July 6, 2020, BURLINGAME, Calif — In recent years, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has gained increasing recognition as the gold standard psychotherapy treatment for common mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. A newer approach known as Blended Care Therapy (BC-CBT), which pairs therapist-led sessions with online CBT content, has also been proven effective at treating these disorders. Less understood is the effectiveness of BC-CBT using video-based therapy sessions, especially outside of clinical trials.
To evaluate the efficacy of BC-CBT using teletherapy in the real world, a team of researchers led by Lyra Health clinicians conducted a study of nearly 400 participants receiving this care. Today, that research was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR).
“Our findings suggest that the BC-CBT program and its intense psychotherapy experience, resulting from combining video therapy sessions with personalized digital tools, were successful in delivering a clinically efficient treatment for depression and anxiety symptoms, as demonstrated by participants making great progress in a short duration of time,” said Anita Lungu, PhD, Lyra’s Director of Clinical Product and a lead author of the study.
The study’s publication comes as more than a third of Americans report symptoms of clinical anxiety or depression amid the coronavirus pandemic. As pandemic-related health and financial worries weigh on mental health and as millions remain at home to protect against the virus’s spread, quality online treatments like Lyra’s BC-CBT represent a chance to offer access to care to more people.
Key Findings
The study showed that BC-CBT–one of Lyra’s treatment offerings in addition to in-person therapy, mental health coaching, and medication management–is not only highly effective, but also gets people better more quickly than CBT alone.
The research findings reveal that:
For more data points and a deeper dive into the study findings, get the executive summary.
About Lyra Health
Lyra Health, a leading provider of innovative mental health benefits for more than 2 million U.S. employees and dependents, is transforming mental health care by creating a frictionless experience for members, providers, and employers. Using matching technology and an innovative digital platform, Lyra quickly connects companies and their employees — plus spouses and children — to world-class therapists, mental health coaches, and personalized medication prescribing. Leading employers partner with Lyra to deliver tailored, value-driven mental health benefits to their people. With Lyra, benefits leaders can offer employees fast, reliable access to providers who practice evidence-based mental health care treatments. For more information, visit lyrahealth.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.