What to know about ReGain in 2024: Tried and Tested

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To use Regain, a person does not necessarily need to attend counseling sessions with their partner. Research from 2021 suggests that individual relationship counseling can also effectively reduce psychological distress caused by relationship issues.

Scientific studies have documented the negative effects of distress within a relationship. External stress can create tension between partners, lower relationship satisfaction, and increase relationship conflict.

Relationship distress causes a decrease in well-being and an increase in physical health symptoms. A majority of people who seek couples counseling state the main reason they are interested in counseling is to discuss divorce, communication issues, and a lack of emotional closeness.

This article examines the online relationship counseling service Regain, how it works, and who it may suit.

Regain is an online counseling service that focuses on relationship counseling. It has been operating since 2016. The company, BetterHelp, created the platform to provide a service specifically for relationship counseling.

Regain services include:

• relationship therapy for couples or individuals
• options between video, phone, or instant message therapy
• the ability to change therapists
• a platform to allow individuals to contact their therapist privately
• 24/7 messaging

Regain does not accept insurance and costs between $60-90 per week.

When a person signs up to Regain, the service assigns them a therapist. A person can then arrange counseling appointments with their assigned therapist at any time.

These sessions can take place by phone, video chat, or instant message.

Regain states that the counseling sessions the therapists on the platform provide are suitable for individuals or couples.

If a couple wishes to start counseling, they can still choose to communicate with their therapist individually.

Regain supports three-way counseling sessions, so couples do not need to be in the same location during therapy.

To sign up to Regain, a person needs to complete an online assessment. This is so they can state their needs and preferences for counseling and match to a therapist based on these preferences.

Information the assessment asks for includes:

• whether a person wants to invite their partner to join the account
• what they are looking to achieve from counseling
• personal details such as their gender, age, financial status, and sexual orientation
• preferences concerning their therapist, such as gender, age, political views, and religion
• information about their partner, such as whether they live together and if domestic violence is a problem

After answering these questions, a person can invite their partner to join the account if they wish.

After a person completes and submits the questionnaire, the Regain system will match them with a therapist. The therapist a person matches with will depend on the state they live in, any preferences regarding therapists the person has stated on the survey, and their counseling needs.

The process of being matched with a therapist can take a few hours or a few days, depending on counselor availability.

If a person is not happy with the counselor they match with, they can request to change through their account.

The Regain website states that all therapists on the platform are fully qualified, licensed, trained, and experienced.

Regain states that all therapists on the platform hold a master’s or doctoral degree in their chosen field.

Therapists on Regain have a range of roles and specialisms, including accredited psychologists, licensed marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, and professional therapists.

According to the Regain website, all its therapists have at least three years of experience, are licensed by the professional board in their state, and have specific interests and expertise in relationship therapy.

Once a person matches with a therapist, they will have access to an online chatroom area. Here, they can communicate with their therapist in confidence.

If couples are undertaking counseling together, they will both have access to this room. However, individuals can privately contact their therapist should they wish.

This room is available to access 24 hours a day, seven days a week so that a person can send a message to their therapist at any time. A person will receive responses from their therapist depending on their availability.

People can also book a counseling session via this chatroom.

Sessions can take place as a phone conversation, live video chat, or via instant messaging. A person can also change the format in which they receive their counseling sessions if they find that one format works better for them than another.

Regain only offers relationship counseling at this time. However, therapists may use different methods and techniques to help people through their relationship problems.

If a person is not happy with the style of therapy their therapist provides, they can request to change to someone new.

Regain may be appropriate for anybody having relationship problems. Many therapists also deal with other issues such as anxiety, depression, grief, anger, and addiction, as well as concerns relating to parenting and those affecting LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Users must be over the age of 18 and have access to the internet to access Regain’s services. The Regain website states that the company built its platform according to the most recent Web Content Accessibility Guidelines at the AA level.

If a person is in an abusive relationship, the National Domestic Violence Hotline does not recommend they attend relationship counseling. It states that this is because counseling cannot fix the unequal power structure that is often present in an abusive relationship. Additionally, an abusive partner may use what is said in a counseling session against a person after the session has ended.

Instead of couples counseling, the hotline suggests a person experiencing abuse contacts a domestic abuse organization to get advice.

Regain offers one subscription package that includes all of the features across the ReGain platform.

The price of the subscription ranges from $240–$360 per month or $60–$90 per week, depending on a person’s location, preferences, and the therapist’s qualifications. The price is the same whether a person has individual or couples sessions.

A person will not know how much their subscription cost will be until after they have completed the sign-up process.

They can cancel their Regain membership at any time.

Users can pay using a credit card or PayPal. Although Regain does not accept health insurance, people can try to get the subscription cost reimbursed via their insurance company if they wish.

A person is never required to give their legal or full name when signing up for this service. They can give a nickname instead.

However, people will need to provide Regain with some emergency contact information. Regain only uses this information if a therapist feels a person may be in danger.

Regain states that it does not share any information a person provides the platform with a third party, and anything a person discusses with their therapist is confidential. There is an option to “shred” messages after sending them if a person wishes. This will delete the message from the chatroom.

Regain has a privacy policy that safeguards any information provided.

Regain does not currently hold accreditation with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which gives the company an F grade.

Customers who left reviews on the BBB give Regain an average rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. The company has closed 23 complaints in the last 12 months.

On Trustpilot, customers give Regain an average rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars.

Positive reviews on both platforms state that Regain’s website and app are easy to use and that sessions with the company have helped couples improve their communication skills and relationships.

However, negative reviews state that counselors take too long to reply, and people could not find any urgent available slots. Others state that the platform connected them with a therapist who was not authorized to offer services in their state of residence.

Below, our tester Lindsay Boyers gives her hands-on review of ReGain.

To review this service, our tester was given free access to ReGain. All opinions are her own.

My experience

“[I used ReGain] between one week and one month, to find ways to better communicate with my partner.

“[To sign up] was easy – you sign up and then ReGain asks you several questions, like if your partner will be joining you, your gender and sexual identity, and your age. There are also questions about your relationship status, religious affiliations, and whether you’ve tried therapy before. You can’t go back on the screens when answering questions though, so there was one I quickly answered and wanted to change but couldn’t.

“Because these questions will ultimately be what decides your therapist match, it would be nice to be able to go back, if needed. During this step, you also answer questions about what you prefer in a therapist. For example, you can choose if you prefer someone who mostly listens, and/or challenges your beliefs. You can also specify if you prefer male, female, 45+, Christian-based, non-religious, and/or LGBT+.

“Once all of your questions are answered, you create an account, which is super easy – just need your name, email, and a password. At this stage, you also give your partner’s name, and you can send them a request to join if you want, or opt out of that.

” It’s a really accessible option and it’s easy to use and navigate. I also like that you can easily change therapists. There are also plenty of ways to communicate with your therapist, whether it’s through messaging, phone calls, or text chat. You’re not forced to do anything you’re not comfortable with. I think the text message is really great for people who may be less comfortable communicating face-to-face. It gives you an opportunity to figure out what you want to say.”

Regain has a number of advantages and disadvantages.

Talkspace and Couples Therapy offer similar services to Regain.

Talkspace

Talkspace is a platform that offers online counseling for individuals, couples, and those aged between 13–17 years. It also offers psychiatry services, where board certified psychiatrists can provide treatment options to people with mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression.

The platform is a subscription service and costs $69–$109 per week for therapy sessions. People can cancel at any time.

Couples Therapy Inc

Couples Therapy Inc aims to help couples to reduce distress and improve communication in a relationship. It connects people with psychologists, marriage counselors, social workers, or family therapists.

The company offers traditional counseling sessions alongside couples’ retreats, sexuality retreats, premarital counseling, and affair recovery. It also offers free courses that teach people what to expect in couples’ therapy.

Sessions cost around $150–$275 and are 55 minutes long.

The following table provides a comparison between Regain, Talkspace, and Couples Therapy Inc.

Here we answer some common questions about this platform.

How much does Regain cost?

Regain states that its services cost between $60–90 per week.

The amount a person pays will depend on their location, counseling preferences, and the availabilities of the therapists on the platform.

Is Regain legitimate?

Regain states it works with licensed therapists, psychologists, and clinical social workers who all hold a master’s or a doctoral degree.

However, the service has mixed reviews. People may wish to read reviews on the BBB, Trustpilot, and other review sites to learn more about how the company operates.

Does Regain accept insurance?

Regain does not accept insurance.

However, it can provide a service receipt for people whose insurance provider reimburses parts of the cost.

How do I cancel my Regain subscription?

A person can cancel by logging into their account. Then they follow these steps: Menu > My Account > Payment Settings > Cancel Membership.

A person can cancel their Regain membership at any time.

Does Regain give refunds?

Regain does not give out refunds. If a person wishes to cancel, they must do so before their next billing date, otherwise Regain will deduct payment.

Can I pause my Regain subscription?

It does not appear that Regain customers can pause their subscription. The service only provides the option to cancel.

Regain is a platform that provides online relationship counseling for individuals and couples. Studies have shown that distress in a relationship can affect a person’s work, family, and social life, and couples counseling can be effective in improving discordant relationships.

To access Regain’s services, a person fills in an online questionnaire and pairs with a suitable counselor via an algorithm.

A person can speak with their counselor via a chatroom, where they can schedule live sessions either by phone, video chat, or instant message.

Experts do not recommend couples counseling if a person is in an abusive relationship. People can instead seek help from an established domestic violence organization.