“So, I think that was something that added, added some weight to what I was talking about. And also in the session you’re trying to cover so many things, quite often in that 50 minute session, that to give that sort of idea to go away and look at that, to consolidate some of that, or to get a bit more information, or look at it in a different way, because you don’t quite know what people do take away from the conversation that you’re having.” In our first episode of the new season, respected child and adolescent psychologist Dr Lyn O’Grady talks about her experiences using digital mental healt ..read more

In the season final of Digital Mental Health Musings, we take a look at the key moments from our conversations with the experts shaping the mental health landscape in 2023. From AI and chatbots to Australia’s ground-breaking digital mental health safety and quality standards, plus culturally responsive mental healthcare, data protection and privacy, a moderated online social community changing youth mental healthcare, the clinician attitudes and behaviours that support better client experiences with digital mental health, and more, we’ve covered a lot of ground.  Featuring key moments, a ..read more

“I think that the website works really hard to transmit that information in a way, that encourages people with milder symptoms to give some of these digital resources a go. We know they work but not everybody's using them. They're not being used to the fullest capacity that they could be. So, I think the other side of the coin is encouraging people who have got distress but aren't in this severe group to give digital mental healthcare a go and see if it helps - because often it will.” When Australia's national mental health navigation service, Head to Health, set themselves the challenge of m ..read more

The rapid rise of AI has prompted some crucial questions about its use in the mental health setting: what are the privacy implications of sharing sensitive information to chatbots? How is that data being tracked across these platforms, how is it being stored and protected – and are chatbots bound by the same professional standards as a human therapist?   In this episode of Digital Mental Health Musings, we chat to renowned socio-legal researcher Dr Piers Gooding about the legal and ethical challenges surrounding the use of chatbots and AI in mental health – what we should be cautious abou ..read more

“What I wanted to understand is what is the on-the-ground evidence, what is the everyday experience of clinicians who are using digital tools in their practice? And on the other side, what’s getting in the way of clinicians being able to effectively use these sorts of tools in their practice?” In this episode of Digital Mental Health Musings we talk to Dr Farrer about what she has learned about how clinicians responded to the implementation of telehealth through the qualitative survey responses of more than 500 mental health practitioners. We talk about what those findings can reveal about th ..read more

“It’s a big problem, even in face-to-face care, that people drop out after a few sessions and don’t engage in treatment for long enough to get the benefits of therapy, says head of research at Orygen Digital, Associate Professor Shane Cross. In this episode of Digital Mental Health Musings, we talk to Professor Cross and Savanah Whieldon, Orygen Digital’s Queensland Peer Work Coordinator, about the inspiring work that led to MOST (Moderated Online Social Therapy). It’s a platform that has been co-designed with young people and brings together a multi-disciplinary team of youth mental health e ..read more

How can mental healthcare professionals adjust their practices to better serve Indigenous clients in culturally safe, responsive and respectful ways?   In this episode of Digital Mental Health Musings, Dr Tania McMahon talks to social worker Bec Pevitt and Project Officer Angela Sheridan from WellMob – an online platform that shares Indigenous knowledge and wisdom to health professionals to strengthen the social, emotional, spiritual and cultural wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by bringing together a rich collection of culturally responsive digital mental healt ..read more

The challenges associated with managing complex mental health conditions, client and peer relationships, as well as keeping on top of new developments and research in the field can be overwhelming – and, at times, lonely.  In this episode, we speak to GP and medical educator at Black Dog Institute, Dr Phoebe Holdenson-Kimura, about a new resource for health professionals that highlights the value of building an interdisciplinary community of peers and colleagues for tackling problems and gaining insights from across different disciplines within the mental health space. We chat about how ..read more

The rapid rise of digital mental health programs and services has brought with it much promise to the concept of mental health treatment – particularly the promise of leveling mental healthcare disparity with the potential for faster care and more equitable access. As a health professional who recommends and integrates these services into care, how can you be sure that access to high-quality and safe healthcare is prioritised? That digital services and apps keep pace with new evidence and advances in mental health care as well as health practitioners can, and that patient data is handled safe ..read more

Caring for loved ones with mental illness puts caregivers at risk themselves – now two new digital mental health programs have been developed to support them.   The role of caregiving can come at a high personal cost. Research shows that it can lead to depression, anxiety and a decrease in wellbeing with carers reporting significant negative outcomes including time out of the workforce and poorer physical and mental health.  In our first episode of 2023 we take a look at the ‘hidden workforce’ of the Australian mental healthcare system – the family, friends and caregivers of people l ..read more