Trailblazing a new era for therapy, Talkspace partners with Teachers College, Columbia University to study its new technology for treating mental health conditions

NEW YORK, Dec. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Talkspace, the global leader in online therapy, announced today a partnership with Teachers College, Columbia University to examine the improved methods of treating highly prevalent mental health conditions through digital platforms. In addition, Talkspace is also in the works of partnering with Duke University and PTSD research and clinical expert, Dr. Patricia Resick, to depict the platform's effectiveness in treating PTSD. Expanding upon the IRB-approved research paper which is being submitted for publishing, A Preliminary Study of Talkspace's Text-based Psychotherapy, the two clinical research studies will focus on evaluating Talkspace's efficiency and efficacy in treating stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD and more. The partnerships coincide with the addition of top behavioral health management expert, Dr. Andrew Sekel, as an advisor to Talkspace's leadership team.

The clinical research studies will shed light on the impact of Talkspace's method of delivering therapy for treating conditions that are high in prevalence in our society. It is hoped that results from the research will support the promising preliminary evidence that delivering therapy via messaging therapy can improve the psychological well-being of its users while dramatically reducing cost.

"Mental health is a serious issue, and regardless if it's being treated in a therapist's office or by a therapist through an app, there's a certain standard that must be met," said Roni Frank, co-founder of Talkspace and Head of Clinical Services. "Online therapy has shown its effectiveness in treating a variety of conditions through platforms such as video. The likes of messaging therapy too need to be studied to these extents. For this reason, it was imperative that we work alongside renowned researchers at respected institutions to build clinical data around the effectiveness and capabilities of Talkspace's mobile and web-based therapy practices."

Leading the clinical research at Teachers College, Columbia University are Dr. George Nitzburg and Dr. Barry Farber, specializing in research around the use of technology in the therapy process. They will be conducting a large-scale study with Talkspace to demonstrate the platform's effectiveness in treating the highly prevalent mental health conditions in our society.

"Talkspace has become one of the most provocative ideas to emerge in the therapy profession in ages," said Dr. Andrew Sekel, advisor to Talkspace. "It is perfectly positioned to usher in a new era of mental health care and Talkspace's work alongside the research teams at the top universities in America will offer clinical validation based on proven disciplines and measures."

To view a summary of A Preliminary Study of Talkspace's Text-based Psychotherapy, please visit: http://talkspace.com/online-therapy/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Research-Summary.pdf

About Talkspace
Talkspace is a global online therapy platform that connects people with licensed therapists anytime, anywhere. Founded in 2012 with a mission to make therapy affordable and accessible for all, Talkspace introduced Unlimited Messaging Therapy™ to provide unprecedented on-demand access to a therapist for only $25 per week. By eliminating the stigma, fear, anxiety and cost associated with traditional therapy, Talkspace is making it easy for millions of people to finally be proactive about their mental health. In the United States alone, Talkspace has amassed over 150,000 members with hundreds of licensed therapists in its network.

For more information, please visit http://www.talkspace.com

SOURCE Talkspace

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