Beyond Reimagination: Improving your client outcomes by understanding what big tech is doing right (and wrong) with mental health apps Curt and Katie chat about the big tech “disruptors” in the mental health space and what therapists can learn from their tactics to support clients. We look at who is using mental health apps, what mental health apps are getting right (and wrong), and how therapists can take what is working and work differently to more effectively serve our own clients. This is a continuing education podcourse. Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com! In this podcast episode we look at what therapists can learn from big tech disruptors in mental health We have seen more and more tech companies and apps come into the mental health space and have heard more and more folks worried about how their private practices will be able to survive. We are revisiting a topic we covered in a presentation at our Therapy Reimagined 2021 conference to help modern therapists navigate this new mental health landscape. Looking at the gaps in mental health treatment and how big tech is working to “fix” them Exploring the goals from the Rand report on fixing mental healthcare in the United States Mental Health apps (with many broad definitions) Access to lots of different types of services and self-help A one stop shop with a full range of services Direct negotiation with insurance companies The types of technology used in mental health apps and the risks and benefits of these advances Algorithms Geo location data Complex payment structures Outcomes and feedback What mental health apps are doing well for clients Getting clients into therapy much more quickly Decreasing costs for consumers Increasing flexibility and availability Not requiring for things to happen in real time (asynchronous therapy) What mental health apps are getting wrong McDonaldization and commoditization Proprietary treatment methods and incentives for specific worksheets or staying within the app Misalignment between the goals of the client and the goals of the corporation Self-driven, leading to folks to potentially getting insufficient resources Individual versus community focus Caseloads and potential for therapist income (as well as burnout and poor care) Concerns about the additional risks that can happen with mental health apps “[In] this profit versus service model… there's this idea that you are not a client, not a patient, you are a consumer and someone to market to. And so you'll be marketed to as a client throughout the app. And as a clinician, you become a marketer for those things behind the paywall. And that is terrifying. Because it's not based on treatment.” – Katie Vernoy The apps are not bound by HIPAA, but instead the SEC Data sharing and Alexa suggesting supplements to address client mental health concerns Additional legal and ethical risks Who is using app-based mental health services? Therapy veterans are moving to apps Access is not actually improved The reasons that clients are moving from a traditional therapist to therapy apps Outcomes across different types of apps and different types of clients Niche apps are more effective than generalist apps What we can do to move our therapist practices forward? “Now I've seen a number of people describe… if these therapy apps are going to be the McDonald's of therapy, well, we're the prime rib! You actually have to consider are you providing actual prime rib? Or are you more like a Carl's Jr?” – Curt Widhalm Using the benefits of technology to decrease friction for your clients accessing therapists Increasing flexibility and creativity Be a better therapist and understanding the digital therapeutic alliance Paying attention to laws and ethics, scope of practice, and treatment planning Our Generous Sponsors for this episode of the Modern Therapist’s Survival Guide: Turning Point Financial Life Planning Turning Point Financial Life Planning helps therapists