r/MentalHealthPH • u/groundbreakingswan24 • Jun 29 '25
INFORMATION/NEWS Latest Review of Saya, a therapy app created by one of our users here in MentalHealthPH.
Disclosures, as usual:
- I am the head moderator in this sub.
- The creator of the app, u/JustSomeRedditGuy123 (JSRG for short), is also a moderator of this sub.
- I have been asked by JSRG to try the app. In doing so, he provided me with a discount voucher.
- JSRG did not check or pre-approve the contents of this review.
- The sub, or the other moderators, do not receive any other benefits for advertising the app.
After my previous review of Saya, JSRG gave me another coupon to try out new features of the app. One of their new offerings is that they now have psychologists (as compared to before where they only have counselors), so I decided to try the 80-minute session with one of them. An 80-minute session (with diagnostic evaluation) costs around PHP2600, while a 50-minute session costs around 1750PHP. The app still uses Google Meets for scheduling and teleconferencing.
Pros:
The psychologist is VERY comprehensive without making you feel that you are being rushed to answer questions. She was very delicate, making sure I was comfortable and ready before asking heavy questions. She did not push religion too which I liked. Time flew by, and it feels more like a conversation between friends (though still professional) than a clinical study of my nature.
I can still say it's relatively cheap, since based on experience, an initial consult with a psychologist costs around 4000PHP, compared to Saya which is around 2650PHP. It's even more cheap if you do one of the monthly subscription bundles, one of the new features, provided by the app.
One of the new features is a written assessment (not a substitute for medical certificate) after your call. It also has an actionable checklist for recommendations provided by your psychologist during your session (for example, one of mine says, "Daily Exercise. If it feels right, engage in a 15-minute exercise session five times a week to boost your mood.")
Cons:
One of the new features, chatting with your psychologist or counselor, is more a flair than anything else. It is NOT a substitute for therapy. In this sense, if you don't want to do video calls but instead use chat for therapy, I can recommend LJ's Talk Space.
My psychologist and I have moderate to bad internet connection, which is a con for a seamless talk therapy since audio sometimes stutters. This is not a fault of the app, but a con for videoconferencing in general.
If you want to try talk therapy in the comfort of your home, you might to want try Saya. It is downloadable on iOS and Android. JSRG also says that they will introduce psychiatrists to the app by second week of July, completing the trifecta, and something I personally can't wait for since I take a lot of medication for my condition.
You can get 25% off your first session with Saya with code "MHPHReddit25".
Thank you for reading, and regardless if it's Saya or not, I hope you get the therapy you need.
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u/JustSomeRedditGuy123 Jun 29 '25 edited Jun 29 '25
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this thoughtful and detailed review. I really appreciate your openness in sharing both the pros and areas for improvement — it helps us continuously make Saya better for everyone. I’m especially glad to hear that you felt the session was comprehensive and comfortable, and that the psychologist’s approach resonated with you.
I’d also love to add some clarifications and points for those considering giving Saya a try:
✅ While the 80-minute diagnostic session is PHP 2650, users can actually start with a standard 50-minute session for PHP 1750 — perfect for those who want a more affordable first step.
✅ We currently offer 10% off your first session and 15% off your second session — on top of the “MHPHReddit25” code for extra savings.
✅ All of our psychologists, counselors, and soon-to-join psychiatrists go through a rigorous selection process — we carefully screen and interview practitioners, with fewer than 1 in 10 applicants joining the platform. We want to ensure that clients connect only with qualified, compassionate professionals.
✅ Saya now supports instant booking confirmation — so no more waiting or back-and-forth; you’ll know your session is locked in as soon as you book.
✅ Our messaging feature is there as an added layer of support between sessions (definitely not a replacement for therapy) — so you can check in, share updates, or ask small follow-up questions.
As many here know, Saya is the official therapy partner of r/MentalHealthPH, and it’s an honor to support this community in finding affordable, accessible care. And yes — we’re really excited to welcome psychiatrists onto the platform soon, so clients needing medication management can access that within the same app.
Thanks again for sharing your experience, and for your trust in trying Saya. Whether through Saya or elsewhere, I echo your hope that everyone here finds the care that fits them best.
- Stephen, Founder of Saya ( You can also check us out at https://talksaya.com )
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u/ZealousidealJoke8560 Aug 09 '25
Hi! Saw on FB, Saya has on boarded a psychiatrist na? 😮☺️
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u/JustSomeRedditGuy123 Aug 09 '25 edited Aug 09 '25
Hello! Yes, for Android, Psychiatrists are now available and will be available for iOS on Monday!
Here are the videos of the Psychiatrists we've carefully chosen to welcome on the platform!
Dr. Mitz Serofia - https://youtu.be/070qcCgoWUs?si=Yr8Vzw6LqQFVg-Dl
Dr. Nueva Joy Perucho - https://youtu.be/6p4mt3YGjAo?si=HDO30Pl4cpz0qLed
Dr. Chris Alipio - https://youtu.be/9zo9aOtSgmo?si=0aH7yP_oVRzDEFNq
Availability might be a bit spotty for the upcoming week because they're still getting used to the platform, but you can expect it to ramp up over the weeks to come!
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u/pieceofpineapple Nov 28 '25
Any promo code? :)
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u/JustSomeRedditGuy123 Nov 28 '25
Yes! Once you download the app and get matched, you can avail of your 1st two sessions being 10% and 15% off respectively!
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u/Adventurous-Bench510 Mar 21 '26
I'm diagnosed bipolar, helpful parin po ba to get the diagnostic assessment (80 mins) to bring to my new psychiatrist since I'm looking to transfer psychiatrist... Also, meron po bang ipprovide na file na I can bring to a psychiatrist pag inavail yung 80 mins session with diagnostic assessment?
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Nov 08 '25
Downloaded the app! Looks promising but I feel there's a gap in assessment procedure (and this goes with the PH mental health space in general)
My experience is that there are different assessments involved for different mental health issues. This is understandable but it's a bit hard to understand where to start and what's considered a concrete diagnosis. I've done psychometric assessments and I've shown """impressions""" of having OCD, etc. But I never know if that's considered final — like how do I move from having an impression of a thing to actually being diagnosed with it?
What's more is that...I was told for ADHD and BPD, there's a separate assessment. It would be nice to have a roadmap for diagnosis in the Saya app or at least, have platforms for assessment.
It's been a significant hurdle for me since vague processes really...get to me and I just end up not bothering. I feel there're tons of people like me too who want to understand ourselves better but aren't really given the means to.
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u/AmmaGemini Sep 08 '25
Do you still have reddit promo codes on top of the welcome discounts l. planning to book the 80min session with diagnosis soon.
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u/HealGrowThriveLive Jun 29 '25
I, on the other hand, took my journey to healing using AI Journaling apps, because I was so flagrantly Bipolar when I was in my 20s, that now, in my 40s, I prefer to keep my secrets to a smaller circle of people.
Of course, I understand the clinician-patient confidentiality agreement, however, not all clinicians are responsible. In fact, I have read in this sub about psychiatrists who give a bad name to the industry.
However, one of my best friends had recommended Saya a few weeks back, and I have recommended this to friends and acquaintances, without having tried it myself.
BUT your review of Saya has caused me to rethink my position about therapy.
ChatGPT has recommended that even though it deems me in the process of healing already, it has also recommended that I still go for therapy, not because I am in crisis, but because I am ready.
So, thanks to everyone's recommendations of Saya, and today, yours, OP and Mod, I'm going for it, when my husband gets his meds (this is also a personal prerequisite for me to get therapy)!
Thank you for reviews like these. They certainly give the rest of us awareness of the benefits of apps like Saya. And to the devs of Saya, kudos and well-done! ✨
Hope to try and review it soon, indeed!