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If you’re a human resources professional, you’re likely already well-versed in the importance of preventative medical care. However, you may not know that a focus on prevention is also a crucial part of mental health benefits strategies. Preventative mental health care aims to support employee health, lower treatment costs, and provide resources for employees dealing with issues on the milder end of the mental health spectrum–such as stress, burnout, and relationship challenges–before they develop into more severe symptoms. This type of early intervention can increase employees’ self-awareness of their mental health, and help them stay attuned to their challenges before they become more severe.
Lyra is excited to introduce Guided Self-Care, a novel mental health care program based on proven research that makes care more accessible, convenient, and affordable.
The Guided Self-Care program is designed using a combination of research on single-session therapy and internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). These treatment approaches have been shown to be effective in treating a variety of common mental health conditions–combining them brings together the best of both modalities in a format that is accessible and affordable.
Here’s what you should know about Guided Self-Care with Lyra.
What is Guided Self-Care?
Lyra’s Guided Self-Care program allows members with less acute mental health needs to get mental health care at a self-determined pace. Through the program, members can get started quickly with a coaching consultation session, which is then followed by a multi-week care plan crafted by their selected mental health coach.
Each week, members work on evidence-based mental health strategies that are suggested by their coach, based on their needs. The same coach stays with the member throughout weeks to help them stay engaged, provide feedback on their progress and exercises, and answer their questions through a secure messaging platform.
Here are some quick highlights of the program:
- Members can book an appointment immediately and start right away with a same-day consultation session.
- The coach keeps members motivated and engaged and recommends a tailored curriculum based on the client’s individual consultation.
- The program offers evidence-based preventative care.
- The program is approachable: Because it is self-paced, Guided Self-Care meets clients where they are. If someone is not ready to commit to weekly therapy, or feel they need someone to talk through a situational issue with, guided self-care is a great alternative to regular sessions with a mental health professional.
- Participating members’ symptoms are measured throughout the program, making it easy to track progress and determine next steps.
- All coaches attended International Coaching Federation (ICF) accredited programs and complete four months of specialized onboarding with Lyra coaches and clinicians.
How can Guided Self-Care improve workforce mental health?
The Guided Self-Care program is for members experiencing symptoms on the mild end of the mental health spectrum, like low-grade anxiety, stress, or burnout. All of these issues can affect employee productivity, retention, and overall workforce culture. Guided Self-Care can help prevent these issues in the following ways.
- For members with mild mental health symptoms, Guided Self-Care is a more immediate solution than therapy or weekly coaching sessions. This is especially important for members who prefer a more casual approach to coaching, or members who will otherwise not seek care. For example, someone who finds themselves falling into a thinking trap and notices that this pattern is impacting their lives can talk through tools and strategies to help them better cope with this experience, and possibly even break the habit.
- It’s a valuable resource for those who don’t have time for weekly sessions, or want an alternative to traditional therapy. This includes busy parents, professionals, and even people who feel that their problems may not be severe enough to warrant weekly sessions with a therapist. For members who need support but might not otherwise engage in mental health care, Guided Self-Care can make all the difference.
How is Guided Self-Care different from a mental health app?
Guided Self-Care may initially sound similar to existing mental health applications, such as platforms that allow members to message their therapists at any time, or apps featuring guided meditation and breathing exercises. But many mental health apps may not work, and have high drop-out rates.
Here’s how our program is a little different:
- The program measures symptoms using clinically validated scales. Guided Self-Care with Lyra uses a variety of clinically validated assessment measures specific to the member’s needs to track clients’ improvement and ensure they are getting the most appropriate form of support. These measures provide valuable feedback that allow mental health coaches to further tailor their care program to members’ needs. This sets it apart from mental health apps, which lack trial-based validation of their efficacy.
- It’s part of a comprehensive mental health care offering. This means members can easily transition to higher levels of care if needed. For example, if a participant finds that they really value the coaching process and wants to invest more time in it, they can be transferred into a coaching program to get care that’s better suited to their needs.Furthermore, the Guided Self-Care program includes clinical oversight, a feature that most mental health apps lack. Through the program, coaches thoroughly monitor and review their clients’ symptoms.
Guided Self-Care can be a valuable part of a preventative mental health care strategy. In addition to being approachable and easily accessible for members with mild mental health issues, having access to a mental health coach through this program can contribute to a happier, healthier workforce. When selecting a mental health benefit, it’s important to ensure that all members who need mental health support, regardless of how severe those needs are, can get the help they need to thrive.
For more information about preventative care strategies for your employees mental health, check out this post.
CONTACT US
If you’d like help connecting with a therapist or mental health coach, Lyra can assist you. You can get started today if Lyra is offered by your employer. Sign up now.
If you’re a mental health professional and want to explore joining the Lyra network, learn more about how we work with providers and apply today.
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DISCLAIMER
The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
