2024 Hey Ritual Online Therapy Review

In This Article

Relationship apps have taken off in recent years as more and more couples seek affordable and convenient ways to strengthen their bonds and overcome conflicts. Hey Ritual is a relationship and therapy app aimed at “redefining excellence in couples care.”

We take a deep dive into Hey Ritual to understand the platform, what it offers, and whether users should feel reassured that they are in good hands when they sign up.

Company Background of Hey Ritual

Hey Ritual was founded in 2021 by David Pruwer (CEO), Nir Shtern (CPO), and Gilad Meir (CTO) as a modern alternative to traditional couples therapy. Their initiative combined one-on-one and couples therapy with a scalable tech platform that allows users the ability to tackle issues at their own pace and on their own terms. Hey Ritual became fully available to the general public in October of 2022.

In addition to a well-stacked advisory board and clinical team, Hey Ritual has a growing number of licensed therapists who can offer individual therapy that integrates Hey Ritual’s learning and interactive platform features to help couples address their issues. Their overall goal is to offer affordable, clinically proven, and personalized therapy to couples.

Overview: How Does Hey Ritual Work?

Hey Ritual operates as a monthly service providing users with access to a combination of therapy sessions (solo and/or as a couple) and supplementary digital material. The digital content includes quizzes, high-quality video lessons, and the ability to journal through video prompts. The platform uses an app that can be accessed through a smartphone or tablet. Your desktop may be used for the initial signup and video sessions, but Hey Ritual requires the use of a phone or tablet for many of the features.

Depending on the subscription plan, users can book weekly solo or couples therapy sessions. During sign-up, you’ll also be asked to select your first “pathway,” which holds your interactive lessons for self-guided work that will be integrated into therapy sessions.

Hey Ritual Plans and Pricing

Hey Ritual provides users with three different types of plans depending on their current needs. You can select your desired plan when signing up but can switch plans at any time. For instance, if you sign up for solo sessions, you can choose from $100 or $160 a month, depending on whether you want bi-weekly or weekly therapy sessions, respectively.

Hey Ritual also offers a discount of 15% on your overall rate by paying three months in advance and 25% off your overall rate if you pay six months in advance. Here is a summary of the pricing options:

For bi-weekly solo therapy sessions: The solo bi-weekly package includes one private session bi-weekly with your Hey Ritual expert. You’ll also get access to your personalized journey (pathways), tools and exercises, and interactive video lessons. The costs are:

• $100/month ($100 total)
• $85/month with a 3-month commitment ($255 total)
• $75/month with a 6-month commitment ($225 total)

For weekly solo therapy sessions: The solo weekly package includes weekly private sessions with your Hey Ritual expert. You’ll also get access to your personalized journey (pathways), tools and exercises, and interactive video lessons. The costs are:

• $160/month ($160 total)
• $136/month with a 3-month commitment ($408 total)
• $120/month with a 6-month commitment ($360 total)

Hey Ritual Pricing for Couples: The couples package includes three private sessions per month plus one extended joint session. You’ll also get access to your personalized journey (pathways), tools and exercises, and interactive video lessons. The costs are:

• $260/month ($260 total)
• $221/month with a 3-month commitment ($663 total)
• $195/month with a 6-month commitment ($1170 total)

The minimum commitment is one month, but Hey Ritual offers a 14-day money-back guarantee if you aren’t satisfied. Compared to other apps and in-person couples therapy, Hey Ritual offers a very competitive price point and high value for what you receive. In addition, new users can save 20% by using the promo code counseling20 during the checkout process.

Unfortunately, Hey Ritual is not currently covered by insurance providers.

Hey Ritual Usability

Hey Ritual has a user-friendly interface but does require the use of a mobile device or tablet. It is easy to navigate the website and sign-up process, but the app itself is best used on your smartphone.

Sign-Up Process

You can sign up for Hey Ritual on your desktop or by accessing the Hey Ritual website on your mobile device. You’ll be asked to provide a name or nickname, password, and email address. The sign-up process begins with a quick relationship quiz.

Booking your Introductory Session

Once you have chosen your package, you’ll be sent an SMS link to your mobile device that gives you access to your profile. At the top of your screen, you’ll have the option to click to book a session with your assigned therapist.

Booking your session is very simple, with a drop-down calendar and various time slots. Once you’ve booked your session, you’ll get reminder emails and texts. You will also now learn your therapist’s name. All other sessions that you book will be done using the same process.

Selecting a Pathway

Upon signing up, within the app you’ll also be presented with a selection of “pathways” based on your answers. These pathways contain lessons, quizzes, and interactive elements that help you work through the topics most relevant to your current needs. You can choose to select a pathway immediately or wait until you’ve had your introductory session with your therapist. Your therapist will have access to the answers you provide in your intake quiz and your pathway lessons. You can choose to change pathways after you meet with your therapist.

Completing Assignments and Sharing Feedback

Once you select your pathway, you’ll be given access to week 1, which contains your video lessons, quizzes, and interactive components such as journaling, which can be done via text, video, or audio. These answers are provided to your therapist, who will review them and discuss them with you in your next session. Once you submit your answers, you are notified that your therapist is reviewing them, and you get a text notification once feedback is ready. 

After completing the work, you can schedule a visit with your therapist, and then the next week your pathway will be unlocked after your session. You can rewatch previously seen videos at any time.

Counselor Qualifications

The relationship experts on Hey Ritual include trained therapists such as psychologists, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and licensed professional counselors. They use clinically-backed methods such as Emotionally Focused Therapy and the Gottman Model. Your therapist is assigned to you upon sign-up but you can easily request a switch by emailing Hey Ritual if you are unsatisfied with your arrangement.

What Is It Like Using Hey Ritual?

After I signed up I was able to book my introductory session rather quickly. I was assigned a Licensed Professional Counselor out of Richmond, Virginia, with a master’s degree and over nine years of experience in couples counseling.

Our session was conducted over Zoom and lasted around 40 minutes. My counselor was extremely warm and professional, listening closely to the concerns I had. She reviewed my quiz answers with me and my selected pathway to ensure I was on the right track. She also took the time to clarify my goals for therapy, and my biggest areas of concern, and then we chatted directly about how we can begin working on some issues.

Toward the end of the session, my Hey Ritual expert provided me with quizzes for myself and my partner to help us better understand each other’s attachment styles. This was extremely informative and immediately gave us a topic to work on in the next session.

Completing the lessons on my chosen pathway was very straightforward and offered great insights and tools that were directly applicable to my situation. The lessons themselves are very intertwined with the therapy sessions, which helps you feel prepared and focused when you arrive at your sessions. It was also very helpful to have “homework” and direction to continue working on important topics impacting my relationship.

Overall, Hey Ritual felt very much like an in-office experience with a tech flair. The digital “homework” aspect with interactive lessons was much more engaging than traditional therapy homework and the convenience of Zoom sessions was an excellent bonus. The counselor was extremely professional, well-trained, and provided me with the exact sort of support I needed.

Best Way to Use Hey Ritual

Hey Ritual is best used as a substitute for in-person couples therapy. Unlike other apps, it doesn’t offer continuous messaging with counselors and has a structured format that you’d see in any modern-day therapy office. The addition of lessons and homework also makes it feel more akin to real-life therapy, except more convenient.

To get the most out of your Hey Ritual sessions, take advantage of the tips and guidance given in your introductory session and be sure to engage with the lessons. Whether you choose to do solo sessions or couples sessions, Hey Ritual is an excellent resource for couples who need expert advice on how to strengthen their relationships and navigate their challenges. The lessons are well thought out, very digestible, and based on scientifically-backed therapy techniques.

Similar to in-person therapy, you can also talk to your Hey Ritual counselor about additional resources to work on in between sessions. Sessions aim to help you as an individual and to identify and mend issues in the relationship.

Confidentiality and Privacy

Hey Ritual discloses its privacy policy and states that all of the information used on the platform is secure and encrypted. They also state that none of your information will be shared with any third party.

You may choose to use a nickname at sign-up to further provide anonymity. Unlike many other apps, there are no identifying questions asked upon signing up.

Given that there is no chat record, the only other information shared is during video sessions and in lessons. Video sessions are recorded, which is disclosed before you begin. You may choose to do these sessions with your camera off if you are concerned about privacy. Data gathered in lessons is encrypted. But you may once again choose to never disclose any personal information in your answers, ensuring your privacy.

Overall, Hey Ritual meets the standard privacy guidelines for online therapy and also offers the ability to withhold additional information, such as your real name if you choose to do so. 

Bottom Line

Hey Ritual offers a unique platform that is very similar to an in-office couples therapy experience but with the advantages of digital learning and a discounted fee. The lessons are well thought out and integrate intuitively with therapy sessions, making clients feel seen, heard, and cared for.

Hey Ritual is an excellent option for couples who are experiencing mild to moderate problems in their relationships and require individual support as well as couples support. The platform can help you and your partner work on boundaries, intimacy, communication, and many common challenges that couples face. Since the therapists are so well trained, it’s also a safe space to talk about your struggles that impact the relationship.

Overall, if you are debating couples therapy and are hesitant for any reason, Hey Ritual is a great place to start. It is not only affordable but offers expert care, flexible booking, and excellent learning resources to help you navigate relationship issues with the support you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Hey Ritual cost?

Bi-weekly solo therapy sessions:

• $100/month ($100 total)
• $85/month with a 3-month commitment ($255 total)
• $75/month with a 6-month commitment ($225 total)

Weekly solo therapy sessions:

• $160/month ($160 total)
• $136/month with a 3-month commitment ($408 total)
• $120/month with a 6-month commitment ($360 total)

Couples sessions (three solo and one couple session/month):

• $260/month ($260 total)
• $221/month with a 3-month commitment ($663 total)
• $195/month with a 6-month commitment ($1170 total)

Does Hey Ritual accept insurance?

Not at this time.

Does Hey Ritual have a free trial?

Hey Ritual does not offer a free trial but it does offer a 14-day money-back guarantee, which can be accessed by emailing them at payments@heyritual.com

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at any time using their contact form on the website https://www.heyritual.com/contact-us. To get your money back, you need to cancel within 14 days of signing up.

Is Hey Ritual anonymous?

Hey Ritual can be made fairly anonymous but you do need to supply a phone number and email to access the app. Your therapist does not see this number and only sees the nickname provided. Therefore, you may choose to be as anonymous as you desire with a nickname and by keeping your video off during sessions.

Is Hey Ritual HIPPA compliant?

There is no information available to state that Hey Ritual is currently HIPAA compliant.

Does Hey Ritual offer a money-back guarantee?

Hey Ritual offers a 14-day money-back guarantee that can be requested at payments@heyritual.com