which means no surprise bills.

You can filter Headway's directory by:

• Location (in-person or virtual)
• Insurance plan
• Specialty and issue focus
• Therapist gender, ethnicity, and language
• Session availability

Provider profiles include background, credentials, therapy approaches, and the conditions they treat, giving you everything you need to find a good fit — not just an available appointment.

Search the Headway therapist directory.

Headway makes it simple to find a licensed therapist or psychiatrist who accepts your insurance. We're a therapist matching service and provider directory built around your insurance benefits — so you can focus on finding the right person, not navigating billing.

Here's what makes Headway different:

• Insurance-first: Headway partners with 100+ insurance plans, including Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Oscar, Oxford, and all Optum affiliates. Enter your insurance once and see exactly which providers are in-network.
• Transparent pricing: You see your estimated cost per session before you book — no guessing, no surprises.
• Large, diverse network: Headway's national network includes 70,000+ providers offering care in 50+ languages, across 20+ specialties, in all 50 states.
• Virtual and in-person care: Search for telehealth sessions or find a provider with an office near you.
• No platform fees: Headway doesn't charge you a subscription or membership fee. You only pay your insurance cost-share (copay, coinsurance, or deductible) per session.

Learn more about how Headway works.

Headway is one of the best ways to find a licensed therapist or psychiatrist if you're insured by one of our partner plans.

Headway may be right for you if:

• You have insurance through Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Oscar, Oxford, or Optum affiliates
• You're looking for a therapist or psychiatrist for yourself or a family member (ages 6 and up)
• You want virtual care or are open to it — most Headway providers offer telehealth sessions
• You want upfront, transparent pricing before you book

Headway may not be the right fit if:

• You don't have insurance or need cash-pay only options (Headway currently requires an in-network insurance plan)

Not sure if your plan is accepted? Enter your insurance details to instantly check your coverage.

Getting started takes just a few minutes — no paperwork, no subscription fees.

1. Enter your zip code and insurance information — Headway verifies your benefits in real time and shows your estimated cost per session.
2. Share your preferences — Let us know what you're looking for: the issues you want to address, preferred session format, therapist preferences, and availability.
3. Browse matched providers — Headway filters thousands of therapists and psychiatrists to surface the best matches for your needs and plan.
4. Book your first session — Schedule directly through the platform. Many providers have availability within days.
5. Attend your session — Join via secure video or visit your provider's office. You won't be charged until after your session.

Headway handles insurance verification and billing on your behalf — so you can focus on your care.

Yes. Headway's directory lets you filter providers by the specific issue or condition you want to address — whether that's anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, ADHD, OCD, eating disorders, grief and loss, life transitions, relationship challenges, burnout, or something else.

Providers on Headway also list the therapy modalities they use, the age groups they work with, and the patient groups they have experience serving — including LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, and more. This makes it easier to find not just a therapist who treats your concern, but someone whose background feels like a genuine fit.

Search by specialty on Headway.

Most standard therapy sessions are 45–60 minutes. Initial intake sessions may run slightly longer, and some providers offer shorter check-in sessions (around 30 minutes) for established clients. Your provider will discuss session length options with you when you start.

Your cost per session depends on your specific insurance plan. Headway automatically calculates your estimated cost based on your plan details before you book — so there are no surprises. Here's how insurance typically structures your cost-share:

• Copay: A flat fee per session (e.g., $30 per visit), set by your insurance plan. This stays the same regardless of session length.
• Deductible + coinsurance: You pay the full session rate until you've met your annual deductible. After that, you pay a percentage (coinsurance) and your insurance covers the rest.
• Out-of-pocket max: Once you've spent a set amount for the year, your insurance covers 100% of covered services.

On average, Headway clients save 75% compared to the standard out-of-pocket rate. Most clients pay between $20 and $50 per session. Estimate your session cost on Headway.

Yes, and it's more common than you might think. Finding the right therapist is a process, and a good therapeutic relationship is one of the strongest predictors of positive outcomes — so getting the fit right matters.

On Headway, you can search for a new provider at any time. You're not locked into any contract or ongoing commitment with a particular provider, and your insurance information stays on file so switching is easy.

Yes on both counts. Therapists are legally and ethically required to keep your sessions confidential, and Headway's telehealth platform is fully HIPAA-compliant — meaning your sessions, personal information, and health records are protected under federal privacy law.

There are a small number of legally required exceptions your therapist will explain at your first session, which typically include situations involving risk of serious harm to yourself or others, suspected abuse of a child or vulnerable adult, or a court order requiring disclosure.

Your therapy records are not shared with your employer or anyone else without your explicit written consent. If you have specific questions about how your information is handled, your therapist or Headway's support team can walk you through the details.

Learn more about privacy at Headway