The Best Online Therapy for Families Dealing with OCD

NOCD is dedicated to specifically treating OCD, and has therapists trained to work with teens and families, making it perfect for families where a parent or a teenager is struggling with this disorder. All therapists on this platform are specifically trained to treat OCD using ERP therapy. Since NOCD operates in all states, this online OCD therapy option makes ERP therapy, the standard of care for treating OCD, more accessible to people who need it. 

Another benefit to NOCD is that it can treat both adults and children. To get started, you complete a 15-minute phone call about your needs, including your age, subtype of OCD, and the qualities you’d like in a therapist. From there, you are matched with a provider. 

NOCD focuses on one type of therapy for OCD: online ERP sessions. During an ERP session, you’re exposed to a situation or stimulus that triggers your obsessions. Then, the therapist helps you control your compulsions rather than giving in to them, instead encouraging you to process your feelings and cope in a healthier way. All of the counselors and therapists on the site are trained in ERP, and you can find a provider that treats any subtype of OCD—a “subtype” is the specific focus of your obsessions and compulsions (such as contamination and cleaning or hoarding). 

There is one major downside: NOCD providers don’t prescribe medications. Generally, the best course of OCD treatment is medications and ERP. However, we believe the benefit of having online access to ERP treatments outweighs the downside of not having access to an online OCD psychiatrist. You can use ERP sessions from NOCD in conjunction with medication that you are prescribed by an online psychiatrist or your primary care provider. 

Each EPR session through NOCD costs $170. Typically, people have one session a week, which would mean a monthly cost of about $680 if you’re paying out-of-pocket. 

NOCD also accepts insurance, including UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Humana, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and others. Depending on your plan, your cost per session could be as low as $0. 

NOCD also mentions “payment plan flexibility,” but you’ll need to complete a free 15-minute phone consultation to get more information about that. 

Overall, people were happy with NOCD. Of the 105 users of NOCD we surveyed, 71% rated the service as good, very good or excellent. Interestingly, only 13% of users said that they were seeking online therapy because of OCD. Since NOCD is tailored specifically to people with OCD, it’s possible that some people who weren’t impressed with the company were not a good fit because they were primarily seeking treatment for other conditions, like depression or anxiety. 

Our tester of NOCD was pleased with the service overall, noting that “having a therapist who understood OCD well was a positive experience.”

Little Otter was founded by child psychiatrist Helen Egger, MD, who is now the company's chief medical and scientific officer. As that suggests, Little Otter is focused on providing thorough, wrap-around care for kids with mental health conditions, including OCD. The company reports that 95% of families see clinical improvement after only 12 weeks, so Little Otter is a great fit for families looking for results. 

After doing a free information call and completing an online questionnaire about your child’s needs, you’ll be invited to a $90 welcome call with a care coordinator, who will create a care plan for your entire family. The care coordinator becomes the primary contact between your family and the various care providers at Little Otter. 

Little Otter provides a range of treatments for children and families. To start, there’s counseling for the child with OCD. Your care coordinator can help you find a provider that is experienced with OCD and can provide age-appropriate treatments, including ERP. In addition, Little Otter offers medication management under the guidance of a licensed child psychiatrist, who is able to prescribe medicine to help your child with OCD symptoms.

In addition, Little Otter provides parental coaching to help you support your child in their treatment. If you’re having trouble with that, the company can connect with individual or couples counselors to help address any underlying issues that are impacting your child. Finally, Little Otter offers online resources and information to support your family and normalize mental health treatment. 

To get started with Little Otter, you’ll need to do the $90 welcome call. Then, each talk therapy or parenting coaching session from Little Otter costs $200. You will get a discount if you purchase these sessions in bulk through one of two packages:

• The assessment bundle costs $540. It includes a 90-minute assessment (not for psychiatric needs) and one standard therapy session. This is a $20 discount off the therapy session. 
• A 12-session bundle costs $2,040. This is a 15% discount that drops the total per session to $170. 

If your child needs medication, they’ll have to complete a $500 general psychiatry evaluation. Then, each psychiatric appointment for medication management costs $250. All charges are processed 23 hours before the session.

Little Otter is only in network for Kaiser Permanente and only with pre-authorization from a local clinic. If you have a different insurer, you can submit a claim for out-of-network coverage. According to Little Otter, those claims usually cover 40% to 70% of the cost of care, after you meet your deductible. Still, it’s clear that Little Otter is an expensive choice that may be out of reach for some families. 

Most families seem happy with Little Otter: overall, 75% of the 105 users we surveyed said their experience was good, very good, or excellent. Most users—58%—would recommend Little Otter to a friend or family member.  

One consideration is that only 6% of users went to Little Otter primarily because of OCD. So, it’s important to discuss during your welcome call whether Little Otter has the providers your child needs. 

Luckily, it seems like most users are happy with their results: 41% of people who used Little Otter were no longer in therapy, and 48% of those said that was because they had accomplished all their therapeutic goals. One reviewer who tested Little Otter’s services with her military family reported that “our providers have done exceptionally well in offering services that meet all of our needs and considering our unique and diverse military community.”

For teens who are new to therapy and aren’t sure what they prefer, having both in-person and online therapy options in one place could be a real advantage. Thriveworks allows you to book in-person or online therapy sessions, whether you’re a teen or a parent of a teen. In addition, Thriveworks offers medication management with psychiatry services, as well as counseling that can help with OCD symptoms. In addition, Thriveworks provides family therapy so that you can address the whole household’s needs through one platform. 

We love that Thriveworks allows you to connect with a therapist within three to five days. For teens, being able to connect with care quickly when they need it is essential. In addition, Thriveworks will help teens on Medicaid find a provider who takes that insurance, which is important for young people with limited financial resources. 

Thriveworks offers the two components that are essential to OCD treatment: psychiatrists who can prescribe medications, and counselors experienced in helping people with OCD. Medication management is available to anyone who is 14 or older. The company also has counselors and coaches who help teens with OCD manage their obsessions without turning to the compulsions that can interfere with their ability to keep up with friends, finish their school work, or plan for their future. 

A teen’s OCD can impact the whole family, including parents and siblings. So, we appreciate that Thriveworks also has individual, family, and couples counselors available. That way, families can supplement a teen’s OCD treatment to help the whole family communicate better and manage the impact of OCD in the house. 

Prices at Thriveworks start at $99 per session. However, the exact price is set by the provider that you choose. That can be a bit frustrating, since it’s not possible to know the exact cost until you pick your provider. 

Insurance coverage also depends on your particular provider. Thriveworks accepts major insurance providers including Blue Cross, Anthem, and Optum, but you’ll have to check the specifics of whomever you book an appointment with. 

Thriveworks says it will help you find a provider who does take Medicaid if you call them at 855-579-7105. Not many providers take Medicaid, so this is a great option for people under 18 who are on this state-sponsored insurance. 

Thriveworks is very popular with the people who use it: 90% of the 105 users we surveyed said that they had a positive experience overall, with 7% of those users turning to Thriveworks specifically for OCD. The platform offers a diverse array of therapists, and 88% of users were happy with that diversity—which is key for teens who are most comfortable working with a provider who shares their background or identities. 

One of our Thriveworks testers notes that “Thriveworks provides high-quality care for the nearly thirty issues it claims to address,” and specifically values its flexibility in offering both in-person and virtual services, highlighting that “it is so valuable to be able to choose a therapy setting that works best for you.”

Two Chairs provides therapy online, in person, or a hybrid of both, which gives parents with busy schedules options when seeking OCD treatment. To get started with Two Chairs, you’ll book a matching session, which costs $260. During that time you’ll talk to the matching specialist about your OCD and what you hope to achieve from therapy. They’ll then provide you with a therapist who’s experienced in treating OCD. According to the company, 98% of people match with a therapist they like the first time. That’s a lifesaver for parents who don’t have the time to cycle through multiple therapists to find the right fit. 

Two Chairs also offers a diverse set of therapists. Forty-five percent of therapists identify as Black, indigenous or people of color, according to the website. There’s also a wide array of specialties, with more than 32 treatment modalities represented. 

If you’re not sure whether you want an in-person or online therapist, you’ll appreciate that Two Chairs offers in person, online, or hybrid models of care. No matter which model you choose, you can check in and track your mental health using Two Chairs’ website. 

Most people see their therapist weekly or biweekly. Appointments are available until 6 p.m., giving working parents some flexibility. 

The only major downside to Two Chairs: it’s currently only available to patients who are residents of California or Washington. 

Two Chairs offers therapy sessions, including cognitive behavioral therapy, the type of treatment that ERP falls under. While ERP is not advertised on its website, Two Chairs mentions that it has providers who specialize in OCD, so it’s likely that it has clinicians experienced in ERP. 

One downside to Two Chairs for people with OCD is that the therapists on the site cannot prescribe medications. However, Two Chairs can be an important resource for parents with OCD looking for talk therapy. 

An initial matching session with Two Chairs costs $260. After that, you’ll pay $215 a session. Most people have sessions every week or every other week. 

Two Chairs accepts Aetna or Kaiser Permanente insurance. If you have another provider, the company says you’ll generally get 60% to 80% of your costs reimbursed after you meet your deductible. 

People who use Two Chairs are relatively satisfied: Although only 2% of the 105 users we surveyed turned to Two Chairs specifically because of OCD, 75% of all users said they had a positive experience, rating Two Chairs as good, very good, or excellent overall, and 63% would recommend Two Chairs to someone like them. Seventy-seven percent of users said their therapist met all or most of their needs. 

Our tester found both her matching specialist and assigned talk therapist to be “empathetic and accommodating,” and reported that “they asked relevant questions that facilitated a productive conversation.” She said she “would have been happy continuing care with either of them, particularly the therapist I had sessions with,” which “speaks to the success of their matching service.”

Whether it’s you or your child with the diagnosis, living with OCD can impact the entire family. LifeStance Health allows you to treat the whole family at one time via one service. It offers individual counseling and psychiatry for the individual(s) with OCD. In addition, online family counseling allows you to process the ways that OCD affects all your family members, including children, teens, and adults. There’s even a couples counseling option to help keep your relationship strong. 

Lifestance Health is a large company that has something for everyone. While online therapy for OCD is an option, you can also see your provider at one of more than 600 in-person locations. The company has more than 6,000 therapists that practice a range of therapy types, including ERP.  You can talk with your therapist via video chat, phone, or text. With so many options, you’ll likely can find the one that’s right for your entire family. 

Lifestance Health offers nearly every type of therapy you can think of. For individuals with OCD, the company has therapists trained in ERP, as well as psychiatrists who can prescribe medications. 

LifeStance Health does not provide cost information online, which can be frustrating for many people. We’ve found that sessions generally cost between $75 and $300 per session. You’ll pay for each session, since LifeStance Health doesn’t offer packages or subscription plans. 

However, you may be able to use your insurance. LifeStance Health works with many insurance providers, but you’ll have to enter your state to find the specifics. 

Users like LifeStance Health. Of the 105 people we surveyed, 88% had a positive experience with the company and 75% would recommend it to a friend. Ninety percent of users said that their therapist’s qualifications were good, very good or excellent, and 73% reported that all or most of their needs were met by their provider. Ten percent of the users we surveyed sought OCD treatment specifically. 

Our LifeStance Health tester had an extremely positive experience with the company, reporting that “in general, I was delighted with my therapist,” adding that “I felt that they listened to me and were compassionate.” 

If you experience OCD along with other health concerns, or simply like the idea of getting all your healthcare remotely from one platform, Teladoc is a great option. Teladoc provides video and phone sessions for people with a variety of physical and mental health conditions, including OCD. It has plenty of therapists trained in CBT, who can coordinate care with your psychiatrist and other providers. "Because CBT teaches you to identify negative thought patterns and react differently to those thoughts," explains Hannah Owens, LMSW and subject matter expert, "it can help parents improve their relationships within their family by pulling them out of the rut of their old triggers and sensitivities and teaching them new ways of responding."

One big benefit of Teladoc is that you can sign up online, via its app, or by calling. Those options make the service more accessible to people who may not be comfortable online or have unreliable internet access. 

Teladoc provides an array of health services, like talk therapy, psychiatry, and primary care, and has providers that specialize in CBT counseling and treat those with OCD. It also has psychiatrists who can prescribe medication. Having all these providers on one platform makes it easy for your doctors and counselors to share information (with your permission) and coordinate care. 

In addition to these individual care options, Teladoc has couples counselors who can help you address the ways that OCD impacts your relationship. 

General health visits at Teladoc start at $75 for people paying out-of-pocket. However, mental health care is a bit more expensive, with counseling starting at $99 a session and visits with a psychiatrist costing $299. 

Teladoc does accept lots of insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid in some cases. However, the company doesn’t advertise the insurers that it is in-network with, so you’ll need to call or set up an account online to see whether your plan is accepted. 

Users are extremely satisfied with Teladoc: 97% of people we surveyed had a positive experience with the company, rating it as excellent, very good, or good. Eighty percent of people found a provider that met all or most of their needs. The therapists on Teladoc met expectations as well: 94% of users said their therapist's qualifications were good, very good or excellent. Although only 2% of our surveyed users reached out to Teladoc for help with OCD specifically, 17% of users received CBT for their treatment.

“Overall, I was very satisfied with the quality of care I received at Teladoc,” our tester reported. Her therapists were “qualified, warm, caring, and attentive to my needs,” and she “would not hesitate to recommend Teladoc to a friend or family member who was interested in online therapy.”

Finding a psychiatrist who treats OCD can be challenging, and finding a psychiatrist who treats children with OCD can be even harder. Talkiatry makes it easy by connecting you with a provider who can write prescriptions. This includes psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. Since medication is often crucial for managing OCD, this is a great resource. Most people who use Talkiatry see their psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner at least once a month. Talkiatry treats anyone age five and older, so the entire family can benefit from its services.

Talktiatry focuses mostly on medication management by psychiatrists or psychiatric nurse practitioners. If you need additional counseling appointments, Talkiatry will provide you with a counselor, as long as you’re already under the care of one of its prescribers. 

Talkiatry only works with people who have insurance. The company accepts lots of insurance providers, including Medicare, Medicaid, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and more. Still, the cost of care can add up quickly, since you’ll be responsible for your co-pay and the cost of care until you meet your deductible. Our survey found that people paid an average of $279 a month out of pocket to use Talkiatry. 

People who use Talkiatry are very happy with the care that they receive. In our survey, 96% of users reported having a good overall experience, while 97% reported that Talkiatry’s value was good, very good, or excellent for the money. About 7% of people using the service were primarily seeking care for OCD. That’s higher than many other online therapy services, which suggests that you’ll be able to find a provider who has experience caring for people with OCD. 

Our tester said, “Talkiatry seems to be a company that is very focused on delivering accessible, affordable care, but also quality care,” which was why he found himself “overwhelmingly impressed with the quality of providers at the company.” 

The International OCD Foundation maintains a database of more than 100 support groups for people whose lives have been impacted by OCD. There are groups available for children, teens, and adults with the illness, as well as others for family members of those individuals. Some groups bring together patients and their family members. 

There are many different types of groups. You can search for support groups that cover co-occurring illnesses like substance use, conditions like autism spectrum disorder, specific subtypes of OCD like hoarding, or certain populations like LGBTQ+ individuals. That allows you to find a group that will resonate with you. 

The groups listed on the database include in-person and virtual support. There are even phone support groups available to people who don’t have reliable internet access or who are more comfortable speaking by phone. 

The International OCD Foundation’s support group listing connects you with peer support. These are groups that allow you to talk about the challenges of living with OCD and brainstorm solutions. However, these groups are not led by medical professionals. They do not provide any counseling or medication management and are not a substitute for medical care. Yet, they can be a powerful supplement to the care you get from your doctor. 

Support groups are free. 

The International OCD Foundation was not part of our user survey. However, we feel comfortable recommending the foundation—which was founded in 1986 by a group of individuals with OCD—because of its mission to “ensure that no one affected by OCD and related disorders suffers alone,” and its nearly 40-year history providing resources and support to those living with OCD and their loved ones.

Using insurance to pay for mental health care can dramatically increase the accessibility and affordability of OCD treatment for families, who are only responsible for a copay rather than full out-of-pocket prices. Brightside provides mental health care via monthly subscriptions. There are packages that cover just counseling, just medication, or both. The medication and therapy package is best for many people with OCD. No matter what package you choose, appointments are available in as little as 24 hours, so you’re able to start getting help quickly. 

Brightside works with five major insurers: Cigna, Aetna, Optum/UnitedHealthcare, Anthem CA, and Allegiance. There’s some insurance coverage in all 50 states, according to Brightside, but the extent of coverage will depend on your location and provider. This makes Brightside’s services especially accessible and affordable for families.

Brightside provides counseling and psychiatric services. People who get therapy through Brightside have a weekly 45-minute session. Between those sessions, you can message your therapist any time—a great perk for people who sometimes have health concerns pop up between appointments. 

In addition, Brightside offers a 10-step lesson plan that you work through at your own pace. The lessons are focused on learning about self-care and the skills you’ll need to manage living with a mental health condition like OCD, and are also available through Brightside’s app. The app, which works on iOS and Android devices, also allows you to track your progress, which can be motivating. 

Brightside offers three different plans:

• Medication: $95 per month; covers basic medication management and psychiatric care.
• Therapy: $299 per month; includes four video therapy sessions and unlimited messaging with your provider. Additional therapy sessions cost $59 each.
• Medication + therapy: $349 per month; provides medication management, four video therapy sessions, and unlimited messaging

Your insurance provider may cover the cost of these plans. The prices listed above are for individuals paying out of pocket. To get more information on your cost with insurance, you’ll need to put your insurance information into the website. 

People seeking online OCD therapy like Brightside: 90% of the 105 users we surveyed had a positive experience with the company, rating it as good, very good, or excellent overall, and 75% would recommend it to a friend. Seventy-nine percent of people found a therapist that met all or most of their needs. Six percent of the users we surveyed sought care for OCD.

Our Brightside tester found that "both therapists I met with offered outstanding care, which likely has to do with their ten years of experience,” adding that “they were kind and responsive, and my first therapist used the chat feature accessible in the portal to send me helpful worksheets on issues we had discussed after our session.” Regarding these additional resources, our tester reported that she “also found taking the self-care lessons in tandem with the therapy sessions to be very effective.”

Talkspace provides subscription-based mental health care for both teens and adults who need counseling, as well as separate a la carte services for adults who need medication, making both services accessbile and convenient for families dealing with OCD. However, Talkspace’s psychiatry services are only for those 18 and older.

To get started with Talkspace, you complete an online questionnaire. From there, the site uses an algorithm to provide three therapists that it believes are a good match for you. You then choose which of those three therapists you’d like to work with. Having limited choices may make choosing a therapist less overwhelming. But others might prefer to browse therapist profiles themselves, something that’s not possible on Talkspace. 

Talkspace is also a great option for people who don’t like video sessions. The site offers phone and live chat therapy, which is more comfortable for some patients. Whatever type of therapy you choose, you’re able to send your provider unlimited messages between sessions. 

Talkspace provides individual counseling to people 13 and older. It also offers couples counseling and psychiatry services for adults. 

One downside to Talkspace is that information on the specific types of therapy offered is limited online. It’s not clear whether Talkspace has providers trained in ERP therapy, though when signing up for medication services you can specify that you are seeking treatment for OCD. To find out whether Talkspace has the right provider for you, you’ll have to go through the questionnaire process and review your matches. 

Talkspace doesn’t advertise its plan costs online, but it does give a broad range of the cost for services. The subscription model is as follows:

• Messaging therapy plan: Starts at $69 per week and offers unlimited messaging with guaranteed responses from your therapist 5 days a week
• Live therapy plan: Starts at $99 per week and offers four live therapy sessions a month
• Live + messaging therapy plan: Starts at $129 per week and offers unlimited messaging and four live therapy sessions a month

Psychiatry is more expensive. An initial psychiatric consultation through Talkspace costs $249 and follow up visits are $125.

Talkspace does accept many different insurance plans, and sometimes also provides discounts and offers promotional codes. When we entered some personal information in Talkspace, we received therapy plans ranging in cost from $44 to $84 a week. 

When we asked for psychiatry plans for a person with OCD, we received these prices:

• $365 for the initial consultation and one follow-up
• $565 for the initial consultation and three follow-ups

Seventy-eight percent of the 105 people we surveyed found a therapist who met all or most of their needs through Talkspace. Ninety-two percent of people said their therapist’s qualifications were good, very good, or excellent. Overall, 90% of people said they had a positive experience using Talkspace. Six percent of our surveyed users turned to Talkspace specifically for help with OCD.

Our Talkspace tester was impressed with the wide availability of Talkspace’s providers, noting that, “at Talkspace, you can get access to a provider within a day or two after signing up” and explaining that “this can be a huge benefit to users in therapy deserts, or areas where there are few or no accessible mental health professionals.”