Talkspace

Yes, this is a year-round resource available from multiple locations. Students participating in out-of-state internships or international cross-culturals can continue to use Talkspace as a resource.  When matching you with a therapist, Talkspace will always try to address your country’s regulations in conjunction with the guidelines provided by the therapist’s state.

Yes.  In order to protect confidentiality according to HIPAA, we require all users to create a unique nickname during the registration process, which is only shared with their therapists. You can determine whether you want your therapist to call you by your first name or nickname during therapy. 

Talkspace will not share your information, usage or therapeutic content with EMU. While Talkspace will not share your information with your organization, we do require every user to submit emergency contact information, which is only accessed according to safety and reporting mandates. 

Yes. On the Talkspace platform, we support a variety of techniques to ensure that you and your data are always kept safe and confidential, and our technology is fully compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). 

All data is encrypted on the servers, and all communication between our software and the servers is encrypted. The Talkspace app requires you to enter your password and allows you to create a unique passcode for extra security. If you have a device that supports fingerprint authentication, we also have a feature that recognizes your fingerprint. 

Yes. All clients have access to a complimentary live video introduction (10-minutes) to meet their therapists in real time, and the EMU plan includes up to one 30-minute live video therapy session each month. Discuss with your therapist if you are interested in this option. Live video sessions can be conducted through the Talkspace mobile app (iOS or Android) or through the web on a supported browser. 

Absolutely. Talkspace has an extensive, nationwide network of thousands of licensed mental health providers, credentialed in accordance with NCQA standards. All Talkspace therapists have been carefully vetted and trained on the platform, and have an average of 7-10 years of experience, post-supervision, providing therapy.

Yes. First, you will complete a set of questions that will present you with three possible therapist choices based on a combination of factors including preferences, needs, and therapist capacity. 

You can review extensive information before making a selection (e.g. photo, years of experience, state/license, areas of expertise, description of therapist’s clinical approach, and user reviews if available). 

Messaging between users and Talkspace therapists is asynchronous, meaning that users and therapists do not communicate in real time. You can reach out to your therapist as often as you need to (and at any time of day), and expect to hear back from your therapist within one working day, during their business hours, five days per week. 

If your therapist is responding less frequently than daily/five days a week, please contact the Talkspace support team at: partners-support@talkspace.com 

You will need to choose the counseling resource that best meets your needs.  It is not possible, due to ethical standards in the profession of mental health, for a client to see two therapists at once.  You do have the option of trying either or at different times but must close out with one therapist to be able to see another.

Should you feel the need to speak to a therapist in between sessions, we recommend you reach out to your Talkspace therapist first.  You would never be turned away from walk-ins at EMU.  However the first suggested plan, unless you are in an immediate safety risk, wil be for you to contact your therapist.

Talkspace is not a crisis hotline. Like face-to-face therapists, Talkspace therapists are individually licensed, follow clinical and legal protocols if a person is at risk of harming themselves or others, and are available at flexible hours per their posted availability calendars that all clients can access.

On-campus emergency resources include EMU Campus Safety (540-432-4911) and the RD On-call (540-476-4578). Anyone requiring immediate assistance is encouraged to access emergency services (such as 911 or other resources), contact local authorities, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255). 

Services are delivered predominantly in English, but the Talkspace therapist network covers 32 different languages. Please note that access to therapy in a language other than English is dependent upon therapist availability in your state of residence. If you are requesting therapy in an alternate language, we will work to meet your request while still adhering to the requirement that the therapist be licensed in their state of residenc

Talkspace has taken all legal requirements into consideration to support dependents/users ages 13-17. Each U.S. state has different requirements regarding what age necessitates parental consent to start therapy. If parental consent is required by the state, a parent/guardian will be asked to provide and upload an online recording of consent (by reading a script provided by Talkspace) and proof of identification. This online provision of consent and identification is digitally recorded and provided using the Talkspace HIPAA compliant app. Please contact partners-support@talkspace.com if you have any questions about the consent process.