Drs. Kevin Holloway and Jenna Ermold discuss the history, strengths, and philosophy behind the Center for Deployment Psychology's use of virtual training in Second Life in this enlightening and entertaining video interview.
It seems like everyone is carrying a smartphone these days. Some of the attributes that make these devices an asset to therapy include they’re portable, acceptable, always on (this benefit is probably up for discussion), low cost, programmable, audio and video output, user-friendliness, and ease of use (Boschen, 2008). More and more we are able to recommend and guide our patients through various evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) with the help of evidence-based mobile health applications or so-called “apps”. For providers, we now have the same accessibility of a tool that can help us implement self-care practices in our day.
We here at the Center for Deployment Psychology are excited to unveil the new Evidence-Based Psychotherapies video section on our website. As part of our multi-day EBP training events, we use many videos to demonstrate a variety of techniques. One of the most common request we receive is participants wanting the opportunity to watch these videos again afterwards to help reinforce the concepts. Now those interested can watch (and re-watch) all these video demonstrations whenever they want.
Electronic Health (eHealth) has long been integrated into the mental health field allowing for healthcare practices supported by electronic processes or communication. One type of eHealth is Mobile Health (or mHealth) interventions, which refers to the use of mobile devices for a number of activities that could include Internet access or searches, text messaging as well as smart phone applications that could be used within a mental health context. Although research remains limited, attention to mobile apps has been rapidly growing due to the increased use of technology in the mental health field. Mobile mental health support can be very simple but effective, providing users with convenience, anonymity, consistency and round-the-clock service. Often, technology is utilized to complement traditional therapy rather than replace it.
Recent events where patients covertly recorded behavioral health sessions has brought these chronic concerns to the forefront for many providers. Providers seem conflicted about where they stand on patients secretly recording sessions. But advancements in technology have enhanced the anxiety as people can now splice recordings in ways that misrepresent what actually happened. For some, these advancements lead to the belief that secret recording should be illegal. For others, it is yet another factor in their conflicted feelings and the struggle between patient and provider rights.