First Demi Lovato, Michael Phelps, and Jen Hatmaker. Now Ariana Grande is the latest celebrity to partner with BetterHelp to “give away” therapy. It seems that a lot of celebs lately are “partnering” (and mind you these are paid partnerships) with large digital mental health platforms. These celebs are all such an influence in other people’s lives, and the fact they are promoting BetterHelp is so disappointing. And it looks like we aren’t the only ones recognizing the responsibility that influencers have. Some influencers in the past have been accused of profiting off their fan’s mental health struggles.
Mind you, clients are still being charged astronomical amounts for a less than stellar therapy experience. In this deal with Ariana, they are receiving one month free, but users on Ariana’s Instagram account today are already reporting that they have to still have their credit card charged to “make sure it’s a good form of payment.” While the therapists themselves are getting paid as little as $25 a session.
We are all about affordable therapy here at Ajana Therapy. And most of our colleagues are. In fact, did you know we offer a sliding scale fee that can match most individual’s insurance copays? What if instead of these celebrities feeding into the commercialization of mental health, they instead focused on small mental health non-profits or struggling mental health practices right now?
Ariana Grande Hear Us Out
Dear Ariana Grande: Giving away $1,000,000 for “free” therapy with a company like BetterHelp is like you not being compensated for your talent. It would be like your concert tickets being reasonably priced. Hear me out…
Your concert ticket costs are high because it’s not just a concert – it is an experience, right? The energy, the connection, the love, the joy, the happiness – it makes it all so special. We know that in your 1.5-2 hour performance we are witnessing the result of countless hours of learning, studying, practicing and rehearsing not just from you but your entire team in front of and behind the scenes. And not just for the concert that evening, this is years worth of dedication that lead each of you to that moment of the performance.
In your industry, you are valued and compensated highly for your talent, how you make others feel, and the demand for what you do. Us therapists, we are no different. Our rate reflects our experiences, skill, and talent. We have spent over nine years learning the academic and hands-on training required to be a licensed professional counselor. So when our clients, much like your fans, invest in a relationship where they can fully be themselves, unapologetically, they find the value in it. As a successful business woman and influencer, I hope that you can switch your position on investing into small businesses that keep our communities feeling healthy, connected, and vibrant over corporations like BetterHelp. I’d love for you to see this from my point of view.
Written By: Leah J. Singer, M.Ed., LPC, RYT-200 and Jessica Eiseman, MS, LPC-S, NCC
