Canadian HR Reporter

CANADIAN HR REPORTER October 19, 2015 NEWS 9 Online tools promise mental health solutions But are they as effective as face-to-face therapies? BY SARAH DOBSON FOR all the talk about mental health in the workplace, chal- lenges still remain. And one of the hurdles for troubled employees is finding help — knowing the who, what, where and how. Technology is one answer, ac- cording to panellists at a recent roundtable in Toronto, "Feeling Better at Work," who each show- cased online solutions around mental health. "It takes so much effort for people to come out of their shells, as it were, and they find they're not getting their needs met or the wait list is too long for traditional services, that they relapse or are in depression or substance use again," said Paul Radkowski, CEO and clinical director at the Life Re- covery Program. "More and more people are go- ing on the Internet and identifying what problems they might have initially, and identifying solutions. So 24-7 problems, I think, require 24-7 supports and solutions… e idea was 'Let's bring as much (of ) those resources to the person in the comfort of their office, liv- ing room, what have you.'" The Life Recovery Program is an online self-directed, peer- reviewed, evidence-based plat- form for individuals, families and corporations struggling with addiction, mental health, rela- tionship and other stress-related issues. People sign up as members for three to six months, and are introduced to an e-learning-type platform. "It's meant to mimic a thera- peutic session so it's prerecorded sessions of myself, basically," said Radkowski. "Each module is about an hour with short digest- ible clips, looking at good instruc- tional design from an education standpoint." It's also about encouraging and normalizing what's going on for these people, which is often "ter- minal uniqueness," he said, where people feel like they're the only one suffering from an issue. "That just adds more stress, more self-stigma, which usu- ally fuels more alienation and isolation." e program also sends mem- bers supportive emails on a regu- lar basis that reinforce the content of the modules, along with pro- viding grounding techniques and a peer support forum. "It basically helps them self- regulate, it gets them from a state of high stress and 'I've got no re- sources and no one knows what's going on with me' to more of a place of 'Oh, that's what's going on, OK, I get it, OK, that's not so bad,'" said Radkowski. Connecting to counsellors Also showcased was Counsellor Exchange, an e-counselling ser- vice looking to provide a conve- nient option for people suffering from mental health issues. It's about a "passion for safety and privacy online," said co- founder Trish Stenson in Toronto, adding this "cyber office" offers a secure, technologically current platform to facilitate safe, online conversations. "We have a whole generation of people coming up into adulthood that are going to be requiring therapy and mental health online services because they won't access services any other way — there's a preference to be online," she said. To partake, employees can go onto the site and search for a counsellor that best fits their needs from a list of professionals. ey then register to start an ini- tial dialogue with a counsellor to see if there's a good match and, if so, the registrant pays for the first session. People can purchase as many "exchanges" as they wish to resolve their concern. It's basically back-and-forth e-communication, which can be an extremely effective tool, said Stenson, as people write down their issues and start to problem- solve themselves. ey also have the ability to reread the messages before they send them. "It gives them a lot more control and then with responses coming back, it gives them time to read over it and reflect," she said. e site is privacy-compliant and has an encrypted server for files, said Stenson, and compa- nies such as EAP providers or in- surance companies can put their own brand front and centre if they wish. Also offering a way to connect online is Psychotherapy Mat- ters, a site where people can use filters to find the best-matched psychotherapist in their com- munity. ere's also a network of psychiatrists who can be involved through video, providing advice about assessments, services or medications. e site is meant to deal with problems around a shortage of therapists, mismatches between services and needs, and long waiting lists, according to Allan Steingart, president and CEO of Psychotherapy Matters and an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto. It's about a tiered approach, he said, so people with simpler prob- lems may be OK with the service while others may need more in- tense assessment. And while there are lots of people with mental ill- ness who are able to function at work, said Steingart, it's about making sure they have access to professional help. TOOLS > pg. 14

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