Therapist Voices on a Youth Mental Health Pilot: Responsiveness to Diversity and Therapy Modality

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 20; no. 3; p. 1834
• Main Authors: Mathieson, Fiona, Garrett, Sue, Stubbe, Maria, Hilder, Jo, Tester, Rachel, Fedchuk, Dasha, Dunlop, Abby, Dowell, Anthony
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 19-01-2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Adolescent; Allied Health Personnel; Behavior modification; Behavior therapy; Co-design; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive ability; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Coronaviruses; Counseling; COVID-19; Cultural competence; Health services; Humans; Mental disorders; Mental Health; Mental health care; Multiculturalism & pluralism; Peer tutoring; Pilot Projects; Psychologists; Surveys and Questionnaires; Telemedicine; Therapists; Therapy; Young adults; New Zealand; United Kingdom > UK; youth mental health; service delivery; diversity
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031834

This article explores therapists' views on a large youth mental health pilot project (for 18-25-year-olds), which included an individual cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)-informed individual therapy component. Therapists' views on cultural responsiveness, therapy (delivery, modality and duration) and working with LGBTQIA+ youth were explored using two surveys, individual interviews and focus groups at various stages of the life of the pilot. Some therapists saw the CBT approach as imposed on them, preferring familiar therapy modalities. Many therapists were positive toward CBT for its client-centered approach and reported using CBT-informed approaches with many of their clients to good effect. Some therapists felt pressured by their workplace to see clients for fewer sessions than they needed. Therapists wanted to see a more culturally diverse workforce, to increase their cultural competence through training and to have more easily available cultural supervision. There was some acknowledgement of the importance of training therapists to work competently with LGBTQIA+ young people. Involving therapists in co-design of services from the outset will likely benefit future service development.