For stressed out professionals, mental health is increasingly a hot conversation topic
Lesson summary
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On today’s lesson: mental health is a hot topic even at the workplace. And new articles, podcasts, apps, and other services are emerging to serve new demand for wellness. The expression we have for you is “open up.” And we have a song of the week. Let’s dive in.
With apps and podcasts, mental health is having a moment
For many years, mental health and wellness carried a stigma. Depression, seeing a therapist, or being on medication for anxiety: these were things that were only whispered about, and only among intimate friends and family.
In the years prior to the pandemic, society, at least in the West, started to open up about such things. The stigma to seeking therapy and treatment has subsided. People are also more aware of mental health issues. The internet has made discussions of mental health more accessible to people who might feel embarrassed to talk about such things with people they know.
The pandemic—and all its associated stress—supercharged the movement to be much more upfront and open about mental health and wellness. And a slew of apps, podcasts, and corporate benefits is meeting the new demand for mental wellness.
Let’s start with podcasts. Esther Perel’s wildly popular show “Where Should We Begin?” features frank discussions between a couple and the celebrity therapist. That show, which is focused on personal relationships, led to a spinoff, “How’s Work?” in which Perel discusses workplace and relationship issues.
“Dear Therapists” is another show that features real people who call in with problems, and the two therapists, Lori Gottleib and Guy Winch, provide guidance and advice that’s applicable to the callers and to the rest of the audience. All these podcasts feature honest and painful discussions about issues that years ago would never have been spoken about in a public forum like a podcast.
The New York Times, a popular news source, has long published a podcast and column called “Modern Love.” But the newspaper has supercharged its coverage of mental health since the start of the pandemic. Its health section now regularly features mental health articles. On the day I wrote this lesson, there were five health articles on the New York Times home page; four were mental health related. Here are the headlines: “An Overlooked Cure for Loneliness.” Next, “5-Minute Resets to Counter Anxiety.” Then: “How to Get Things Done When You Don’t Want to Do Anything.” And last: “Take a Controlled Breath Today.” And that’s just one day of health coverage.
The app store is another place to find some guidance on mental health issues. Apps like Headspace, Calm, and Insight Timer all offer a library of free and subscription content to help users relax, meditate, and improve their sleep. Online course providers like Udemy and LinkedIn have mental health courses. One of the most popular classes on Coursera is called “The Science of Well-Being” by a Yale University professor.
These articles, podcasts, courses, and apps are being published because people crave this content. And they not only crave media for their spare time, but they are increasingly demanding more formal benefits at their workplace. Because, let’s face it, the source of many people’s stress is the workplace.
Prior to the pandemic, a strong majority of American workers said that mental health issues were something that should not be addressed by employers. But after the pandemic, that all changed. Now, over 60 percent say their employers should take an active role in employee mental health.
Many large companies are responding. They ask about employees’ well-being during their periodic employee satisfaction surveys. Others offer benefits, such as free counseling sessions and subscriptions to meditation and wellness apps. Starbucks offers free online therapy sessions. I’ve seen job postings that specifically highlight a free “Headspace” subscription as an included benefit.
One startup called Lyra targets employers. Employers subscribe to Lyra and offer it as a benefit to their employees. Workers can log onto the site and describe any problems or concerns they have. Based on their input, Lyra matches them with either a coach or a therapist for online counseling. Over 2 million people have sought care in this way. Lyra is outcome-based, so employees have access to a limited number of hourlong sessions to achieve a specific goal. Long-term care is still best addressed with traditional coaching or therapy.
Speaking of that, though, many traditional providers of coaching and traditional therapy are starting to deliver those services online, which is increasingly where patients are demanding it.
Some apps are pushing the boundaries of traditional therapy. If you listen to enough podcasts, you’ll probably hear ads for Talkspace and BetterHelp. These apps let subscribers access a licensed, trained therapist by messaging, voice, and video rather than by traditional office visits. At about $65 per week, this is a savings over traditional therapy, but it’s not cheap either. And the long-term effectiveness of therapy by texting is yet to be seen.
These two are both gig-economy companies, so their therapists are independent contractors. In 2020, a group of Talkspace therapists released a public letter airing grievances about low pay and bad working conditions. Their complaints sounded oddly similar to those of Uber and delivery drivers. That’s probably not a good mindset for therapists to be in, if they’re trying to help others.
Another question is privacy. Although the stigma around seeking help with mental health issues is fading, most patients don’t want their specific concerns to be known. BetterHealth shares device ID data with marketing partners, though it says the contents of conversations are kept private. In Finland, an app called Vastaamo suffered a hack, exposing the unencrypted therapy notes of its users. Hackers then blackmailed patients, threatening to expose their private data about addictions and extramarital affairs.
The space is lightly regulated at the moment, but governments are likely to respond by tightening privacy restrictions. The European Commission is preparing to release a grading system that evaluates apps on data security and safety.
My experience
My company offers Lyra and I used it last year for twelve sessions. I had a certain challenge that I wanted to get some help with and the program matched me with an online coach. And my experience was fantastic. The online delivery was great. And it was effective; I achieved the outcome I was seeking. I wasn’t looking, at the time, for a long-term arrangement.
The coach I was matched with was a real pro, very professional, and the sessions were extremely helpful. In addition to our sessions, they also had a library of short courses and videos that I could do in my spare time. The coach chose a selection of Lyra-sponsored videos for me to watch between sessions. I found it very helpful.
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