A new approach to Mental Health - How AI helps therapists to overcome burnout
Introduction#
To put it mildly, the past few years have been particularly stressful for the US and the rest of the world. The need for therapy is growing as more people—especially young people—struggle with mental health problems. Therapists are overworked as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent loneliness epidemic. The mental health sector is severely understaffed, which further reduces access to care.
To fill in the gaps, direct-to-consumer (DTC) teletherapy providers like BetterHelp and Talkspace have arisen. Although this change has provided solutions for some issues, it has also presented therapists with new difficulties. Providers have had to learn how to conduct virtual sessions, access new patient portals, and adjust to new tools, as detailed in a May 2024 Data & Society paper.According to the survey, a lot of therapists feel that their labor is being exploited by the platforms, which organize it like gig employment.
Therapists require assistance as well, even though the goal of these DTC choices is to assist consumers. According to a 2023 American Psychological Association (APA) study, 46% of psychologists said they were unable to satisfy demand in 2022 (up 16% from 2020) and 45% said they felt burned out as a result of the increased workload during the epidemic.
Making notes and keeping records#
More than merely leading sessions, a therapist's daily tasks include scheduling, organizing, and keeping track of their patients' electronic health records (EHR). According to several therapists, one of the most difficult aspects of their work is maintaining EHRs.
Many AI solutions for therapists are designed to relieve overworked clinicians of administrative tasks, much as the majority of AI applications for business and productivity. A number of tools employ AI to evaluate patient data and assist therapists in identifying subtle differences in a patient's progress or mental health.
AI notetakers that comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) can be useful in this situation. One such application is called Upheal, which can be used on a mobile device or therapist's browser to listen in on in-person or virtual sessions via Zoom or other platforms. For solitary or couple sessions, providers can choose from templates, and Upheal will take session notes in the proper manner. The notes can be transferred into the therapist's current EHR platform after the provider reviews and approves them.
Administrative assistance#
The benefits of therapy extend beyond dynamic sessions. AI technologies can support patients' growth in between sessions, freeing up therapists to engage in more in-depth one-on-one work. Conversational AI chatbots, such as Wysa and Woebot, employ psychological research to offer homework assignments and on-demand mental health care to their users. Their on-demand nature means that they are meant to either precede or complement provider-based care. They may theoretically reduce the volume of therapy session requests for therapists, much like triage.
Woebot is a messaging software that is available to individuals who are already receiving assistance from a therapist. It use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to interact with and address any topic that a user want to talk about. The whole Woebot Health platform is intended for physicians; in addition to gathering patient-reported data, it assists therapists in formulating treatment strategies.
Receiving patients#
AI solutions have the potential to free up therapists' time and energy. But what response do patients give them?
Patients must give written approval under HIPAA in order for Upheal or similar products to record their sessions. The majority of Morogiello's clients, she claims, had concerns at first but become at ease when they learn that she employs Upheal.
She adds, "Otherwise, Upheal blends into her virtual sessions and looks like any other standard video conferencing interface. Sometimes we'll make jokes about it in session."
According to Morogiello, "I think most people have a lot of mixed reactions when they think about AI." Although her clients trust her to solely utilize HIPAA-compliant technologies with them, she says their main concern was data security. Counselor: I expect clients with disorders like OCD or paranoia to be a little hesitant at first, as some of her more well-known clients did. But all in all, people seem to like Upheal.
Therapist-made AI tools#
A psychologist in New York City named Clay Cockrell is developing an AI tool for couples considering therapy. The model he is developing can offer comments and guidance that are structured similarly to what he already does. "A large portion of my work in marital counseling is coaching-oriented; I give homework on how to increase intimacy and teach communication skills. It's not so much the inner work, "he says, alluding to the more in-depth contemplation that patients frequently engage in with a therapist.
Although not applicable to all forms of couples therapy, Clay's method is amenable to automation by artificial intelligence. Condensing that into a model can help him attract some of his potential customers.
With regards to his tool—which is not yet in beta—Clay states that he views it more as an on-ramp to in-person couples therapy. When couples feel more at ease with the concept, he believes it will encourage them to pursue more intensive counseling. "Perhaps this would lead you to say, 'We've gotten so far with this, now, maybe we need to move into in-person or live therapy situation."
Drawbacks and obstacles#
Even with proven advantages, no AI technology is perfect all the time. The therapists acknowledged the limitations of the instruments they utilize, but they also had few concerns about them. Perhaps the biggest shortcoming of AI currently is that it lacks context, which also makes it unlikely that it will replace most jobs in the near future.
For instance, during a session with one of Morogiello's patients, Upheal wrote down the client's son inadvertently, thinking it to be their spouse. After review, Morogiello was able to fix it and report it to Upheal, which allows users to give comments to enhance its model.
AI's propensity to act on recommendations and counsel more quickly than a therapist might be another flaw. This makes sense, of course, as popular large language models (LLMs) have traditionally been designed to serve as search engines, issue solvers, and command-taking personal assistants. Cockrell has had to concentrate his tool on teaching people how to be curious in order to fix this.
Conclusion#
In the event that therapy is being accessed in a way that is more appropriate for the digital age, then therapist-specific tools must also change. Even tiny support networks can greatly enhance mental health professionals who might otherwise run the danger of burning out.