Today we want to share 4 trends in counseling and therapy. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a paradigm shift in our society’s attitude toward mental health and its related sciences. It is heartening to see the growing significance of psychology in the understanding of issues that have been plaguing the world–poverty, inequality, climate change, and the hybrid work model, to name a few.
The field of psychology has reached its inflection point post-pandemic. With time, psychologists have been getting a say in world forums with bureaucrats and other leaders. They are now the faces of many organizations that foster and promote equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). But anyhow, the need for mental health services shall remain a perennial trend. This article will shed light on the emerging trends that are poised to revamp the mental health industry.
The Emerging Trends in Psychology And Therapy
Any year, in general, gets defined by the shifts that are seen in the social consciousness, business ecosystems, and other prevalent socioeconomic conditions. These changes affect the applicability and relevance of psychology and therapy. Moreover, the digital ecosystem has also been a revelation for the mental health industry. A simple Google search by you for “therapist near me” will give a list of mental health practitioners in your area.
Enterprises like Zencare have been aiming to optimize search processes for therapists. They provide vetted therapists across a gamut of fields, including anxiety, depression, work-related pressure, relationship issues, and trauma, to name a few.
Here is a list of trends that have garnered a lot of interest from different sectors:
The Rising Need For Mental Health Services
Today, an expert in the human psyche has many takers. Training in psychology imbibes several desired capabilities in the aspirant, such as analyzing huge chunks of information and nurturing influential cross-disciplinary teams. Psychologists are securing more prominent positions in the media, schools, start-ups, big firms, and other organizations.
The sports industry, too, is warming up to the idea of mental healthcare for athletes across various levels. Mentors and coaches have long assisted athletes in perfecting their attitudes to achieve peak physical performance. But now, there is a conscious emphasis on ensuring players are also in their best mental state. Even at collegiate levels, budding athletes are now being encouraged to seek therapy when need be.
Photo by on Pexels
Tech companies have hired mental health practitioners for years. People with psychology degrees are creating a mark for themselves in tech start-ups. By the end of 2019, venture capitalists had pumped in a record-breaking sum of $1.5 billion in start-ups focused on mental health. According to many experts, people with psychology backgrounds are better equipped to conceive purpose-driven products that resonate with the target audience.
Advancements In The Use Of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence is a hot topic in town. It mimics advanced human antics or a set of specific intelligence processes. But, the most significant fact is that AI can acquire new information without being instructed to do so. With AI spanning its wings across, there is a dire need for psychologists, therapists, and counselors to comprehend AI’s capabilities and its potential to revolutionize mental healthcare.
What can AI do for mental health professionals? The following examples highlight the dominance of AI in technologies beyond human assessment capabilities:
- Using infrared scanning to detect temperature variations
- Verifying a patient’s identification via facial recognition
- Analyzing facial emotion and eye movement using optical sensors
- Detecting small changes in speech patterns via vocal monitoring
AI is capable of offering assessments and therapy on its own and can also simulate a practitioner. Evaluation schemes, such as elevated heart rate or fluctuations in temperature in response to difficult questions, can offer the therapist useful and informative supplementary data.
Celebrities Being Vocal About Their Mental Health
From Naomi Osaka withdrawing from the French Open due to mental health issues to Prince Harry talking openly about his long struggle with trauma and sadness, empathizing with mental health issues has become more accepted now than ever. Celebrities have been turning to public platforms to use their fame to destigmatize the taboo associated with mental healthcare.
Many celebrities have gone one step ahead and founded organizations that advocate mental health in its glory. Lady Gaga and her mother founded Born This Way, which works with the younger generations of society to eliminate mental health stigmas. When a celebrity speaks about their mental health challenges to the public, it can enhance awareness and support for the condition among the masses. Moreover, a public figure speaking about a certain mental health condition casts the same effect on their followers as their endorsements do.
Telepsychology To The Rescue
Delivering therapy consistently to the ever-increasing number of mental health patients during COVID-19 was only possible because of remote telepsychology. But even after the pandemic, telehealth is going nowhere. Therapists have reported better efficiency with the use of different telehealth tools like audio calls, video chats, messages, and emails for correspondence.
Virtual reality holds a lot of promise to be used as a telehealth medium in the near future. Immersive virtual reality systems are currently the subject of many billion-dollar investments. Networked immersive Virtual Reality can provide a shared, computer-generated virtual environment that can be available for the therapists to “meet” their patients living in a different country and initiate treatment.
Conclusion
A healthy mental state is non-negotiable across various stages of your life, starting from childhood to the old stage. The ecosystem we live in is defined by technological advancements and disruptive changes. This fast-paced world has no room for error, and there will always be a hundred aspirants who will readily replace you in a jiffy.
Surviving has become a competition, a race. The winning prize here is the next obstacle. Your mental health is of paramount importance for your sustainability in the long run. Do not ever shy away from voicing your concerns, and do take appropriate care of your overall health.
Read more lifestyle and mental health articles at ClichéMag.com
Images provided by Adobe Stock, Flickr, Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay & Creative Commons
