What Is BetterUp Care™?

BetterUp Care is a new benefit that includes dedicated coaching and tools, to support  your well-being and help you develop skills to find your calm, boost your confidence, and show up as your best self in work and life.

What you'll get with BetterUp Care: 

• A dedicated Coach:  Get confidential 1:1 coaching to help you navigate challenges as they come up with a fresh perspective.
• Science-backed tools and workshops: Learn effective strategies for managing stress and building stronger mindsets, and explore curated articles and quizzes at your own pace.
• Coaching for nutrition, sleep, working parents, and more: Work with a specialist to build healthy habits like improving sleep, increasing nutrition, or finding relief in tough moments like grief.
• Concierge support: BetterUp Care members have exclusive access to a personal Care Guide who can help you quickly get the right support for your needs.

What is Mental Fitness? And how is it different from mental health? 

Well-being is the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy — and it happens when we’re satisfied and optimistic about each of the unique things that matter to us. Mental Fitness is what we do to build and sustain well-being and strong mental health.

What each person needs for their Mental Fitness routine is unique, which is why BetterUp Care gives you a custom plan with coaching, tools, and support — all built around you. Put into practice, Mental Fitness makes it easier to handle anything from daily stressors and major setbacks to joyful (but often stressful) life transitions. It’s an approach backed by science and made for real life.

How much does it cost?

Membership and access to BetterUp Care is covered by your employer. There is no cost to join and use the platform and coaching.

What privacy measures are in place? 

With BetterUp Care, sessions with your Coach are confidential, and only you and your Coach can see your individual assessment responses. Your data security and privacy are a top priority, and BetterUp operates in compliance with international privacy, security, and confidentiality protocols, regulations, and requirements. Learn more about Trust & Security, and read the Privacy Policy for more information on how data is used and protected.

Can family members or dependents use BetterUp Care? 

BetterUp Care is a covered benefit from your employer. Please check with your benefits administrator to confirm if family members or dependents are eligible to join and use BetterUp Care.

How much time will it take to use BetterUp Care? 

Your commitment and plan look different based on your goals, where you’re starting from, and your schedule. your starting point, goals, and schedule. You can spend anywhere from 10 minutes a week to an hour a day focusing on your well-being.

• 1:1 coaching sessions — 30 minutes
• Studio Workshops — 25 minutes
• Self-guided programs and exercises — 1-15 minutes

Coaching

What is Care Coaching?

Our Coaches are expertly trained in topics related to well-being. Many of them have mental health degrees and/or licenses, but are never acting in a clinical role as a BetterUp Coach.

Care coaching is an active partnership between you and your Coach, geared towards goals and experiencing positive shifts in your well-being, whether it’s at work or in your personal life. Care Coaching is focused on well-being and resilience, preventative and solutions-focused in nature, and rooted in evidence-based interventions to enhance well-being and manage stress (such as mindfulness). Some general themes include work-life balance and integration, navigating uncertainty and ambiguity, managing stress, nurturing relationships, practicing mindfulness, and building healthy habits.

What is the difference between a Coach and a therapist?

Therapy (also known as psychotherapy, counseling, or “talk therapy”) is similar to coaching in some ways. BetterUp Coaches use evidence-based techniques and intentional dialogue as the primary tools for growth and discovery, drawing on the same tools leveraged in high quality clinical therapy. But there are some important differences between coaching and therapy.

What qualifications do Care Coaches have?

BetterUp Care Coaches are internationally certified Coaches who meet the necessary criteria to support your well-being. Most BetterUp Care Coaches have advanced degrees in clinical psychology, counseling, social work, or a related field, and many of them hold a clinical license. They have experience with evidence-based therapeutic interventions such as CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy), however, they do not work in a clinical capacity whatsoever while coaching on BetterUp Care. Learn more about the difference between coaching and therapy. And, how is coaching different from therapy?

What can I talk about with my BetterUp Care coach? 

Your Coach is your partner in well-being and personal growth. They’ll help you discover insights about yourself and learn effective ways to make progress towards the things that matter to you in work and life. Each session starts with a topic you want to focus on — here are some suggestions from BetterUp Care members:

• Balancing work and life, and setting doable boundaries
• Managing stress and feelings of burnout
• Navigating a recent change or challenge in work or life
• Building habits like eating healthier, sleeping better, or increasing activity
• Establishing routines as a working parent
• Creating more happiness and joy

How do I book a coaching session?

• If you did not already select a Care Coach when you set up your BetterUp Care account, you can either go to your homepage ( app.betterup.co ) and at the bottom select the, “Connect with a Care Coach” card or go to the Discover tab and then scroll to find the Personal Coaching card to find a Coach and  then book a session. You can do the same for Specialist Coaching.

If you’d like to view another set of Coaches profiles during the process, you can select “Explore more Coaches” from this page to request additional options.

How do I change my Care Coach?

• If you have already selected a Care Coach and decided you want to choose a different Care Coach, go to the Coaches card with their picture on it, select, “view Coach”, then scroll down and in the bottom left select, “try another Coach”.

How do I change my Specialist Coach?

Please contact support using the '?' icon in the bottom right corner.

How do I join my coaching session?

Log in to the BetterUp Care platform a few minutes before your scheduled session. You’ll see a banner above your menu bar with a countdown to your upcoming session and a button to join the session. When you join, you can check your video and audio before starting the session with your Coach.

How do I message my Coach?

Once you’ve selected and scheduled a session with your Care Coach, click the “Messages” tab at the top of your page and you’ll see your Coach. From there, you can send a message to them at any time.

What if I don’t like the Coach I’m matched with?

With a 97% match success from over 1 million coaching sessions completed around the world, we’re confident in our ability to connect you with the right Coach. However, if you feel your Coach isn’t the right fit, you can always request a new Coach.

To request a new Care Coach, navigate to the Discover tab, select the Personal Coach card, then select your Care Coach. . Underneath Schedule or Message you’ll see a link that says Try another coach. If you have additional requests for a Coach match, contact support.

To request a new specialist Coach such as Nutrition or Sleep, please contact support using the '?' icon in the bottom right corner.

Learn more about the Care Guides

Who are BetterUp Care Guides?

Care Guides are your personal support system as you navigate your well-being journey with BetterUp Care. They’re professionals who can help connect you to the best tools and resources for your unique needs, and are trained in de-escalation and crisis management.

Our Care Guides are not Coaches, therapists, bots, or technical support. While they do not provide clinical services, they are here to support you, by connecting you to proper care, no matter what you are going through (even in crisis).

Need technical support? Contact Customer Support using the '?' icon in the bottom right corner.

What qualifications do Care Guides have?

Care Guides are passionate about preventative mental health and come from a variety of disciplines, from education to clinical care. All of our Care Guides have training and experience in crisis management and conflict de-escalation. They are also certified in Mental Health First Aid. All Care Guides have oversight from a licensed clinical social worker. 

How do I message my Care Guide?

When logged into your BetterUp Care account, click the “Messages” tab at the top of your page. From there, you can send a message to your Care Guides from the Care Guide widget.

The majority of Care Guide conversations happen over in-app messaging, although Care Guides may schedule Zoom video or call sessions with you when appropriate or requested.

How do Care Guides support and engage with members?

• Supporting members with BetterUp Care Platform Services: Care Guides provide a compassionate human touch to all members navigating the BetterUp Care platform. From deciding on which self-guided journey to embark on to which kinds of coaching would be the best fit, Care Guides are always ready to answer questions and provide guidance to ensure that you get the most out of your BetterUp Care experience.
• Connecting members to External Services: For members who need to connect to clinical care, Care Guides are the bridge between the member and the external support. The Care Guide will assist you in navigating your company’s EAP (employee assistance program) or BetterUp’s external therapy partners in order to secure clinical services that meet your needs and expectations. This can be an interaction between you and the Care Guide that happens in one day, or over the course of a few weeks, depending on the support needed. Care Guides may in some circumstances respond to members in crisis by guiding them to the appropriate resources such as crisis support hotlines in their location.

What is the difference between a Care Guide and a Coach?

Care Guides help you make the most of your BetterUp Care experience by guiding you to the resources you need and want, both within the platform and with external services. Care Guides have deep knowledge of BetterUp Care internal resources and stay up to date on external clinical offerings each employer offers. They walk with you when in need of assistance until you have successfully obtained the resource you're seeking. You are likely to speak with one Care Guide during your time with BetterUp Care but may occasionally interact with another depending on the time of day. Care Guides have crisis management training, but may or may not have a clinical or coaching background. Care Guides do not, in any instance, work from a clinical or coaching capacity while supporting a member from BetterUp Care, regardless of their background. The majority of Care Guide discussions happen over in-app messaging, although Care Guides can schedule video or call sessions with you on Zoom when appropriate or requested.

Coaches are trained professionals with a mental health background and/or advanced Coach training and experience. Coaches are paired with you during onboarding, and you and your Coachwill meet at a regular cadence, usually over video sessions, and touch base between sessions by messaging in the app. Coaches may not have crisis management experience, and are not familiar with the specific clinical resources available to each member. If a Coach feels you are in need of these resources, the Coachcan recommend you connect with the Care Guide. In this way, Coaches and Care Guides can work collaboratively. Coaches work with you on present and future oriented personal and professional development goals, and help members to improve their overall health and mental well-being.

What kinds of questions can I ask my Care Guide? 

Whenever you’re needing some extra support, message a Care Guide—even if you don’t know what your needs are yet! Care Guides are trained to help you craft a well-being plan and support you as you navigate to the resources needed. Here are some common questions we get from members:

• How do I know what type of coaching is right for me?
• Is therapy, coaching, or both the right fit for me?
• What else can I do on the BetterUp Care platform besides coaching?
• I don’t feel great, but I don’t know what’s wrong. Can you help me figure out what type of coaching or other support might be a good fit for me?
• Can I tell you my well-being goals so you can help me find the right type of Coach or Coaching?

External Support Services 

What is an EAP? 

EAP stands for employee assistance program. Your company may offer an EAP program that can include access to therapy sessions at no cost to you as well as other benefits such as legal help, financial help, access to gym memberships, access to wellness/learning stipends, child care/elder care, pet care and more. 

Where can I find my EAP information?

Your EAP information can be found by scrolling to the top of your BetterUp Care home page and clicking the question mark icon. Here you will click on crisis support. Your EAP information will be in a box on this page. 

What if I want to talk to a Care Guide about whether my EAP is the best path for me?

Whenever you’re needing some extra support, message a Care Guide (using the Care Guide Widget under the Message Tab)—even if you don’t know what your needs are yet! Care Guides are trained to help you navigate resources such as your EAP and other forms of external support. The majority of Care Guide conversations happen over in-app messaging, although Care Guides may schedule Zoom video or call sessions with you when appropriate or requested from the widget messaging.