We have come to understand the importance of mental wellness in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, many of us don’t have access to traditional therapy, or we’re hesitant to visit a psychiatrist’s office. And a growing number of people are looking to online therapy as an alternative. But can you build strong relationship with a therapist virtually? What does quality mental health care look like in a digital landscape? Dr. Varun Choudhary is a Board-Certified Forensic Psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer at Talkspace, a leading virtual behavioral health company that offers convenient and affordable access to a fully credentialed network of highly qualified mental health providers. Dr. Choudhary has 17 years of experience in behavioral health, providing care to patients in the public sector, correctional arena, private practice and community-based settings. He is a specialist in the realm of teletherapy, population health and collaborative care. On this episode, Dr.  Choudhary joins host Dr. Guatam Gulati to explain the concept of asynchronous text-based therapy and explore the benefits of building a relationship with a therapist online. Dr. Choudhary discusses the root causes of the mental health crisis in our country, describing how rates of depression and anxiety skyrocketed during the pandemic and why telepsychiatry remains popular while other forms of telehealth are in decline. Listen in for Dr. Choudhary’s insight on the future of telemental health care and learn how online therapy like Talkspace is democratizing mental wellness around the world. Topics CoveredThe significant shift in the way we think about mental health over the last 10 yearsHow the mental health reimbursement system is informed by the regulatory environmentHow Talkspace pioneered the concept of asynchronous text-based therapyThe benefits of building a relationship with a therapist online (and when it’s more appropriate to meet face-to-face)The potential for Talkspace to eventually add brick-and-mortar facilities to its comprehensive care modelWhat responsibility platforms like Talkspace bear in reporting potential criminal activityHow rates of depression and anxiety skyrocketed during the COVID crisisWhy telepsychiatry use did not drop off after the pandemic like other telehealth servicesDr. Choudhary’s insight on the root causes of the mental health crisis in our countryHow Dr. Choudhary’s WHY aligns with the Talkspace mission to democratize therapyThe meditation practice Dr. Choudhary uses to preserve his own mental wellness Connect with Dr. Varun ChoudharyTalkspaceDr. Choudhary on LinkedIn Connect with Dr. Guatam GulatiHLTHDr. Gulati on TwitterDr. Gulati on LinkedIn Resources‘A Study of Asynchronous Mobile-Enabled SMS Text Psychotherapy’ in Telemedicine and e-HealthHealing: Our Path from Mental Illness to Mental Health by Thomas Insel, MDKFF/CNN Survey on Mental Health in AmericaRyan Haight ActMagellan HealthCOVID-19 and Mental HealthTogether: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World by Vivek H. Murthy, MD

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