E-mental health is becoming increasingly popular and is a viable way for mental health professionals to stay in touch with their clients, even without a face-to-face meeting. If you’re employed in the field, it pays to understand e-mental health a bit more so you can maximize its benefits.
E-Mental health uses the Internet and related technologies, like phone apps, to let patients receive care when and where they need it most, regardless of how close they live to their care provider since youth and families find it difficult to get mental health services.
How it Works
Also called therapy on the go, e-mental health works by connecting providers with clients via an app that can be downloaded to a smartphone or tablet. A client can reach out with a text or direct message and their provider can respond, eliminating the need to set up a face-to-face meeting. This is a handy way to ask a question or get a bit of information when it’s needed without having to make an appointment.
Benefits
E-mental health is convenient and keeps a patient from having to make an appointment every time they need to talk to their provider. At the same time, a client can also choose a provider that meets his or her specific needs, whether that’s anxiety or depression. This allows for proper care and the right resources for each patient, even when they aren’t in the office for a meeting. In addition, many research studies show that e-mental health is just as effective as face-to-face therapy, although it should never replace regular in-office care. Patients on a strict budget, using an app can save money compared to being seen in the office, reaches across time zones, improves accessibility in remote areas, makes it easier to get service in your language, tailors services to patient’s habits and genetics.
One estimate states that eight out of10 e-mental health users see an improvement in their condition, even without being seen in the office. Sometimes, the convenience of using a therapy app provides what a client needs and can improve symptoms on the spot. People with a wide range of mental health conditions have found that e-mental health helps them manage their condition on a daily basis.
Diane Hamilton
Mental Health Recruitment
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800 Toronto, Ontario M4P 1E2
416-481-1052 office
905-391-8418 cell
diane@mentalhealthrecruitment.com