Story a glance
- Singer Ariana Grande is giving away $1 million in free therapy through the online mental health service BetterHelp.
- The company offers direct access to online counseling and therapy services through an app for $60 to $80 per week.
- While the app can be cheaper than in-person appointments, the cost can still be prohibitive for many who need mental health treatment.
“Therapy should not be for a privileged few but something everyone has access to,” said singer Ariana Grande in a post on Tuesday, but while “acknowledging that this doesn’t fix that issue in the long run, i really wanted to do this anyway in hopes of inspiring you to dip a toe in, to feel okay asking for help, and to hopefully rid your minds of any sort of self judgement” in getting therapy for mental health.
To that end, she’s sponsoring up to $1 million in one free month of therapy for users who sign up for BetterHelp, an online counseling and therapy platform.
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https://t.co/CkMTjVj6n0 pic.twitter.com/OLFcjQnKKo
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) June 29, 2021
The artist has been open about her own struggles with mental health, including post-traumatic stress disorder after a bombing at her concert. In 2018, she shared that she was seeing a therapist for her anxiety ahead of the release of her album, “sweetener,” which included a song about dealing with anxiety, “breathin.”
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isss ab my anxiety. i felt like i was floating for like 3 months last year & not in a nice way. like i outside my body? was v scary and i couldn’t breathe well. so it’s ab that. & lots of voices in my head singin. i hope it comforts ppl who hear it pls ☁️
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) May 29, 2018
The app, founded in 2013, uses telephone and videoconferencing technology to provide on-demand remote therapy from licensed psychologists, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers or licensed professional counselors to users for $60 to $80 a week, which can be cheaper than some in-person appointments. Celebrities, including Kevin Love, have previously partnered with the app, but criticism from several YouTube creators caused controversy in 2018. Still, BetterHelp and other apps, such as Talkspace, have gained popularity during the coronavirus pandemic, which exacerbated mental health issues and restricted access to care.
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