Online Therapy Apps

Online Therapy Apps

Curt and Katie chat about online platforms that hire clinicians to provide therapy through their apps. We look at how companies like Talkspace and BetterHelp operate related to their workforce, customer data use, and effective client care. We look at the potential for increased mental health access. We also talk about the risks as well as ethical and legal concerns that clinicians may face if they choose to provide services through these apps.  

It’s time to reimagine therapy and what it means to be a therapist. To support you as a whole person and a therapist, your hosts, Curt Widhalm and Katie Vernoy talk about how to approach the role of therapist in the modern age.

In this episode we talk about:

• The different telehealth platforms that hire therapists
• The boundary and privacy issues identified at Talkspace from a NY Times article
• The use of customer data
• Clinical efficacy
• Risk and liability issues related to incorporating Artificial Intelligence into treatment
• How the platforms work on the clinician side, how clinician gets paid
• The packages that clients get on word limits, etc. where they may have to renew early to continue treatment
• The potential clinical issues with how therapists get paid in these apps
• What is incentivized for therapists on these platforms
• The boon to mental health access and treatment flexibility from these apps, including text, phone, and video (synchronous and asynchronous communication)
• The caution about these apps growing beyond their capacity to serve clients
• The types of clients who are good candidates for these platforms
• The concern about clients being anonymous to their therapists
• Managing escalating risk without sufficient information
• “Counselor” versus “Counseling” services, which provides some cover related to requirements for therapy services and for employee concerns
• The potential for practicing across state lines
• The Talkspace memo about practicing across state lines and the app paying for legal fees
• The legal and ethical risks for practicing across state lines, no matter the help from Talkspace

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