Help area

Instahelp is a platform for online psychological counselling, which connects those seeking help with psychologists. Those who seek help can send their questions online to experienced psychologists, in order to find a solution through individual counselling online. Counselling is carried out via computer, smartphone or tablet directly in the Instahelp app, and is thus always at hand. Furthermore, we ensure full anonymity, fast response and flexibility regarding location and time.

Instahelp represents a service offering additional to the existing counselling system in classical counselling and does not replace therapy programmes. Instahelp is focussed on psychological help. Due to legal conditions, a diagnosis followed by therapy is not offered.

Instahelp offers the following advantages compared with counselling in person:

Full anonymity: You can freely choose your display name and also use an anonymous email address. In this way you’ll be able to have completely anonymous counselling.
Online: You can choose whether you want to communicate via video, audio or text chat. Additionally you can avoid awkward situations in the waiting room.
Geographical flexibility: By means of our apps, you’ll be able to benefit from counselling anywhere. Our Instahelp apps are available for desktop, tablet and smartphone.
Temporal flexibility: Contact your psychologist as soon as you would like to speak or write about your problem. Waiting times and journey times are obsolete. Your psychologist will contact you during the initial contact within a maximum of 24 hours.

Psychological counselling at Instahelp does not replace medical or psychological counselling or treatment on-site and is not suitable for the diagnosis or treatment of psychological conditions. In cases of psychological diseases and psychoses, severe trauma, suicidal thoughts or severe addiction conditions, Instahelp should not be used.

In case of need please contact your doctor immediately or contact the following institutions (free of charge):
Deutschland

• Europäische Notrufnummer: 112
• Telefonseelsorge: 0800 111 0 111 oder 0800 111 0 222
  telefonseelsorge.de
• Beratung für Kinder und Jugendliche: 116 111
  nummergegenkummer.de


• Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst: 116 117
• Elterntelefon: 0800 110550
  nummergegenkummer.de
• Krisenchat für Personen unter 25: krisenchat.de

Use of Instahelp is allowed from age 16.

1. Choosing your psychologist
As a first step, you select a psychologist who specializes in your field of concern and who meets your needs in terms of e.g. availability of time and form of communication (text, video, audio). Selection and registration are free of charge.

2. Non-binding initial session
After selecting your psychologist, you can activate the individual counselling. Your psychologist will contact you within 24 hours. In the initial session you get to know each other and discuss the further course of the counselling.

3. Starting the individual counselling
Your selected psychologist will be at your disposal for the entire counselling. The intensity and frequency of the counselling varies according to your topic and is agreed individually between you and the psychologist.

Our Instahelp team of psychologists consists of experienced clinical and health psychologists, who are available to respond to your personal requests (counselling is fee-based). Due to the fact that each psychologist is specialised in certain psychological areas, the matching helps you to find the right psychologist for your needs. Get an overview of our Instahelp team of psychologists here.

Instahelp online counselling is guided by your individual needs and is subdivided into the following three steps:

Choosing an Instahelp psychologist
Matching
Our free matching process is available to help you select a suitable psychologist. On the basis of questions, psychologists specialised in the area that suits your needs will be proposed. After you’ve chosen one psychologist, we’ll connect you with them.

initial session with your Instahelp psychologist
Getting to know each other and continued problem analysis
In the initial session it’s all about getting to know your Instahelp psychologist and becoming generally familiar with Instahelp online counselling. You’ll examine your problem together, define objectives for the counselling as well as how it should continue (for instance, the frequency with which counselling will take place).

Online psychological counselling
Counselling & help for self-help
From the second counselling it’s all about the solution to the problem. The psychologist will establish a counselling plan and will discuss with you how best to work on your problem by means of various different counselling methods. Counselling objectives are jointly assessed and adapted if necessary. You’ll receive individual tasks and exercises that you’ll apply in your everyday life and you’ll discuss together how things are going. The Instahelp approach is solution-oriented, creating a good structure.

At Instahelp you’ll be given clinical-psychological counselling taking into account the scientific and professional-ethical framework, which covers the following areas:

• Problem analysis
• Elaboration of objectives and approaches for solving problems, taking private and professional circumstances into account
• Continuous assessment and adaptation of objectives
• Psycho-education and information relating to various different aspects of health impairments, their implications and possibilities of change
• Information regarding the psychosocial care system and referral to other specialists if applicable
• Identification of health-related risk behaviour
• Promotion and preservation of health
• Identification and support regarding the avoidance of health risks
• Health-related framework conditions and measures for health promotion, healthcare provision and rehabilitation
• Preservation or improvement of competences and resources in the management of risk conditions (prevention)
• Reinforcement of health-promoting conditions in order to avoid recurrence of psychological distress (relapse prevention, rehabilitation)
• Activation of resources: reinforcement of the client’s own initiative and help for self-help

In the context of a concluding talk, a review of the course of counselling and an outlook for the future will be offered.

• The initial session takes place in the Instahelp app. You can arrange a video, audio or text chat with your psychologist. The conversation is anonymous and secure thanks to end-to-end encryption.
• In this conversation, explain what brought you to Instahelp and feel free to talk about any questions you have about counselling.
• Together you will then set a counselling goal or define a focus for the next few weeks and discuss how regularly you will see each other.
• Counselling is a process that can take you through ups and downs. Your psychologist will be at your side so that you can work actively to bring about change.
• Preparation: For your first appointment, think about how you can create a pleasant atmosphere for your first conversation. We have put together some tips and tricks here.

Once you’ve chosen your psychologist, you can expect a first answer within 24 hours. After that, you agree the frequency of counselling with your psychologist.

Yes, in the first step you will choose your psychologist with the help of the Welcome Assistant. This psychologist will be available to you for the entire period of counselling for your individual support. In special cases (holidays, dissatisfaction etc.) you can change your psychologist. Find out how here.

When you register, you can select a psychologist who specializes in your field. If you want to change the psychologist, go to “Manage counselling” in your settings and click on “More info” and “Change psychologist”.

Take some time for yourself before and after your counselling session. Plan a time buffer for this when you make your appointment.

10 to 15 minutes before and after the counselling session are sufficient to

• get away from your everyday activities before the counselling session begins, to calm down and make yourself comfortable.
• reflect on what has been discussed or complete your notes after the session.

This way you can take as much as possible from each session, maintain your feeling of relaxation for as long as possible and integrate your insights into your everyday life.

Relaxed on your couch or focused at your desk, with a cappuccino or a cup of tea: The following points will help you to create the right setting for your counselling session.

• Choose a place in which you won’t be disturbed and make yourself comfortable.
• You will probably talk or write with your psychologist about issues that you do not want to share with everyone. This open exchange should not be disturbed by noise or other people.
• Also turn off sources of digital interference. For example, if you are working on a laptop, put your smartphone away and close browser tabs that you don’t need.
• For a video or audio call, consider using headphones. This can lead to even more confidentiality and better mutual understanding.
• In any case, have a pen and paper ready in case you want to make a note of something important.

Video & audio call
Most counselling sessions at Instahelp take place via video call. Video calls are the closest thing to a face-to-face exchange. Your psychologist and you can understand each other even better thanks to body language and facial expressions when the picture is turned on. Of course, you can also switch it off if you feel more comfortable with it. Then it’s just like a conversation over the phone.

Text chat
For some people it is easier to put experiences, thoughts or feelings into words in a written exchange. It can help to think in a structured way without getting stuck in thought loops. Writing down your feelings can be a relieving act on its own and you can also document and read your messages at any time, just like in a diary. The prerequisite for successful counselling via text chat is that you enjoy writing messages and take the necessary time for it.

A prerequisite for couples counselling at Instahelp is that both of you can attend the session in front of the same screen via video chat.

1. First, you will choose a psychologist from our team together.
2. One of you will take care of the registration and payment (unfortunately it is not possible to switch between different accounts).
3. Then you’ll start with a regular Instahelp initial session, in which you get to know your psychologist. You’ll discuss what brings you to Instahelp and what you expect from the counselling. Together, you define goals and agree on the further course of the counselling process.

You can find information about the rate for couples counselling on our price overview.

Registration with Instahelp is free of charge. As soon as you have chosen an Instahelp psychologist, you can unlock your psychological counselling by entering your payment data. The Instahelp psychologist will come back to you within 24 hours. You can try out Instahelp for a session in order to get to know your psychologist.

Payment is possible via direct SEPA debiting, credit card or PayPal and will be prolonged automatically so that counselling can be continued smoothly. This prolongation can be ended at any time, whilst you can continue to make use of the counselling for the period of time for which you’ve already paid. Please note that the amount paid for the chosen period is cannot be refunded.

Here you will find an overview of current prices and scope of services.

In the settings you will find the menu item “Manage counselling”. Click on “Manage counselling”, in order to open the display for your current payment settings.

In the payment settings, you can see your current counselling model and until when it is valid. Below, you are also shown the date of the next planned prolongation of your counselling, including the next counselling model. If you would like to change the counselling model for the future extension, please click on the button “Change” next to it.

Counselling model
Here the chosen counselling model will be displayed (50 min., 30 min). You’ll see your selected tariff and the amount you’ve paid. Here you’ll find an overview of current prices and scope of services.

Change counselling model
You can switch between the two counselling models at any time. The change will become effective from the point in time of the next payment. In order to select a new counselling model, please click on “change counselling model”. The payment page will open up with the selection of the counselling model. If you select a different counselling model, you’ll be able to see the current as well as the next chosen counselling model in the payment overview.

You can decide how and when you want to communicate with your psychologist. The counselling can be used either with appointments in live text chat, via video or audio call or without an appointment in text chat. The mutual keeping of dates and responsible handling of changing arrangements are essential for appreciative cooperation. If you have not discussed an individual cancellation policy with your psychologist, the 24-hour cancellation policy applies.

If you are unable to attend an appointment, please inform your psychologist directly in the Instahelp App at least 24 hours in advance. Please note that the counselling fee cannot be refunded in case of later cancellations. Psychologists reserve counselling time for appointments and experience has shown that they are not able to reschedule appointments at short notice in case of cancellations under 24 hours. If you are late for your appointment, the time missed at the beginning of the appointment can usually not be added on or compensated. This cancellation policy (at least 24 hours before the agreed appointment) also applies to your psychologist, of course. You will be offered the next possible alternative dates.

Payment for counselling units is made in advance. Instahelp Support reviews all refund requests on a case-by-case basis and always in cooperation with the psychologists. If a refund is not possible, credits for future services can be given in justified cases.

If you have any suggestions that would improve your experience at Instahelp, please feel free to share them by email to