Two Chairs Reviews, Pricing, and Alternatives (January 2026)

Choosing a mental health provider can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to compare costs, reviews, and what kind of care you actually need. Many therapy-matching platforms offer virtual care with a focus on clinician fit, but their out-of-network pricing and intake processes can create barriers to care. This guide breaks down mental health platforms, what patients experience in practice, and when psychiatry-first care might work better for you, especially if medication management, speed, or insurance affordability matter. We'll help you figure out what to consider when making this choice.

TLDR:

• Two Chairs operates primarily out-of-network; most patients pay upfront and file for reimbursement.

• In-network psychiatry practices in Texas offer medication management, often with standard insurance copays.

• Legion Health includes free FDA-cleared ADHD testing and coordinates with your primary care doctor.

• If your primary need is medication management for ADHD, anxiety, or depression, psychiatry-first care may be a better fit.

What Is Two Chairs and How Does It Work?

Two Chairs is a hybrid mental health provider offering virtual and in-person psychotherapy for adults. The service uses a proprietary matching system that pairs clients with clinicians based on personality and clinical needs. It functions as a therapy-focused marketplace where licensed therapists operate under a W2 employment model, which differs from contractor-based networks common in telehealth.

How it works:

• Therapist matching system: Proprietary algorithm pairs clients with clinicians based on personality and clinical fit.

• Hybrid care options: Virtual and in-person psychotherapy appointments available.

• Multi-state availability: Services offered in 22 states, covering approximately 75% of the U.S. population.

• Insurance partnerships: In-network with select carriers, primarily Aetna and Kaiser Permanente; out-of-network options available.

Two Chairs expanded into psychiatry in April 2025, allowing patients to receive medication management through the platform. The organization works with more than 600 licensed therapists using a direct employment model. The service allows patients to browse clinicians and select providers based on availability and therapeutic fit.

Why Consider Two Chairs Alternatives?

Two Chairs is a viable option for individuals seeking therapist matching and with strong out-of-network insurance benefits. However, this structure creates barriers for patients seeking different types of support.

Common reasons patients assess other mental health services:

• Financial uncertainty from out-of-network status. Paying upfront and filing for reimbursement can be more prohibitive than standard insurance copays.

• Delayed access to care. The required matching appointment creates an administrative gap before treatment begins.

• Primary need is medication, not talk therapy. Patients seeking care for conditions like ADHD often prefer practices built for psychiatric evaluations and medication management.

• Limited scope of services. The model does not typically support crisis intervention or emergency care needs.

Best Two Chairs Alternatives in January 2025

Finding the right provider depends on your location, insurance coverage, and what type of care you need. Below are the top alternatives to consider.

Legion Health (Best Overall Alternative)

Legion Health is a virtual psychiatry practice designed for adults who need medication therapy management. If your primary goal is medication management instead of therapy matching, psychiatric providers like Legion Health offer a direct path through an insurance-based model.

What they offer:

• Fast access to care: You can typically meet with a board-certified psychiatric provider within a few days, without a separate matching appointment.

• Objective ADHD testing: Includes QbCheck (FDA-cleared ADHD assessment) at no additional cost as an objective input to strengthen diagnostic confidence and track outcomes.

• Medication therapy management: Licensed psychiatric clinicians conduct assessments, prescribe medications (including controlled substances when clinically appropriate), and provide ongoing monitoring.

• Care coordination: Coordinates with your primary care physician for vitals, labs, and EKG monitoring when clinically indicated to support treatment safety.

Best for: Adults in Texas seeking psychiatric medication management using their health insurance.

Limitation: Focused on psychiatric medication management. Therapy is not offered directly; while Legion may recommend or coordinate therapy providers, patients seeking integrated treatment and medication from one provider would need to coordinate separately.

Bottom line: If your primary need is psychiatric medication management with insurance coverage, this model provides direct access to a clinician without a separate matching appointment. Given that 15.5 million US adults had an ADHD diagnosis by 2023, with 55.9% diagnosed in adulthood, psychiatry-first practices like Legion Health are designed to meet this growing demand.

Talkiatry

Talkiatry offers virtual psychiatric care across 45 states. They provide medication management for a wide age range, including children as young as five. This makes them a viable option for patients outside of Texas or families seeking pediatric mental health services.

What they offer:

• Clinicians prescribe controlled medications where regulations allow, often without an in-person visit.

• Initial evaluations run 60 minutes for adults and 75 minutes for children.

• The practice accepts many insurance plans, including Medicare, but does not accept self-pay patients.

• Therapy is available only for patients already seeing a psychiatrist.

Good for: People with insurance who need medication management and want longer appointment times, or families needing care for minors.

Limitation: Insurance required (no cash-pay option). ADHD assessments use standard clinical evaluation instead of objective computerized testing. Therapy is available only for patients already seeing a psychiatrist.

Bottom line: Talkiatry offers insurance-covered psychiatry with longer appointment times. For ADHD, objective testing and close coordination with a primary care provider may be important considerations when choosing a provider.

Mindpath Health

Mindpath Health is an outpatient provider offering psychiatry, therapy, and interventional services for all ages. They provide both telehealth and in-person appointments. Clinicians focus on working with primary care physicians to align mental health treatment with physical health.

What they offer:

• Hybrid care covering evaluations, medication, and therapy.

• Interventional treatments like TMS and Spravato are available at specific locations.

• Accepts major insurance plans.

Good for: Patients seeking in-person care or requiring interventional procedures such as TMS.

Limitation: ADHD assessments rely on standard clinical evaluation vs. computerized, objective testing. Some patients report longer scheduling times.

Bottom line: Mindpath is a good fit if you want in-person visits or need interventional procedures like TMS. If virtual care and objective ADHD testing are priorities, other providers may align better with your needs.

Brightside Health

Brightside Health is a telehealth mental health provider offering medication management through a subscription-based model. The service focuses on treating anxiety and depression with a simplified, direct-to-patient approach. Brightside uses monthly subscription pricing to keep the model predictable and accessible.

• Monthly billing model (pricing varies by plan).

• Focuses on anxiety and depression (non-controlled medications).

• Accepts some insurance plans, along with a subscription option.

Good for: Patients who prefer subscription billing and have anxiety or depression (not requiring stimulants).

Limitation: Clinicians cannot prescribe controlled substances, such as stimulants. No objective ADHD testing available.

Bottom line: Brightside offers broad access for anxiety and depression. If you need stimulant medication or objective ADHD testing, psychiatry-first practices may be a better fit.

Cerebral

Cerebral is a telehealth mental health provider offering medication management and therapy through a subscription-based model. The service delivers care across most states with a direct-to-consumer approach, bundling psychiatric medication management and therapy sessions into monthly subscription plans.

Cerebral doesn't accept insurance, making it costlier than insurance-based options. The service faced regulatory scrutiny in 2022-2023 regarding controlled substance prescribing practices and doesn't provide objective ADHD testing.

• Medication management and therapy together in one plan.

• Virtual visits across most states.

• Unlike many psychiatry-only platforms, therapy is bundled with medication management.

Good for: Patients who prefer bundled services combining medication and therapy and have the financial flexibility for subscription billing.

Limitation: ADHD evaluations use standard clinical assessment (not objective computerized testing), and in-network insurance options are limited. No insurance acceptance means higher out-of-pocket costs.

Bottom line: Cerebral offers bundled convenience for medication and therapy together. If you need stimulant medication or objective ADHD testing, psychiatry-first practices may be a better fit.

Feature Comparison: Two Chairs vs. Top Alternatives

Comparing Two Chairs' approach against other mental health providers helps clarify which option fits your needs and preferences. While Two Chairs focuses on its therapist matching system, alternatives like Legion Health offer more specialized psychiatric care, objective ADHD testing, and broader in-network insurance coverage for Texas residents.

Why Legion Health is the Best Two Chairs Alternative

Two Chairs focuses on therapist matching as part of its model. However, this matching process can add time before treatment starts, which matters if your main need is psychiatric medication management. Psychiatry-first practices like Legion Health allow you to meet directly with a clinician, reducing administrative delays.

Out-of-network reimbursement is a common barrier for patients seeking therapy matching. Patients pay upfront and file claims for reimbursement at Two Chairs. At the same time, Legion Health is in-network with major commercial insurance plans in Texas, keeping costs predictable: typically a standard specialist copay instead of high upfront fees.

For ADHD evaluations, objective testing strengthens diagnostic confidence. Legion Health includes FDA-cleared QbCheck testing at no additional cost as an objective input, while standard clinical evaluation alone may miss necessary diagnostic signals. Legion also coordinates with your primary care physician for labs and health history, helping support safety when starting psychiatric medications.

Final Thoughts on Finding Psychiatric Care That Works

Two Chairs operates primarily out-of-network, which can delay access and increase costs for patients seeking medication management. If psychiatric medication management is your priority, especially for ADHD, Legion Health offers a direct alternative: in-network psychiatry in Texas with fast access, objective ADHD testing included at no cost, and close coordination with your primary care team. If you're in Texas and ready to move forward, a psychiatric assessment with a licensed psychiatric clinician is the next step.

FAQs

Why do people look for alternatives to Two Chairs?

Most people look at other options because Two Chairs primarily operates out-of-network, requiring patients to pay upfront and file for reimbursement. Others need psychiatric medication management instead of therapy-focused care, or want faster access without a required matching appointment before treatment begins.

When should you consider switching from Two Chairs to a psychiatry practice?

If your primary need is medication management for ADHD, anxiety, or depression, a psychiatry practice built for medication management may be a better fit. Two Chairs focuses on therapy matching, while psychiatry-first practices can perform assessments, diagnose, and prescribe medication when clinically appropriate, often using insurance with predictable copays.

What should you focus on when comparing mental health alternatives?

Focus on whether the provider accepts your insurance in-network (to avoid high upfront costs), how quickly you can start care, and whether they offer the type of treatment you need: therapy, medication management, or both. For ADHD, ask whether they use objective testing tools and follow rigorous diagnostic protocols.

How does insurance coverage differ between Two Chairs and in-network psychiatry practices?

Two Chairs is in-network with select plans like Aetna and Kaiser, but often requires out-of-network reimbursement for other carriers. In-network psychiatry practices bill your insurance directly, so you typically pay only your specialist copay at the time of service instead of the full session fee upfront.