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Best Free Online Therapy Chats of 2022
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I. The 5 Best Free Online Therapy Chats of 2022
eTherapyPro— Best Overall
eTherapyPro is the best overall resource in the United States for online therapy chat. It’s convenient, accessible, and secure. New patients can take advantage of a free three-day trial, and there are plenty of licensed therapists specializing in a wide range of mental health issues.
7 Cups— Best for Peer Support
7 Cups is a therapy network for peer support that’s based on volunteer listeners. The network provides online therapy chat support all over the world. Users can also create meaningful connections via community forums or private chat with other members of the network.
Free Online Therapy— Best for a Free Assessment
Free Online Therapy offers several services through its partnership with other mental health support websites. New patients can use the platform to find the online therapy chat services that suit them best. They can also choose their type of support system: volunteer, online therapy, or relationship counseling.
BlahTherapy— Best for Emotional Support
BlahTherapy provides therapy chat services with professional counselors or other anonymous individuals that are just like you. They also offer psychic reading services. Professional and peer services are accessible 24/7. New patients can take a survey to get matched with the appropriate therapist for their mental health needs.
TalkwithStranger!— Best for Anonymity
TalkwithStranger! is an online platform that provides free chat rooms where individuals can remain anonymous and create connections with other users on the site. It’s 100% free and doesn’t require an account. Nicknames are used to preserve anonymity, and you can connect with people from all over the world.
II. How We Chose the Best Free Online Therapy Chats
To narrow down the best online therapy chat platforms, we took a look at what each company had to offer.
We based our evaluations on reliable services and a handful of key features that most individuals suffering from mental health issues need. Some of those features include accessibility, availability of therapists, methods of communication, reliability, anonymity, and the overall support provided.
Communication Methods
When it comes to online mental health care, convenience is key. We considered the services that provide various ways for patients to connect with a mental health professional or their peers. Additionally, we made sure that each platform we evaluated offered a 24/7 hour chat feature, or close to it.
Available Therapists
Therapy chat revolves around real-time connections. It’s not like text therapy, where you have to wait around for a response. Not only should mental health professionals or chat volunteers be available, but there should be a means for patients and users to connect with the right therapists or people.
Accessible Care
The goal of teletherapy is to provide care to individuals whenever they need it.
We’ve only included platforms that offer same-day appointments and 24/7 access to chat therapy sessions. The platforms we chose also allow users to immediately begin chatting or have minimal wait times for chat appointments. Some don’t even require patients to create an account. They can hop on the site and enter a chat room with users from all over the world immediately.
III. Our Top Picks for Free Online Therapy Chats
eTherapyPro - Best OveralleTherapyPro is an online therapy platform that connects patients with appropriate licensed professional therapists. New patients begin by filling out a detailed questionnaire to get matched with the right counselor within 24 hours. The counselors on the platform specialize in various mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, grief, relationships, and low self-esteem. Each counselor works with their individual patients to set achievable goals and outline a plan to get there.
If a patient doesn’t feel their counselor is a good fit, they can easily switch to a new one, free of charge.
Patients using the platform can schedule sessions via live chat, live phone calls, or live video sessions with their therapist. The entire platform operates on a mobile application, and patients can message their therapist directly on the app. These services are offered nationwide, 24/7, 365 days a year. eTherapyPro is not suitable for individuals seeking support for addiction or recovery or have suicidal thoughts. All the platform’s therapists are professionals with the necessary experience, certifications, and training. They are licensed to practice in their state of residence and hold a master’s degree or equivalent in their field.
| Price | Appointment Types | Accepts Insurance | Therapists on Staff |
| Free three-day trial $30 per live session $100 for four live sessions $40 per month for unlimited counseling | Live chat Live video Phone call | No | Not mentioned |
What Patients Are Saying
Both first-time patients and veteran users like and do well with eTherapyPro’s services.
7 Cups — Best for Peer Support
7 Cups began in 2013, and since then, it has reached over 53 million people in 189 countries. The free telehealth platform is also the winner of the Stanford Medicine X Health Care Design Award and is supported by peer-reviewed publications such as the Journal of Mental Health, the Journal of Medical Internet Research, and the Journal of Internet Interventions.
7 Cups operates as a network of trained volunteer listeners who provide emotional support through live online chat. The services offered are 100% free and anonymous to make talking to a volunteer more comfortable. All volunteers must complete an advanced online course that focuses on compassionate communication developed by the creators of 7 Cups.
New users seeking emotional support can search the platform for active listeners who have a similar background, have had similar experiences, or specialize in specific issues. To demonstrate the listeners’ dedication and progress on the platform, they receive cheers, badges, and compassion hearts for the users to see. The volunteers are also classified into 27 levels of expertise, ranging from newbie to advanced.
The platform is focused on building a community for individuals seeking mental health support. It offers community chat rooms and forums for a large variety of issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship issues, and LGBTQ+ related issues, and it has community forums dedicated to adolescents between 13 and 17.
7 Cups is a mobile application that’s free to download and join. Its community forums and online chat option are free, and individuals can choose to purchase sessions with licensed professional therapists.
| Price | Appointment Types | Accepts Insurance | Therapists on Staff |
| Free $150 per month for unlimited messaging | Not applicable | No | 180 |
What Patients Are Saying
Many users who signed up for emotional support are very happy with the mobile platform. One user mentioned, “7 cups is an amazing site where people can find emotional support no matter what time so 24/7. Many people in this world do not have access to emotional support for different reasons, one of which is that their finances do not allow them to get therapy. This site is primarily free. While therapists will charge a minimum fee, chatting with a trained listener is at no cost, as are the various activities offered.
The site helps those who want to get help and improve their life.”
Free Online Therapy — Best for Free Assessment
Free Online Therapy is an online mental health platform that’s completely free to join, and it also has paid sessions with experienced licensed therapists. The platform offers counseling for struggling individuals and couples with relationship issues. On the platform, you can find free counseling chat rooms with volunteer members that are available 24/7. You can also sign up for sessions with a licensed therapist as an individual or couple.
All therapists offering services on the platform are licensed professionals who work for the mobile application known as BetterHelp. New patients must fill out a detailed questionnaire to be assessed and matched with a suitable therapist. Once new patients are matched with their therapist, they can start a seven-day free trial for private sessions. If the patients find that their therapist isn’t right for them, it’s easy — and encouraged — to make the switch until they find the right one.
Couples seeking relationship counseling can also take advantage of the seven-day trial for private sessions.
Free Online Therapy also provides the necessary resources and information for individuals seeking mental health help for PTSD, suicidal thoughts, and crisis support. Other resources include a blog page with articles covering a wide range of mental health topics, including tips on guided meditation, reducing anxiety, and managing depression.
Since its beginnings, the BetterHelp platform that provides Free Online Therapy with licensed counselors has seen success in telehealth and has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, and Entrepreneur magazine.
| Price | Appointment Types | Accepts Insurance | Therapists on Staff |
| Free to chat with volunteers and community Free seven-day trial for individual and relationship counseling $35-$75 per week for unlimited messaging with a therapist and phone and video sessions | Chat Phone and video sessions | Not mentioned for Free Online Therapy *BetterHelp may take certain types of insurance | Not mentioned for Free Online Therapy, but BetterHelp employs more than 2,000 licensed therapists |
What Patients Are Saying
Many users on Free Online Therapy and BetterHelp have seen tremendous progress in their mental health journeys.
One user writes, “it’s an amazing therapy platform. I’ve been using it since March and I wish I found it sooner. I love that I can be in the comfort of my own home and meet with my therapist every week and the customer service is amazing. If financial assistance is something you need they are happy to help and I greatly appreciate that.”
BlahTherapy — Best for Emotional Support
BlahTherapy is an online telehealth platform offering therapist sessions, online emotional support chat rooms, and psychic readings. Patients can choose to chat with their peers anonymously or be listeners using the free Chat With Strangers tool. Online therapy sessions are available 24/7 for a low fee. The licensed therapists on the platform specialize in a range of mental health support issues, including depression, relationships, stress and anxiety, grief, parenting issues, LGBTQ+ struggles, marital issues, addiction recovery, eating disorders, low self-esteem, abuse, personality disorders, and personal development.
New patients seeking professional mental health support can sign up and fill out a detailed questionnaire that matches them with one of over 2,000 licensed and experienced therapists. The licensed therapists found on BlahTherapy are sourced from the BetterHelp platform and have gone through rigorous training and field testing to ensure that individuals get the best online mental health support. The fee to enter sessions with a licensed therapist includes unlimited messaging and live phone and video chat sessions. Individuals are allotted a certain number of live sessions with their therapist per the basic fee but can make additional appointments at cost.
BlahTherapy also has groups and forums where individuals can come together for emotional support. This feature doesn’t require registration and is 100% free. The BlahTherapy platform is available worldwide and has been featured in online publications such as Mashable, The Huffington Post, and Psych Central. The platform also provides additional support and resources through its blog page.
Here individuals can read articles about coping with stress, depression, anxiety, and more.
| Price | Appointment Types | Accepts Insurance | Therapists on Staff |
| Free to chat with strangers $60-$80 per month for professional therapy messaging and live sessions through BetterHelp | Chat Live phone, chat, and video sessions with licensed therapists | No *BetterHelp may take certain types of insurance | No *Licensed therapists are sourced through the BetterHelp platform |
What Patients Are Saying
Most patients have found BlahTherapy to be a useful tool for getting emotional support. One user comments. “The listeners are the key of course. If you’re lucky enough to find a good listener, they’ll give you good advice. I do recommend the site. I’ve personally benefited from this site for anyone who wishes to anonymously (for free) and expert advice (for a fee) vent their feelings.
No problem is too small. No sadness is too hard to overcome. This site is helping people. No doubt about that.”
TalkwithStranger! — Best for Anonymity
TalkwithStranger! is a platform that provides a multitude of private chat rooms for people all over the world. There’s no signup, registration, or questionnaire to fill out before interacting with others. To start chatting, individuals choose a nickname to remain completely anonymous and then select the type of chat room they want to enter. The platform offers group chat rooms, private chat rooms, voice chat rooms, and video chat rooms.
TalkwithStranger! differs from the other platforms on this list in that it’s not a designated counseling app. The platform aims to offer a place where strangers can come together and talk about anything in the world, including their problems. People can join networks with other like-minded individuals using features such as follow, upvote, comment, and reply. The platform also allows participants to create their own profiles, save their chat histories, send photos and videos, and join interested groups.
While there are no licensed therapists on the TalkwithStranger! platform, there are plenty of resources on a variety of topics, including mental health and wellness. There are also explicit rules on the site to keep the chat rooms safe and family-friendly. Hate speech, offensive content, and anything similar is reported immediately, followed by a ban from the site.
| Price | Appointment Types | Accepts Insurance | Therapists on Staff |
| Completely Free | No | No | No |
What Patients Are Saying
Most of the reviewers for the TalkwithStranger! platform are not individuals seeking mental health support. Most users refer to the platform as a “dating site” or a “friendship site” rather than an emotional and mental health support site. While this platform may not be a viable option for those truly in need of a mental health professional’s counseling, there’s something to be said about conversing with strangers to gain a different perspective on your struggles and issues.
IV. Free Online Therapy Chat FAQs
What is free online therapy chat?
Online therapy chat is a way for patients to chat with a licensed therapist using their computer or mobile device. The most common means of treatment include messaging, live chat, video chat, and phone calls.
The goal of online therapy chatting, in general, is to provide necessary and accessible mental health support services to individuals regardless of their geographical location, finances, and physical state. Many online therapy chat platforms are nonprofit based or run by volunteers with a background in psychology. They also take the form of peer-support chat rooms that are completely free.
Is free online therapy chat effective?
Online therapy chat is generally most effective for providing emotional support. Not all sites are equipped to handle severe cases such as addiction or suicidal tendencies. However, certain platforms source professionals to lend support for more severe cases and can carry out cognitive behavioral therapy sessions successfully.
Many studies have proven the efficacy of online therapy sessions for depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. Attending a therapy session in a person’s home where they’re most comfortable adds to the positive impacts.
What are the benefits of free online therapy chat?
Online therapy chat provides an accessible resource for emotional support. It’s safe, secure, and both licensed professionals and peer volunteers are trained to offer emotional support.
Patients have a tremendous choice of licensed therapists, making it much easier to find someone qualified to meet their needs. They can also switch therapists at any time without an awkward face-to-face conversation.
Because online therapy chat is a mobile application, there’s more flexibility in scheduling. Patients also have the option to remain anonymous and choose the type of session they want.
How much does online therapy chat cost?
The costs of online therapy chat depend on the platform.
Some platforms have free trials so new patients can get a feel for a live session. For ongoing therapy, individuals are expected to pay per session or on a subscription basis.
For example, 7 Cups charges $150 per month, while eTherapyPro charges $30 per session. Other platforms may charge more or less depending on what they offer, but there are typically a handful of options. Regardless of the costs, online therapy chat costs less than in-person therapy, which can range up to $250 per hour.
Start searching for your online counselor now!
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Become an Emotional Support Volunteer Listener at BuddyHelp
What is the process to become an Emotional Support Counselor?
- Fill out your application at www.buddyhelp.org/volunteer
- Complete a 6-hour online training that is lead by the Johns Hopkins University (FREE)
- Take your first chat request and begin supporting people around the world!
What you get out of this experience:
This is a wonderful opportunity to gain excellent skills in active listening, crisis intervention, compassionate leadership, and collaborative problem solving, all from the comfort of your favorite sanctuary (fully remote, work from anywhere). These skills are helpful for your professional and personal relationships too. Many of our volunteers also highlight training and their volunteer experience on their resumes and Linkedin profiles.
Ready to apply?
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Our volunteers receive premium training from leading institutions - for free. Gaining the tools and methods needed in order to help people around the world.
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What Our Volunteers Say
There are many different reasons to volunteer at BuddyHelp. Read what our volunteers had to say about their motivation for joining:
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"What motivated me to support BuddyHelp is my experience helping my classmates in my graduate program during the pandemic.
I wanted to remind my peers to prioritize their mental health and show them how to cope with their anxiety. As a Mental Health First Aider, I was helping any students experiencing a mental health crisis or developing a mental health problem by getting them connected with local providers. Providing my time to encourage students and guide them through their fears and confusion was a humbling experience. I want to continually improve the mental health and well-being of others during this crucial time in our lives."Yasmira, Medical Assistant, Aspiring Physician
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Free psychological help online - "I'm at home" - an aggregator of good deeds
Free psychological help online - "I'm at home" - an aggregator of good deeds Free psychological online consultations from specialists of the Moscow Psychological Assistance Service is a convenient, safe and effective format.
Experienced specialists will support and help you sort out a difficult situation.
A person of any age and with any request can receive an online psychological consultation.
If you need to talk to someone, if you are not coping with the situation, and what is happening around you is unsettling, here you will be helped.
WHERE AND HOW TO GET HELP
Write in the box at the bottom of the page and a qualified specialist will answer you. Ask exciting questions, discuss your situation. Safe and confidential.
Online consultations using audio and video communication are the closest type of remote psychological assistance to face-to-face reception.
During a Skype consultation, you can chat with a psychologist "tete-a-tete", not only hear, but also see him.
SIGN UP IN THREE STEPS:
Go to the MSPP website in the "Sign up for a free online consultation" section
Select a branch of the Service. If you are applying for the first time, you can choose any department that will be convenient for you to visit in the future
Fill out the application form and wait for a call from a specialist to coordinate the time of an online meeting with a psychologist0003
Webinar topics are designed to meet almost any life need, from parenting to self-improvement.
Choose a lesson, register and connect at the appointed time.
The forum is a remote psychological assistance, an opportunity to study a particular problem on the cases and topics discussed.
The forum also allows you to communicate directly with people who have experienced or are experiencing similar conditions and problems.
If the matter is not urgent, email the psychologist. The answer will come in a few days.
IF THE SITUATION IS EMERGENCY,
AND YOU URGENTLY NEED PSYCHOLOGIST'S HELP, CALL!
Seven features of online consultations
1. Comfortable
You yourself create a comfortable environment
2. Mobile
The only thing you need to get a consultation is access to the Internet
3 COMMON
The Internet occupies a huge part of our lives: we do not only order services online or make purchases, work, study, communicate
4. INFORMATIVE
In a chat or on a forum, a specialist can share a lot of information with a client - give links to articles, send photos and videos.
Moreover, you can always return to the saved correspondence, reread and rethink it after a while
5. CONFIDENTIAL
One of the most important principles of the work of a psychologist. In whatever format the consultation takes place, it will be confidential. It is not at all necessary to give your real name, you can choose a pseudonym. Communication is anonymous, there is no need to leave any data about yourself
6. EFFECTIVE
Expressing your experiences in the form of a text already brings great relief, allows you to look at your problem from the outside and find ways out of an exciting situation. When a specialist is connected who can help a person look at the situation from a different angle and support at a difficult moment, self-improvement is even more effective
Consultations, webinars and online chat are completely free
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How I used the "friend for an hour" service
Oksana Moseeva
was looking for friends for an hour
Author profile
I never thought that even a friend could be rented.
There are things I would like to talk about with someone. For example, discuss a midlife crisis or delve into the causes of depression. But the services of psychologists are too expensive for me, I have no friends, and I am afraid to seem like a bore to my friends. Only my husband can listen to me, but he never manages to advise something sensible.
Once on Avito I came across an ad: its author offered the service "a friend for an hour". He was ready to talk with anyone on any topic and, if possible, give advice. I became interested, began to google about this service, and in a month I managed to chat with twelve friends for an hour. Most corresponded and called me for free, but three charged from 100 to 400 R per hour.
In total, I spent 1200 R.
I’ll tell you what kind of “friend for an hour” service, how I looked for such “friends” and what were the pros and cons of our communication.
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Who is an hourly friend
An hourly friend is a person who is hired for platonic communication. He can just correspond with you and discuss what worries you. Or you can keep company at the cinema, restaurant, gym or even on vacation. Some of these "friends" take money for their services, and someone communicates for free, because he likes it.
The service originated in South Korea in the 1900s when you could rent guests for a wedding. And in 2006, the Hagemashi-tai agency opened in Japan, where you could hire performers to play the role of your relatives. For example, a single mom might find a man to pose as the father of her child at school events.
And an elderly woman - to hire a young man to play the role of a grandson, so that it would be more fun to go shopping.
Rent: Parents, Client and Crying Man - Bird in Flight
Now another company is popular in Japan - Family Romance. There you can find a person for the role of an interlocutor or fellow traveler. There is a similar service in the USA, it has been operating since 2009 and is called Rent a Friend.
In Russia, announcements of such a service can be found, for example, on Avito, Yandex Services and in the corresponding groups on social networks. Moreover, there are a lot of people who want to become a friend for an hour: now, in September 2022, there is such an announcement on Profi-ra 8321 - and this is only in Moscow and the Moscow region. So, when I decided to find friends for an hour, I had plenty to choose from.
Where to look for friends for an hour:
“Interlocutor for an hour” group in Vkontakte,
“Interlocutor for an hour” channel in Telegram,
Friend128.
com,
Drug-chas.ru
Who can be a friend for an hour
The services of a friend or interlocutor for an hour are often offered by novice psychologists — students or those who have just received a diploma. So they want to gain experience and possibly find clients. I spoke with two such performers.
I also met self-taught psychologists. These are people who do not have the appropriate education, but they read books or watch a lot of videos about psychology. I came across two such candidates. One asked for 200 R per hour for services, and the other - 100 R. It was inexpensive, but later I preferred other performers.
/list/psy-myths/
Not just a conversation: 7 myths about psychotherapy And their professions have nothing to do with psychology.
For example, I corresponded with a locksmith, an IT specialist, a taxi driver, a lawyer, a salesman, a former train conductor, and a nanny. And I liked talking with some of them even more than with psychology students.
How I chose friends for an hour
I chose performers on Avito: I got used to this platform when I sold things through it. I also watched ads on the “Interlocutor for an hour” channel in Telegram, but I didn’t like it: there were no photos of the candidates.
At first I was looking for friends in my native Arkhangelsk, but I found only seven profiles, so I switched to candidates from other cities.
I still planned to communicate remotely, so the region was not important. When choosing, I looked only at the photo, description of the service and the age of the candidates. And I wanted their mood to be platonic: I was not interested in sex.
Photo and description. Some advertised photos of animals or Hollywood stars. It seemed inappropriate and stupid to me, and I did not write to such people. But most of them published their photos, and I immediately weeded out those who did not like me outwardly.
I was attracted to candidates with a kind and sincere look, without arrogance or discontent. And those who wrote about themselves a lot and in a friendly way. And people in pretentious or business clothes were repulsed: I wanted the interlocutors to be as simple as me.
/how-to-socialize/
The power of weak ties and house parties: 10 tips for making friends when you're an adult
Otherwise, I read the descriptions and chose those who spoke simply and sincerely about themselves.
I also listened to emotions and intuitively understood whether my person was or not.
Age. I wanted to communicate with people with great life experience: they could give useful advice. Therefore, I considered candidates no younger than 30 years old. Some indicated their age in the description of the service, and I judged the rest by the photo.
Later, I did not regret this approach. For example, I liked to correspond with a woman who was 35-40 years old. She was on maternity leave, and before that she worked as a train conductor. This interlocutor really cheered me up with stories about herself. For example, about how she got married for the fourth time and how the third husband unsuccessfully tried to sue her children.
How to be a good friend: 8 simple methods
She also supported me in difficult family situations, because she herself found herself in them more than once. Once I quarreled with my husband and, out of pride, did not want to talk to him. She advised me to reconcile. She said that there is nothing more valuable in my life than a husband and a child, and that they truly love me. The advice was obvious, but she spoke so sincerely and indifferently that I listened.
I made an exception in terms of age for only two psychology students. As a result, I liked the girl: she obviously tried to apply the knowledge gained at the university and asked about my problems.
But the young man disappointed me: it seemed to me that he was too young to understand my problems. When I complained to him about depression and a midlife crisis, he replied that he did not believe in this and that the reason was clearly different. The young man obviously did not experience anything like this, and I felt offended. In addition, I suspected that he was just playing psychologist and not studying for this specialty.
/psychotherapy/
How psychotherapy works
Attitude towards platonic communication. The “friend for an hour” service does not involve conversations on intimate topics, and almost all candidates indicated that they would not discuss them. But some obviously did not mind: in the ads, I often came across photos of girls in provocative clothes, and some men hinted at intimacy when we just started corresponding. I didn't contact them.
From this correspondence, it became clear to me that communication can be not only friendly.
And here everything was clear almost immediately. And I didn’t write to candidates with such photos at all. Source: avito.ru This man indicated that he goes to clients' homes and communicates only with women. This also struck me as suspicious. Source: avito.ru How much did the service cost
Candidates indicated different cost of services. Some asked for less for correspondence, and more for calls, but there were few of them. The majority set a universal rate, 500 R per hour of communication, although there were performers for R 100-200. Otherwise, it didn’t seem to me that the prices of psychologists are higher than those of the rest: I talked with a student girl for 400 R per hour, and with a young man who I didn’t like in the end, for 200 R.
I also came across those who offered to pay as much as I see fit. And many generally wanted to communicate for free. Some pointed out that they do not take money because of the situation in the world when people need support.
Others wrote that they were bored and they communicate for pleasure.
/best-friend-stories/
“It’s like we are sisters separated in childhood”: 10 stories about what real friendship is like
I was looking for cheaper options: for me even 1000 R per hour is a lot. As a result, nine people out of twelve corresponded and called me free of charge, and I spent 1200 R on the remaining three. Of these, I paid 800 R for two hours of telephone conversations with a psychologist girl, 200 R for an hour of correspondence with a young psychology student. Another 200 R was spent on a phone call with a man who, according to him, was simply interested in psychology.
These three performers requested payment in advance. We agreed on the time of the conversation, and I transferred money to a bank card or wallet.
In the ads, everyone indicated their price. Some didn't charge a dime for their services. Source: avito.ru This interlocutor asked for less for correspondence than for a call.
Source: The Interlocutor for an Hour channel in Telegram This woman did not offer anything special, but for some reason asked for a very large amount. Source: avito.ru And this friend didn’t mind talking for free for an hour. This interlocutor had a psychological education, but he still asked for only 400 R per hour. Source: avito.ru Why I liked the services of friends for an hour
I talked with friends for an hour during the month. I called up and corresponded with most of them once or twice, and our conversations lasted a maximum of two hours. Although I spoke with a woman on maternity leave several times a week, I still keep in touch with one of my interlocutors.
I tell you what I liked about such communication.
The illusion of a large number of friends. I have already mentioned that I have no friends. But when I talked with my interlocutors for an hour, there was a feeling that they were there and there were a lot of them. I liked it, because now I even had a choice of whom to write or call.
I remember the same thing happened when I registered on Vkontakte and added even random acquaintances as friends. Although she closely communicated only with units.
/friendship-opinion/
Opinion: Friendship is work and friends don't just happen
Opportunity to talk and get advice. With almost all the interlocutors, I discussed my depression and midlife crisis. The first was a psychologist girl: she asked in detail about my daily routine, work, social circle and hobbies. I was pleased that she sincerely tried to find the cause of my crisis.
Of course, two phone calls were not enough, and the girl did not manage to get me out of my depression. But she strengthened me in the thought that sometimes you need to change the situation. And she reassured me that if there is no money for a full-fledged trip, then you can start small: go to the store in a different way or go to interesting free courses.
Other interlocutors also asked about the causes of depression and gave the same obvious advice.
But it didn’t upset me - the main thing was that I could speak out. And communication with one of them really helped me, and I didn’t pay a penny for him. But I immediately liked the photo of this friend for an hour and the description of his service.
/emotional-labour/
Everything for you: what is emotional labor
This person immediately seemed kind and open to me. Source: avito.ru And here is part of his story about himself. Source: avito.ruI didn't know what this man was doing, but he said that he had no psychological education. But later it turned out to be unimportant.
He suggested not to correspond, but to phone, because, in his opinion, it is more efficient. And at first I was shy to discuss my experiences with him. But after 15-20 minutes of conversation, a special emotional atmosphere was created: the interlocutor had a pleasant voice, and he clearly knew how to listen.
I told him about my crisis, and he, like others, asked about possible causes.
And in response, he spoke about his experience of dealing with depression. He did not go to a psychiatrist and did not drink antidepressants, but he read motivational books, watched videos, educated himself and started a hobby. As a result, I learned to see joy in small things and live in the present, not the past or the future.
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The interlocutor advised me to find something that would give positive energy. For example, not work from home, but take a laptop and ride a fatbike to some beautiful place. I knew all this myself, but something else was important to me: in the course of the conversation, I seemed to look at myself from the outside and realized that I had simply invented my own problems. We talked for two hours, and by the end of the conversation I felt much better. I think in the future I will call him more than once if I need support.
An opportunity to cheer yourself up.
The interlocutors with whom I spoke for free not only listened to me, but also talked a lot about themselves. For example, a train conductor cheered up with stories about her passengers. One of them often traveled from city to city, and at one station her husband accompanied her, and at the other she was met by a man with whom she was also clearly close.
Another woman told an interesting fact about herself. She never had a work book, because she liked to try new professions and constantly changed jobs. This struck me as funny.
Another friend for an hour was a Muscovite who loved to travel. I don’t know why, but I didn’t share my problems with him - our communication was just light and pleasant chatter. He showed beautiful photos of different cities and shared his impressions of the trip to Baikal. And in response, I could tell about how I spent the weekend.
I also found a friend from St. Petersburg with whom it was a pleasure to discuss books, films and exchange funny memes.
He immediately said that he was not a psychologist and did not know how to give advice about life, but it was still pleasant and interesting with him. I still write to him when I'm bored. According to him, he likes to communicate with new people, and even meets with some in reality: he goes to events and helps in every possible way. For example, free repairs of small household appliances.
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My correspondence with a free friend for an hour. We recommend films and music to each other. He always tries to cheer me up and cheer me upWhat I didn't like
Embarrassment in front of strangers. When I just started chatting with friends for an hour, I often got lost and didn't know what to talk about. It was difficult for me to open my soul to strangers.
I remember how a man called me, whom I paid 200 R for an hour of communication. He was not a professional psychologist and, apparently, did not understand how to win over the interlocutor.
As a result, I did not know where to start, and I was embarrassed to load him with my problems. And we talked for an hour in vain on general topics.
So I realized that it's easier for me to chat when I can't be seen or heard. Although I still called up with some friends for an hour anyway.
Wasting time on uninteresting people. From the photo on the avatar, it was not always possible to determine which person was in communication. For example, the interlocutor-mechanic seemed too boring to me. I didn’t tell him about my problems, I just wanted to talk, but I didn’t find what he was interested in. In his life there was only work and part-time work - also a locksmith. He was not interested in books, cars, tourism, fishing. In general, we corresponded only once, and then not for long, and then we did not communicate.
I also came across an interlocutor who spoke Russian poorly. He answered inappropriately, and I was not sure that he understood me.
So I just stopped talking.
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Insincere paid communication. I understood that many become friends for an hour for the sake of money, but I wanted at least the illusion of sincere communication. Therefore, when choosing, I tried to weed out especially mercenary ones. For example, she did not hire a woman who honestly admitted that she was only interested in money.
But, for example, a psychology student from Moscow seemed sincere to me at first. However, during paid correspondence, I felt false: he answered me quickly, superficially and very briefly. I saw that he was doing it automatically, that our communication meant nothing to him.
In addition, I was unpleasant that he carefully monitored the paid time. And two minutes before it ended, he warned that it was time for us to wrap up.
After such correspondence, I did not hire a potential performer And this is how my paid communication with a psychology student from Moscow ended Communication with a secret intention.
I have already mentioned that the "friend for an hour" service implies only friendly communication. But in the end, I came across two men who clearly wanted more. Moreover, they did not talk about it right away, but in the midst of the conversation, and I had the feeling that I had been deceived.
We corresponded with one man on various topics during the day. At first he talked about his education and work, and then he began to persistently ask if I had a husband. I realized that he was crossing the line of friendship and stopped answering him.
Another interlocutor behaved the same way, and when I said that I was 41 years old and I was married, he stopped the correspondence himself.
From this correspondence it became clear to me that it is not enough for a man to have friendly communication And this young man apparently believed that it was possible to be friends only with unmarried peopleAs a result
Now, two months after my experiment, I communicate only with one friend - that who sends me memes and recommends movies.
But I am not disappointed, because from the very beginning I understood that it would be difficult to find a suitable friend for an hour. I think that I was even lucky: one interlocutor helped me take a different look at my problems and shared his experience, and several others gave me interesting conversations.
At the same time, I realized that even a free friend for an hour is just an appearance of real friendly communication. Therefore, she treated all the interlocutors as fellow travelers on the train, to whom you can open your soul, and then, most likely, never see them.
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But I'm glad that the "friend for an hour" service exists and that there are strangers in the world who can cry in the vest for free. I think that it can be very useful for very lonely people.
If you need a friend for an hour
- Carefully look at the photos in the ads and read the descriptions of the services.
If you don’t like a person or hints at intimate conversations, it’s better not to write to him. - Each performer sets his own price. On average, an hour of conversation costs 500 R. But there are also those who communicate for free, in my opinion, conversations with them are more sincere.
- If the interlocutor says that he is a psychologist, this does not mean that you will receive full-fledged psychological help. Perhaps you are an inexperienced student who has not yet learned how to work with clients. Or a person who just plays psychologist and can only give obvious advice.
- Be wary if the interlocutor persistently asks about your gender, age and marital status. Perhaps he is not set up for platonic communication.
- Don't waste time on people who seem boring or insincere. Communicate with those with whom it is easy and interesting.
Do you want to write such an article for T—F? Any process in which money is involved in some form can be turned into a topic for Tinkoff Magazine.
