Tell us what's going on
A short, plain-language questionnaire — what brought you here, what you've tried before, and what you want in a therapist. No diagnosis required, and no wrong answers.
Takes about 10 minutes
How Haven works
From “I should probably talk to someone” to an actual appointment.
Here is the whole process, start to finish, with nothing left vague — what we ask, how the matching is done, what a session is like, and what it costs before you enter a card.
Free to start · No card to get matched · Cancel or switch therapists anytime
Matching
Three steps. No waiting rooms.
Most people put off starting because the first move feels like the hardest one. We made it about ten minutes long.
We hand-match you
A licensed care coordinator reads your answers and sends three therapists who fit — with their approach, their credentials, and a short intro video from each.
Within 48 hours
Book your first session
Pick a time that works — evenings and weekends included. If the fit isn't right after a session or two, switch. It costs nothing and it's not a setback.
Often the same week
The questionnaire
What we actually ask you
No personality quiz, no scoring you against a type. The questions exist so a human coordinator can picture who you are before choosing who to send you.
- What brings you here — in your own words, in a text box, as short or as long as you like.
- What you've already tried — previous therapy, what helped, what absolutely did not.
- What you want in a therapist — gender, age range, faith, language, lived experience. Preferences here are honoured, not just noted.
- Your practical constraints — time zone, the hours you can actually talk, and whether you need evenings or weekends.
You can skip any question. Skipped questions simply give the coordinator less to work with — they never disqualify you.
Behind the match
A person chooses, not a scoring engine
Software narrows the roster to who is licensed in your state and open this week. A licensed care coordinator makes the actual call.
Licensure first
Only therapists holding an active licence in your state are ever shown to you. This is a legal requirement, not a preference.
Real availability
We only surface therapists with room in the hours you told us you can talk. A match you can never schedule is not a match.
Focus and approach
What you described is mapped to what each therapist actually treats week to week — not to every modality listed on their CV.
Your stated preferences
If you asked for a therapist who shares an identity or a language with you, that filter is applied before anything else is weighed.
You receive three options, never one. Choosing between people is part of what makes the fit hold.
Sessions
What the first fifty minutes are like
Mostly, you talk and they listen. There is no test to pass and no history you have to recite in order.
- Video, phone, or messaging — some weeks you want to be seen, some weeks you want to type. Both count.
- 50 minutes, weekly by default — fortnightly is available, and your therapist will tell you honestly which they think fits.
- Message between sessions and your therapist replies within one business day.
- Private by design — end-to-end encrypted, HIPAA-compliant, and never sold to advertisers.
The first month
A realistic shape for the first four weeks
Therapy is not a linear climb and we will not pretend it is. This is roughly how the early weeks tend to go.
Session 1
Getting the shape of it
Your therapist asks what brought you here, what you've tried, and what a good outcome would look like. You are allowed to say “I don't know” as many times as you need to.
Sessions 2–3
Finding the working question
The thing you booked for and the thing you end up working on are often slightly different. This is where that gets named, and where you decide together what to aim at.
Around session 4
An honest fit check
Your therapist will ask directly whether this is working. If it isn't, switching is free and unlimited — and it is a normal part of the process, not a restart.
Ongoing
Reviewing where you are
Every few months you and your therapist look back at what has actually shifted. Some people taper to fortnightly here; some finish. Both are good outcomes.
Progress varies from person to person. Nothing here is a promise about your outcome or a substitute for clinical advice.
Pricing
What it costs, said plainly
No hidden session fees, no annual contract. Pause any month you need to — your therapist and your notes stay exactly where you left them.
Messaging
$49 / week
Unlimited written messages with your therapist, replied to every business day.
- Unlimited messaging
- Same licensed therapist
- Switch anytime, free
Weekly sessions
$85 / session
A live 50-minute video or phone session every week, plus messaging in between.
- 4 live sessions per month
- Unlimited messaging included
- Evening & weekend times
- As low as $25 with insurance
Psychiatry
$95 / visit
Evaluation and ongoing medication management with a board-certified provider.
- 60-min initial evaluation
- Prescriptions sent to your pharmacy
- Coordinates with your therapist
What is and isn't included
Check your coverage in 60 seconds →| What you get | Messaging | Weekly sessions | Psychiatry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live 50-minute sessions | — | 4 / month | By appointment |
| Unlimited messaging | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Evening & weekend times | n/a | Yes | Yes |
| Switch therapist, free | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Prescribing | — | — | Yes |
| Pause any month | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Insurance cover is confirmed against your own plan before you are charged anything. Your real per-session cost is shown on screen before you book.
Questions
Asked most often about the process
How long does matching really take?
The median is 48 hours from finished questionnaire to three therapist options in your inbox. It runs longer if you have asked for a narrow combination — a specific language plus a specific speciality plus weekend-only hours — because we would rather wait for the right person than send you a convenient one.
What if I don't click with the therapist I'm matched with?
Then you switch, and nothing about that is a failure — fit is the single biggest predictor of whether therapy helps. Tap “Find someone new” in your account and a care coordinator sends fresh matches within 48 hours. It's free, it's unlimited, and your original therapist isn't notified with any detail.
Can I choose my own therapist instead of being matched?
Yes. Browse the roster and request someone directly. Matching exists because most people find the roster overwhelming at the exact moment they have least energy for it — but it is entirely optional.
Do I have to commit to weekly sessions?
No. Weekly is the default because it is what most people find useful early on, but fortnightly and messaging-only are both real options. You can move between them month to month without renegotiating anything.
What happens if I need to cancel a session?
Cancel or reschedule from your account up to 24 hours before and there is no charge. Inside 24 hours the session is billed, because that hour was held for you and can rarely be refilled — your therapist will tell you if there is a reason to waive it.
Is any of this private?
Yes. Sessions are end-to-end encrypted, Haven is HIPAA-compliant, and your therapist's notes are visible only to your care team. We do not sell or share member data with advertisers, insurers-for-marketing, or data brokers — full stop. You can export or delete your records at any time.
Start today
The hardest part is the first ten minutes.
Answer a few questions and meet three therapists chosen for you. No card required to get matched.