2022 was a big year for the team here at Little Otter. We made meaningful progress toward improving access to mental health care for families across the US. Not only did we expand to more states, we also partnered with Kaiser Permanente to offer in-network care. And last but not least, Little Renegades became part of the Little Otter family to continue our mission of reimagining mental health care and wellness for kids.

It’s time for meaningful change in how families access mental health care, and the type of mental health care they receive.

The old school way of child therapy tends to focus on only the kid, without considering the entire world they live in. But that's not how families work. When a loved one is struggling, it impacts everyone in their orbit. That's why we're different.

We designed a new approach to therapy for kids that invites the whole family in. Yes, we offer child and adolescent therapy - but we also offer couples counseling, psychiatry, mental health check-ups, maintenance, and more. 

We're proud to say that families and industry leaders are recognizing that we're different because we support the whole family, too! In December, Little Otter won three new awards:

• Best Online Therapy for Young Children - Parents.com

• Best Therapy for Kids and Families - Verywell Mind

• Best Online Couples Therapy for Parents - Verywell Mind

Today, you’ll learn a little more about how we were evaluated for these awards, and what real parents and families who were surveyed had to say.

Little Otter Won Best Online Therapy for Young Children, by Parents.com

Parents.com evaluated the best online therapy for kids and teenagers, and organized their awards by categories. Little Otter won the award for best online therapy for young children.

They noted that Little Otter is unique because we recognize that child therapy typically involves significant parental involvement. That’s why we offer parent coaching, couples counseling, and support in addition to child therapy and child psychiatry. 

Among parents they surveyed who used Little Otter, “75% of the people we surveyed rated their overall experience as good, very good, or excellent. Of people who had seen a therapist in the past, 67% said teletherapy with Little Otter was as helpful or more helpful than their past experiences.”

The final word from Parents.com?, “With nice extras like its slick app and sweet shop, Little Otter feels like the future of online therapy for kids.”

Little Otter Won Best Online Therapy for Kids and Families from Verywell Mind

To reach their conclusions for the best online therapy solutions, Verywell Mind surveyed 5775 therapy users, 4862 directory users, interviewed 300+ therapists, and analyzed 55 online therapy services and 25 directories. They also conducted testing of each offering to finalize their results. The evaluation was led by a team of subject matter experts, to assure objectivity and professionality. 

For Little Otter specifically, Verywell Mind surveyed 105 customers, got feedback from a subject matter expert, and was tested by a mom and her child who personally used our therapy services. 

After all this, we’re honored that Little Otter won the best online therapy for kids and families. Of customers surveyed, 75% rated our quality of service as “great,” while 79% considered therapist qualifications “excellent,” “very good,” or “good.” More than 80% reported that Little Otter performed better than other mental health services they have used in the past.

The reality is that it’s difficult for children to access the mental health care they need. “Little Otter takes the lead in breaking those barriers with its vigorous efforts to increase accessibility to mental health care for children ages 0 to 14,” their review said.

They also highlighted the benefits of our family-first approach. They wrote, “​​If you're looking for a therapy option that will factor in your family's dynamic and take a holistic approach to treatment, Little Otter is our pick.”

The mom who tried Little Otter shared that “collaboration became the leading theme of our session as the care lead walked me through Little Otter’s mental healthcare process step by step…I was relieved by the heart-centered and validating feedback I received while sharing my mental healthcare concerns.”

She also shared her daughter’s experience:

“During my daughter’s 45-minute session with our therapist, the therapist built trust, bridged a connection, and calmed her anxiety within the first 10 minutes of the session.

The questions were thoughtfully tailored to my 10-year-old’s understanding, so much so that I was able to step away from the session once I realized my presence for emotional support was no longer needed. 

From a distance, I could hear my daughter openly discuss her feelings without a hint of disinterest. The therapist managed to maintain her attention with questions about her relationships and challenges with supportive feedback. Her affirming words complemented the session, providing a confidence boost and the ‘otter bond’ my child needed for support.”

This parent raised meaningful concerns about access, therapist matching and pricing, which we understand and are working to address.

Little Otter Wins Award for Best Online Couples Counseling for Parents

Verywell Mind also released their awards for best online couples therapy, and we’re thrilled to share that Little Otter won the “Couples Counseling for Parents” category! 

For these awards, Verywell Mind surveyed 105 users from each of 55 online therapy companies, reviewed questionnaires by the companies, tested the services, analyzed data, and worked with licensed therapists to evaluate results.

For parents, Little Otter is the best choice for online couples counseling because “the whole family’s well-being can significantly impact the strength of a couple’s relationship.”

Thank you to both Parents.com and Verywell Mind for the honor!

We’re different, and that makes a difference. 

Our award-winning approach offers support today for big and little worries with mental health and wellness care that meets your family where you are.

When you’re ready to start your journey with Little Otter, you can do so here.