Class Action Alleges BetterHelp Misleads Patients, Matches Them with Unlicensed, Unsuited Therapists

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BetterHelp, Inc. faces a proposed class action lawsuit filed by a former customer who claims the online therapy service matched her with unlicensed and incompatible therapists.

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The 13-page lawsuit accuses BetterHelp of misleading patients about its mental health services, particularly when it comes to the capacity of its provider network. According to the complaint, the defendant “lures” customers by claiming to have the “world’s largest network of licensed, accredited, and experienced therapists” available to match them with a provider suitable for their specific needs.

In reality, BetterHelp accepts more patients than it can effectively accommodate, so therapists are often assigned based on availability and not on a patient’s stated therapeutic needs, the suit alleges.

The plaintiff, a California resident, says that when she signed up for BetterHelp in June 2020, she specifically indicated during her intake process that she wanted to be matched with a therapist who specialized in LGBTQ+ issues. Per the case, the consumer was instead paired with a therapist who was “not accepting of, and highly antagonistic toward” members of the LGBTQ+ community.

“[The plaintiff’s] therapist made her feel guilt and shame, and the therapy sessions had a devastating impact on her mental health,” the filing says.

The complaint shares that BetterHelp eventually matched the woman with a new therapist, but the provider was not licensed to treat patients in California. The plaintiff claims she would not have purchased therapy services from BetterHelp had she known the platform lacked a large enough network of suitable therapists with proper licensing.

As the case tells it, the plaintiff’s experience is not an isolated incident.

“There have been widespread instances of users getting matched with providers who are not adequately trained to provide the mental health care requested,” the BetterHelp lawsuit reads. “Even providers on the platform have reported that clients have been matched to them despite explicitly requesting a different type of therapist (e.g., a white male therapist assigned to a woman patient seeking a female African American therapist).”

In a traditional psychiatry practice, therapists who are at capacity turn patients away or place them on a waitlist, the case says. BetterHelp, on the other hand, has decided to prioritize growth and profit over the well-being of its patients, the suit argues.

“BetterHelp’s unethical and fraudulent business practices are putting vulnerable patients at risk, depriving them of the care they deserve, and damaging their trust in the mental health industry,” the lawsuit scathes.

The lawsuit looks to represent anyone residing in California who BetterHelp matched with a provider that did not hold a valid and current license to engage with patients located in the state.

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