We believe that the stigma associated with mental health is one of the most significant barriers to people seeking and benefiting from support. In turn we see more people unnecessarily reaching crisis point, often after months or years of suffering, before getting the help and support they need.
We hear all too often that fear of judgement, discrimination and prejudice and concern that it could affect their future career progression are barriers to seeking mental health and wellbeing support.
It’s our belief that if we’re able to de-stigmatise mental health and provide a popular and safe space, where people can reach out on their own terms, we can all move more swiftly towards optimum health and performance.
I wanted to share some of the work we’re doing at imatta to overcome the stigma.
We believe that there is power in partnering with people in the public spotlight, who have engaged audiences who support, trust and build beliefs on their messages. We carefully curate and partner with people who match our values and support them to share their own experiences. Normalising mental health issues inspires more people to search for mental health services and to start their discovery journey earlier.
So far we’ve created content with sports stars, actors, digital influencers, artists, business leaders, military veterans, as well as everyday people, to harness their voices to de-stigmatise mental health.
After hearing so many people having bad experiences with workplace mental health support systems, such as having to disclose to a line manager, or member of HR that they’re struggling, or mental health Q&A sessions being delivered in public settings alongside their colleagues. It was clear that although these may be well intentioned, the stigma that exists around experiencing poor mental health was the reason that utilisation and engagement with these efforts are low.
We made the conscious decision to make the imatta platform and support channels as separated from the employer as possible. Employees don’t have to ask for support, it’s always on and accessible whenever and wherever is most convenient. And we guarantee that no personal data about treatments or usage is shared with employers.
Subscribers can view our content, attend seminars, ask questions, speak to our therapists and councillors - all without fear of judgement.
Booking a support session with a therapist shouldn’t be any more difficult than booking a flight, a hotel reservation or tickets to the cinema. Yet the current status quo for employees often involves going via an EAP; requiring several rounds of screening, long wait-times and multiple calls and emails to organise.
We’ve built our tech and the processes behind them with speed and ease of use at their core. That means registering for treatment takes less than 5 minutes, in under 1 hour we’ve matched you to a therapist or counsellor and booked in your first session. 94% and 98% of our clients receive their first session within 24, and 48 hours respectively.
We’re committed to removing any blockers and unnecessary friction - the easier support is to access, the more people will use it. The more people using and benefiting from it the faster it becomes de-stigmatised.
That’s why our cover and treatment support is offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s delivered online (so no having to travel to appointments) and at an affordable price point.
We believe that for too long the responsibility for mental health has lived solely with human resources departments or outspoken internal champions within businesses. For it to be truly de-stigmatised there needs to be acknowledgement of its importance, and its requirement of consistent attention and prioritisation throughout a business.
Both employers and employees have a responsibility to take an active role in their wellbeing. We are supporting that through education and increasing awareness of the benefits of doing so, and the risks of not. We’ve created resources and training to increase understanding and encourage people to spread the word and maximise engagement on the platform and throughout the workforce. We continue to publish insight, guidance and advice across our website and social media, as well as undertaking significant research projects to better understand and advise how to optimise positive mental health.
In short we believe that the better informed our audience and customer base are, the better the decisions that will be made. It's our duty at imatta to continue to demonstrate that investing in our workplace mental health programs leads to better financial performance for companies, and better health outcomes for individuals.
We believe that earlier support makes all the difference. We’ve seen an 80% shift towards more positive behaviours when people have a space to reach out early and on their terms. It’s true on every level and for all people. The sooner we engage, the sooner we all start benefiting from a healthier frame of mind.
Bringing support upstream means helping people avoid reaching crisis point before seeking help. We’re doing that by providing preventative, proactive and complete support, diverse solutions that encompass various guidance, treatment styles and intensities.
We acknowledge that there is no one size fits all approach. But believe that in taking small, constructive steps and actions to stay in a positive frame of mind, habitually. Through a platform that shifts support to a popular space, that people can use without fear of judgement. We’re able to transform the way people perceive and experience mental health worldwide.
If you’d like to discuss any of the work we’re doing further, you can speak to a member of the imatta team here.
Thanks,
Paul
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