Gently Therapeutic – TalkLife Review

I stumbled on this app while searching ‘therapy’ apps. I wasn’t wanting to pay for in-person therapy and had heard about an app that one could schedule with therapists virtually instead, so I was on the hunt for something to use to vent and feel validation from others’ equal experiences to mine. After one day of the app, I am pleased enough with it to make the effort to review it. (I never do reviews, so you understand the weight of this one. Haha) The concept here is similar to Whisper, wherein you post anonymously. (However, it is similar to FaceBook with how you can upload a photo of your choice and make your posting name whatever you choose. Therefore, your anonymity is as much as you choose it to be.) Better than Whisper and FaceBook is how this apps allows each post to be categorized to two categories. It provides a list of subjects to choose to comment on (Health, Relationships, Family, Hopes, Poetry...) and then you select an emotion equivalent to your feelings for that subject (easily 30+ options for emotions, which is great because sometimes ‘angry’ isn’t quite right. Sometimes it is more of a ‘irritated’ vibe or ‘frustrated.’) Within each post, there is a comment section and a way to ‘send gifts’ which is alike the reaction button on FaceBook except these gifts are cute and more varying than the five that FaceBook offers. (Such as ‘Bear Hug, Here for You, Keep on Going, and other positive reinforcements.) I like the support that people give to each other. You can select a subject to scroll through, to see specifically those topics, and equally you can select which to block so that you do not scroll onto a post that may trigger traumas you have (such as violence, if you have issues with violent behavior and don’t want to read about others’ experiences about it). I love how strangers come together and react to posts or comment thoughts for others’ situations. Supporting each other through whatever we post (even positive posts are welcome! It is not just a negative Nancy type of app where only depressing posts are allowed) just feels so wholesome and I am happy to be part of it. With so much chaos in society, it is healing for me to see that there is goodness in people, even if virtually. It is eye-opening to see how many people are out there hurting, uplifting others, feeling exhausted, worrying about whatever things I also may worry about but can feel so alone in so often. The app also provides emergency contacts for those who are quite emotionally unstable which I give high ratings for. Regardless of whether a user chooses to utilize the contacts, they are there, which proves to me that the makers of this app are serious in their desire for the app to be a source of communing and connecting. Even healing, whether that is from venting for the sake of telling one’s story, or seeking advice, or just needing a random person out there to acknowledge your existence. I know I have needed that, at times. It’s all here, in this app. My therapy is coming most from reading others’ posts and realizing they are similar to me. I feel less emotionally lonely (while physically living alone in my State). I thought I’d use the app for others to tell me what to do to feel better, but I feel better instead by supporting others. It’s really great. I suggest everyone try the app. It kept me awake all night, because I was so hyped to keep connecting with people who were in similar situations or even worse situations but who needed to feel loved from someone at that moment.
Review by Kelliebugable on TalkLife.