The coronavirus has introduced a number of new stresses into our lives, driving up anxiety and creating uncertainties that no one has the answer to. Unsurprisingly, this has led to more business for therapists, especially those who were already used to working over virtual platforms. While those with regular therapists may be able to just keep their regular sessions with the help of a phone, not everyone has a counselor or doctor they can call their own.
It’s why Talkspace has really jumped into the foreground of the COVID-19 crisis. Before the virus hit our world, the company was already working on solutions for connecting millions of workers with a licensed therapist. The goal was that the behavioral counselors could talk patients through anything from a one-time crisis to an ongoing problem.
More than 40% of all Americans are afraid that the virus has had a negative effect on their mental health, according to a poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The chief medical officer of Talkspace, Dr. Neil Leibowitz, talked to The Associated Press about the ways in which teletherapy may be changed forever due to the coronavirus. See how Talkspace works and the overall effect it’s having on the people who use online therapy.
More Options to Communicate
With the state of communication as it is today, it’s no wonder people want options when it comes to talking through their troubles. It’s no longer a requirement to lie on a couch for 50 minutes in order to achieve some semblance of relief. New video technology can help therapists forge a connection without the threat of breaking privacy regulations.
Now, people can use video, phone, or even text message to consult with a trained professiocnal who will give their unbiased opinion. As they shed perspective on the matter at hand, they give their patients a way to see a problem in a whole new light.
Talkspace embraced digital health long before the pandemic, and its latest product, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), has worked to eliminate many of the challenges that have kept people from using its services. As more people become accustomed to the flexibility and convenience of virtual services, we may just see the mental health industry get a boost — both in terms of numbers and overall effectiveness.
Insights from the CMO
Talkspace has seen a new client growth spike by up to 70% in just a month, a fact that has serious implications for the industry. Leibowitz has seen new clients come to the platform for a wide variety of reasons.
Some people are afraid of catching the disease, while others are afraid of their friends or family catching it. Many people are worried about their job and how they’ll survive an economic meltdown should it come to pass.
And as you might expect, relationship conflicts are also taking center stage on Talkspace. In normal life, most people have the chance to escape the home, if only for a while, giving them a much-needed break to get some distance before returning to their loved ones. But with social isolation persisting, the people in a household have limited outside recourse if they’re feeling frustrated, annoyed, or even downright angry.
A No-Pressure Approach
Talkspace believes in giving people the freedom to use their services as they need to. Leibowitz has commented that many people will just need a little help to help them over a single hurdle. When things begin to settle down, they may have less of a need for therapy services. The average person at Talkspace will use services from between three and six months, a figure that Leibowitz doesn’t necessarily think will change in the future.
But others may prefer to Talkspace cyclically or on an ongoing basis. They’ll check in via video or with several text message one week and then again in another two weeks and then again in another three months. The last category will use the services in the long-term, allowing therapists to help them with deep-rooted issues that require more attention.
There is no right or wrong way to approach therapy because no matter the circumstances, it makes the person more aware of their own thoughts and feelings — otherwise known as the underlying motivations that drive our actions.
Insurance and Teletherapy
Because of its convenience and practicality, both public and private insurance carriers have been pushing for telemedicine across the country. Those in rural areas can consult with a doctor without necessarily having to drive three hours to their nearest hospital. People in cities can avoid expensive ER visits by checking with a licensed medical professional first.
Leibowitz is saddened that it took a pandemic to push the telehealth space forward, but there’s no denying its impact on how people are reaching out for services. When no one wants to risk infecting themselves and their families, telemedicine becomes the safe solution to addressing health problems without having to travel.
This can lead people to start thinking about how they can better access mental health services too. Is it necessary to have an hour-long session when a 5-minute text on a coffee break will suffice? Why tack on the length of a commute when you can streamline your schedule and still get the same benefits?
About Talkspace
Talkspace works with thousands of licensed therapists to meet demand, all of whom have at least a master’s degree and extensive training to best utilize the platform to help their patients. Their ultimate goal is to help their patients challenge and work through the thoughts that plague them and cope with their feelings in a more constructive way.
Part of the difficulty of reaching patients lies in the misconceptions of therapy and mental health in general. Whether it’s the hassle of scheduling an appointment or the stubborn belief that talking can’t solve a problem, the platforms serve as a kind of springboard for anyone who could use a little compassion right about now.
For more information check out Talkspace on YouTube.
