COVID-19 is impacting all aspects of life around most of the world. During the past few months, the virus has taken the United States captive, leading to a virtual shutdown of most of the country. Most people find themselves trapped in their homes, and running low on options to find essential services that they still need in their day to day life. That has also led to a crisis in mental health care throughout the United States. But companies like Talkspace are stepping up to assist. In fact, Talkspace recently announced an initiative to provide 1,000 free months of therapy to frontline medical workers during the pandemic.
While many people are being told to shelter in place, there are still other essential businesses that remain open. For some businesses, such as healthcare, they are flooded. The news has been dominated by local governors and mayors pleading for more supplies to help their hospitals and the healthcare workers who staff them. The news is filled with stories of heroic doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who are bravely risking their lives to try to save their local communities. When people witness what doctors and nurses go through every day, it is tempting to look at them as somehow superhuman. What they can do during this time of need is nothing short of incredible. At the same time, it is important to remember that these healthcare workers are still human. They still fall victim to the same mental health issues that would befall anybody given that level of stress and anxiety.
In another unforeseen consequence of the pandemic, there is a severe shortage of mental health resources across the country. Sadly, this is also a time when those resources are needed most. Healthcare workers face a unique struggle at the frontline of the crisis. Already, the field of medicine sees higher rates of alcoholism, drug abuse, and suicide than the average population. Now, when they are exposed to more stress than ever before, it is easy to see why mental health issues are skyrocketing among professionals who work in the medical field. When they go to work today, they are risking their lives.
We have all heard about the valid concerns about a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) including gowns, gloves, and N95 masks. The stress of keep oneself safe, while also having to care for others is something that anybody would need help enduring. Talkspace is stepping up to provide these heroes with the resources they need to make it through this crisis.
Talkspace is going to provide 1,000 months of free mental health services and therapy to the frontline medical workers in the US. On top of this, Talkspace partner and spokesperson Olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps, is personally donating a significant amount of his own resources to provide an additional 500 months of free therapy to medical workers. The goal is to provide tremendous relief to medical workers who are fighting to save the lives of our family members and friends.
There are multiple ways that medical workers across the country can sign up for their free months of online therapy. One option is through the Unlimited Messaging Plus plan through Talkspace. This provides the user with unlimited text, audio, and video messaging services with a licensed therapist who can provide them with multiple treatment options, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). To sign up, healthcare workers can register through the convenient Talkspace app. This can be found on either the App Store or the Google Play Store. Then, they will be asked to provide either their employee ID or NPI (National Physician Identification number) and their state of residence to be verified. After this, healthcare workers will have access to their free month of online therapy through Talkspace.
Michael Phelps has been one of the biggest supporters of Talkspace. As their commercials have started to run regularly across multiple channels, Michael Phelps has re-entered the spotlight as the face of mental health. He has been incredibly open with the general public when it comes to his mental health issues. The Michael Phelps story is a powerful one. It shows that mental health issues are capable of impacting anyone. The relationship between Michael Phelps and Talkspace is one that is going to raise awareness about the issues frontline medical professionals face, in addition to providing them with more opportunities for assistance.
While Michael Phelps is the most notable individual to donate to Talkspace, there are hundreds of others who have stepped up to the plate to donate additional months of free therapy. Right now, the total stands at more than 2,100 months of free online therapy for this country’s medical workers. For Talkspace, this is an opportunity for a revolutionary service to effect a generational shift in the way this country treats mental health issues. With a massive number of tools to help everyone impacted by COVID-19, Talkspace is helping medical professionals, as well as this nation as a whole, get through this crisis.
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