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As educators of our future healthcare professionals, we know how important mental health is and therefore are pleased to offer all SMHS students a free subscription to Talkspace, an online therapy platform that provides users with access to licensed therapists. All SMHS students have access to four video sessions per month, and unlimited text-based messaging. Via a special algorithm, you will be matched with a therapist that suits you and your needs.
If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency or thoughts of suicide, do not wait for your therapist to respond: call 911 (Emergency Services), 202-994-5300 (Colonial Health Center), or these other resource numbers.
- How to Register
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To register, go to www.talkspace.com/gwu and click "Get Started." You will then be asked to input your contact information and the organization keyword that corresponds with your SMHS program.
Keywords include: GWU-MEDSTU (MD students), GWU-HEALTHSCI (Health Sciences students), and GWU-MEDRES (Medical Residents).
After you are registered and matched with your therapist you have the opportunity to schedule an optional 10-minute live video introduction session. Moving forward you can send text, video, and picture messages to your therapist who will respond in a similar fashion.
Please Note: after 12 months of using the platform, you will need to revalidate your account. You should receive notification 21 days and 7 days before your renewal deadline. Please follow this guide to help you revalidate. If you are unable to revalidate before your deadline, please reach out to Talkspace Partner Support using their Help Desk to be revalidated and request to continue with your current therapist.
Students who experience difficulty registering or revalidating should contact Alex Velto (alex [dot] velto [at] gwu [dot] edu (alex[dot]velto[at]gwu[dot]edu)).
- Getting Started with Therapy
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SMHS students have access to 4 live video sessions per month. See below for more information on getting started with Talkspace.
- Types of Communication Offered
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See below for more information on message modalities on Talkspace.
“Talkspace has been incredibly valuable and convenient as a student. I use it actively and highly recommend it to other students.”
- An anonymous respondent to the 2024-25 OSS Annual Survey
“Talkspace was very helpful to me throughout the past 6 months. I had some personal life things come up, and I appreciated having the service to help me navigate those difficulties while managing my studies.”
- An anonymous respondent to the 2024-25 OSS Annual Survey