Cerebral Online Therapy Review

Range of Treatment Options

Cerebral treats anxiety and depression, which are themselves considered mental health disorders, but may also present as symptoms of such conditions as insomnia, ADHD, PTSD, panic disorder, and bipolar disorder. The company provides online counseling upon request and prescription medication as determined by its mental health practitioners. If you have previously been prescribed a medication, you may also be able to utilize Cerebral's services to manage your medication and request refills. Services are available through one of three subscription plans: Therapy, Medication and Therapy, and Medication and Care Counseling.

Cerebral therapists follow an evidence-based approach to counseling and largely practice Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. CBT has been proven in scientific studies to be the most effective type of therapy you can undertake. Cerebral's Medication and Care Counseling plan delivers prescription medication directly to patients, only if prescribed. It also provides access to Care Counselors, who can educate you on self-care techniques like meditation and mindfulness—practices that can increase the efficacy of other kinds of treatment. 

The company specifically states that its services are not appropriate for patients dealing with substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and schizophrenia. The company also does not treat pregnant or lactating women. That last caveat is a little puzzling to us, since pregnant women and nursing moms sometimes need therapy, too.

Cerebral's network of providers are licensed in all 50 states.  

Licensures and Professional Credentials

All Cerebral therapists have completed a Master's- or higher-level degree program at an accredited institution. They're licensed to treat you in your state and have been trained in evidence-based therapeutic modalities. Some therapists have earned a Doctor of Psychology degree or Ph.D. in a mental health-related discipline. Others may be licensed as clinical social workers, professional counselors, or marriage and family therapists. Upon sign up, you can select your prescribing provider and therapist or care counselor; or, they will match you with a licensed provider to address your specific needs.

Cerebral may also connect you with a board-certified psychiatrist or nurse practitioner to prescribe and manage any medications you may take, if on a medication plan.

In addition, depending on the plan you select, Cerebral may match you with a Care Counselor who can help you with less technical mental health care practices like mindfulness, meditation, and self-care routines. These solutions can be beneficial on their own or in conjunction with therapy and/or medication. While all of Cerebral's Care Counselors are trained to deliver this type of education, they are not necessarily licensed therapists.  

Cerebral provides brief bios on some of its providers on its website. 

Screenshot from getcerebral.com 3/2/2021

Ease of Use

Cerebral makes it pretty easy to find out about its services and plan options. The FAQ section provided on the company's website is very thorough. Critical information is well-organized and plainly spelled out. That's a differentiating feature—many telehealth providers don't clear that hurdle, so kudos to Cerebral. 

After you join Cerebral, you can schedule your first appointment and get treatment within about seven days. Appointments are conducted via phone and video so they also offer the option to do "instant live visits" when and where available. The company gives members the option of accessing care through its mobile app. You can schedule appointments, track your progress using ongoing assessment tools, manage your account, and adjust notifications with the app. Practitioners will also send you reminders through the app. iOS users who have rated Cerebral's app at the Apple Store give the app 4.2 out of 5 stars. Android users give the app 2.9 out of 5 stars. Patients who review Cerebral on Trustpilot give it 4 out of 5 stars. Positive reviews cite the compassion of Cerebral's providers as the company's strength. Negative reviewers mention that providers are difficult to reach and that customer service tends to be unresponsive.

Price

Cerebral offers patients three different subscription plans, each with its own associated costs. Cerebral's Therapy plan includes weekly behavioral therapy sessions and costs $259 per month. On a per-therapy session basis, Cerebral's Therapy plan is on the low side of average for teletherapy and less expensive than most private-pay in-person therapy. Its Medication and Therapy plan includes weekly therapy sessions and medication prescription and management services and costs $325 per month. Medication is billed separately and is eligible for insurance coverage. Even if you pay out of pocket for medication, most of the medications Cerebral prescribes cost only $10 per month. According to Cerebral, most medications cost $10 per month for self-paying patients. We assume Cerebral practitioners prescribe generic medications to keep costs so low. Cerebral's least expensive plan is its Medication and Care Counseling plan, available for $85 per month. This option connects patients with providers who can evaluate them and prescribe medication if appropriate. It also includes ongoing medication management and access to the company's Care Counselors. Unlimited text messaging with Care Counselors is included in the cost of the Medication and Care plan. 

Cerebral partners with some health insurance companies who offer the company's service as a covered benefit. If a member has an insurance plan that considers Cerebral "in-network", the member can sign up for any plan for only $29 per month; however, even if Cerebral is not considered "in-network", treatment may still be eligible for out-of-network reimbursement.

In the age of COVID-19, more and more insurers will cover telemedicine, so you may want to check to see if your insurance plan is among them. In addition, many health plans cover a certain number of therapy sessions with no co-pay. So at the outset of your treatment, you may not have any costs at all.