Our Approach to Medical Accuracy
How we ensure the information on VirtualTherapyApps is accurate, evidence-based, and genuinely helpful.
Important Transparency Note
We want to be upfront: VirtualTherapyApps does not currently have a formal medical review board. We are a small team that researches online therapy platforms to help people find the right care. Below, we explain exactly how we approach accuracy and what standards we hold ourselves to.
What We Are (And Aren't)
VirtualTherapyApps is an independent comparison and review site. We research online therapy platforms, synthesize publicly available information, and present it in a way that helps people make informed decisions about their mental health care.
We are not:
- A medical provider or healthcare organization
- A substitute for professional mental health advice
- Affiliated with any therapy platform (though we may earn commissions—see our disclosure)
Our Research Standards
Every piece of content we publish follows these principles:
1. Primary Source Priority
We prioritize information directly from platforms (official websites, press releases, SEC filings) over secondary sources. When we cite statistics about therapy effectiveness, we trace them back to peer-reviewed research or official clinical outcomes data.
2. Real User Feedback
We synthesize user reviews from Reddit, Trustpilot, app stores, and other platforms. We include both positive and negative experiences, and we're transparent when a platform has significant controversy or complaints.
3. Citation Standards
When we make claims about clinical effectiveness, we cite the source. For example, when we say "86% of online therapy patients show clinically significant improvement," we note this comes from Brightside Health's published clinical outcomes data—not our own trials.
4. Regular Updates
Pricing, features, and policies change frequently in this space. We commit to reviewing and updating our content regularly, and we date-stamp our reviews so you know when information was last verified.
Sources We Trust
For clinical and statistical information, we rely on:
- Peer-reviewed journals (PubMed, JAMA, APA publications)
- Government health agencies (SAMHSA, HRSA, CDC, NIH)
- Professional associations (American Psychological Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness)
- Platform-published clinical data (when methodology is disclosed)
- Investigative journalism (for controversy coverage, such as DOJ settlements)
What We Won't Do
- Invent testimonials. Every quote we use comes from a real, verifiable source.
- Claim to have tested platforms firsthand unless we actually have (and we'll tell you exactly what we did).
- Hide affiliate relationships. When we may earn money from a recommendation, we say so clearly.
- Pretend we have credentials we don't have. We're researchers and writers, not clinicians.
Future Plans
As VirtualTherapyApps grows, we're working toward:
- Partnering with licensed mental health professionals for content review
- Establishing a formal advisory relationship with clinicians who can verify clinical claims
- Publishing our editorial guidelines for full transparency
We'll update this page as we make progress on these goals.
Questions or Corrections?
If you find an error in our content, spot outdated information, or have expertise you'd like to contribute, we want to hear from you.
Contact Us