– In its pursuit to provide the best physical and medical care for its 17 athletics programs, Houston Athletics has partnered with online therapy service Talkspace, giving its student-athletes on-demand access to over 5,000 credentialed therapists.Talkspace is a confidential application that uses private messaging or live video for users to interact with carefully vetted therapists that have on average of seven to ten years of experience, post-supervision and providing therapy."We are constantly striving for innovative ways to enhance our student-athlete experience" Vice President for Athleticssaid. "The physical and mental health of our student-athletes is our top priority. Talkspace is a valuable resource that our student-athletes can use around their schedule when they experience symptoms that affect their mental well-being.""Our goal is to meet the needs of our student-athletes, focusing on overall well-being," Senior Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Developmentsaid. "To accomplish that we need to reach our student-athletes where they are and Talkspace provides the access and platform to meet those needs. We are excited about the partnership and providing our student-athletes with this valuable resource."Talkspace gives student-athletes the opportunity to openly communicate with therapists around their schedule and needs. The program suggests three potential therapists based on a user's preference and allows for unlimited text, video and audio messaging with a designated therapist.Founded with the mission to eliminate stigma associated with mental health and make therapy available to all, Talkspace has been used by over one million people.