Bark's new partnership aims to protect kids from the dark side of the internet

What you need to know

• Starting May 1, Bark and Talkspace are bringing wellness tools straight to teens’ screens.
• Bark Phone and app users get instant access to videos, exercises, and self-help stuff made by real therapists.
• Talkspace Go is like a therapist in your pocket with quick videos and guided tools, and it's free with Bark.

In a world where teens are glued to their screens, two companies are teaming up to make mental health support as easy as opening an app.

Starting May 1, Bark Technologies and Talkspace, a therapy-on-your-phone provider, are joining forces to bring mental health resources directly to teens’ devices.

As part of the partnership, every Bark Phone—and even Bark app users—will gain free access to Talkspace’s teen-focused wellness content. That means self-guided exercises, bite-sized videos, and practical tools built by licensed therapists will now be a tap away for kids 13 and up.

Bark's already spotting the red flags

Why is this a big deal? Well, the stats are kinda scary. Apparently, a huge chunk (40%) of high schoolers have been feeling super down or hopeless, as per the CDC's statistics. And a ton of kids who need mental health help aren't getting it.

Bark’s own data backs this up, showing that a lot of teens are dealing with bullying and depression.

Bark’s tech is already scanning billions of online activities for red flags like bullying, depression, and threats. The company found that 77% of teens ran into bullying and 43% showed signs of depression. So adding mental health resources directly into Bark Phones is like finally putting a fire extinguisher next to the smoke detector.

Teens can use Talkspace Go, which is like a library of self-help resources with videos and exercises created by actual therapists. It's free when you use it on a Bark Phone, which is among the best phones for kids.

Need real therapy? That’s covered too

Talkspace therapy is also an option, and if you have insurance, it might even be covered. Talkspace will match teens (13+) with a therapist they can connect with through messaging, video, or both. Teens can register with an email to access Talkspace Go.

Schools and districts are also getting in on the action. Thousands already rely on Bark to keep tabs on student activity across platforms like Google Workspace and Chrome. Now they can layer on Talkspace services to support mental wellness, not just monitor risk.