Technology and mental health policy are reshaping clinical practice, fast.
bridge keeps you informed on the tools worth knowing, from telehealth platforms and AI-assisted care to the legislation and policy changes affecting how you practice. Because staying current isn’t just good practice; it’s ethically sound.
Featured Tech and Mental Health Policy
The rise in Autism diagnoses: Accuracy or controversy?
Policy,ResearchWe hear more and more about Autism in recent years, especially on social media. Sometimes it even raises the question...
Social media addiction settlement: Meta gives in
Policy,TechWe recently wrote about a California court ruling that found Meta and Google liable for a users’ mental health. That...
Screen addiction is related to suicide and mental health
Research,TechQuestions about the effects of screen time abound in our modern society. Does it really affect mental health or social...
Are men and boys falling behind? What to know and how to help.
Policy,ResearchEconomic and social markers now show that men and boys are falling behind in multiple aspects of American society. Researchers...
How Meta court rulings affect mental health awareness
Policy,TechThere has been a lot of buzz about social media and mental health awareness. It is clear that some aspects...
Serotonin’s role in mental health is now in question
Policy,ResearchSerotonin imbalances in the brain have become a popular explanation for depression, anxiety, and OCD. Understanding serotonin’s role in mental...
AI apps for therapy session notes. What to know.
TechThere is a new rash of AI apps for therapy session notes on the scene. Transcription software for mental health...
The 90837 insurance code crackdown
PolicyAhhh the ole’ 90837. If you have worked with billing codes for insurance, you know how common this one is...
AI for suicide prevention: High hopes, but still more to learn
Research,TechResearch shows doctors and clinicians are often unable to accurately predict suicide. As if suicide wasn’t sad and humbling enough...
Smartphones detect mental health difficulties?
TechMaybe the apps really are watching us…. I’m sure we’ve all had many of those moments. You’re talking with a...
Fentanyl crackdown: What it means for services
PolicyIf you’ve seen the movie Traffic, you’ve seen the portrayal of a difficult, but poignant question. Does drug policy lie...
Harm reduction for addiction: Not just ensuring safety
Policy,ResearchHarm reduction is an evidence-based, if controversial, approach to substance use difficulties. Many individuals as well as some clinicians believe...
More NIH grant cuts: Mental health included
PolicyThe National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides research grants to fund research in multiple areas of medicine and mental health...
AI apps for loneliness: Tech’s attempts to help
TechLoneliness on its own sucks to experience. And I’m sure we’ve all been there at times, in a personal sense...
Department of Education mental health cuts
Policy,ResearchThe Department of Education announced that it will cut funding for mental health services provided to qualifying school districts across...
Recent substance abuse and mental health funding cuts
PolicyThe second Trump administration has brought a lot of change and confusion to government policy. This includes healthcare in the...
Political anxiety and stress: How do therapists help?
Policy,ResearchPolitical stress often gets discussed during election season. However, US presidential administration policies in 2025 continues to create great uncertainty...
Conversion therapy case reaches Supreme Court
Policy,ResearchThe US Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to a lower court ruling accepting the State of Colorado’s ability...
How effective are AI therapists? What are human therapists to do?
Research,TechWe have written about initial research on AI therapy chatbots. Recent reports point to a drastic recent increase in AI...
HHS rules and US health department shake-ups
PolicyU.S. political transitions every 4-8 years typically bring about a range of changes for many government departments. This includes policy...
Stanford plays with AI and mental health genetics
Featured Policy,Featured Tech,Research,TechEven the mental health field can’t stay out of the AI hype. Our work is very human driven, but it...
Ethics continuing education training: Top 5 challenges in practice
Continuing Ed.,PolicyIt’s getting closer to the end of another year and another licensure period for many clinicians. For some, it’s a...
AI for mental health diagnosis
Research,TechA machine that can diagnose disorders? Well, it may not be too surprising with everything AI seems to be able...
Multiple negative effects of loneliness on health
Policy,ResearchTherapists and researchers alike often emphasize the importance of social support. A few inverse experiences of feeling supported – loneliness...
Mental health terminology gap widens: Therapy speak abounds.
Policy,ResearchMany therapists have noticed clients have increasingly come to therapy talking about difficulties in a whole new “therapy speak”. Clients...
Medication Management for ADHD and bipolar
Policy,ResearchUsing medication to treat ADHD and bipolar doesn’t have to be complicated. Both disorders contain abnormalities in the signaling of...
Portable brain stimulation for anxiety and other conditions
Research,TechLuck of the Irish, aye? Well in this case, we could call it skill. The Belfast-based startup Neurovalens has been...
Mental health hotline numbers: Many-in-one therapist resource
PolicyI am sure we’ve all been there: This individual has a particular need, but what resources can they access outside...
What is the best substance abuse treatment?
Policy,ResearchHow to best to approach substance abuse is a big and complex question for clinicians, researchers, and public policy officials...
Psychedelic therapy does not treat everything
Policy,ResearchDoes it seem like whenever an exciting new treatment or innovation comes along, it gets applied to everything? That may...
Psychosis in the veins
Research,TechBlood tests are becoming more advanced in the mental health world, with a new test coming out later this year...
Mental health app privacy policy: Not like ethics training
Policy,TechThe emergence of online mental health apps and telehealth platforms has an upside. It provides more access to services for...
New AI / virtual reality therapy comes to Apple Vision Pro
Research,TechWait, which episode of Black Mirror are we in now? No, this isn’t science fiction. It’s now just science. A...
Kratom: What clinicians should know
Policy,ResearchSo…. Does anyone actually know what kratom does? Kratom is an herbal substance from Southeast Asia that has both stimulant...
Longer-term client outcomes in telehealth vs in-person
Policy,ResearchWill clients benefit more from telehealth vs in-person treatment? The pandemic changed many areas of our lives, including how we...
ADHD watch and other devices lack evidence
TechSymptoms of ADHD can contribute to so many difficulties. Organization, managing tasks, and emotional difficulties name just a few of...
RDoC: A new(ish) effort to understand mental health
Policy,ResearchEver notice how so many clients with depression ruminate, but so do clients with anxiety and trauma? Or how clients...
The MoCA test of cognition is now on tablets!
TechEver have middle-aged or older clients tell you they have memory problems or believe they may have early onset dementia?...
How do I determine boundaries about texting?
Featured,Featured Policy,Featured Tech,PolicyWe all have learned about the importance of maintaining healthy boundaries between ourselves and our clients. However, the expectation of...
Psychoeducation for friends and family?
Policy,ResearchPeople seek counseling for a multitude of reasons. One reason is clients seeking support for their experiences with a friend...
MDMA for PTSD: Welcome to the party.
Policy,Research“Ecstacy”? “Molly”? They weren’t always just around to party. Researchers started to test MDMA for mental health difficulties in the...
AI therapy chatbots for mental health??
Continuing Ed.,Research,TechRobots doing therapy??! We’ve all heard of the advent of AI tools, like Chat GPT. AI tools like “chatbots” that...
How do we provide good gender-affirming care?
Continuing Ed.,PolicyGender-affirming care has become a hot topic in the medical field. This is probably because some U.S. states have been rolling...
Should mental health apps be regulated?
Policy,TechAhhh the pandemic. #weirdesttimeever. But interesting and helpful mental health advancements came out of that time. We saw decreased stigma...
New mental health courts arise in California
PolicyEver wonder why courts apply traditionally criminal-based recommendations when mental health care might benefit an individual. Well, California is instituting...
SBIRT: A new way to address SUDs
PolicyThe APA is making substance use disorder treatment easier. They are advocating for screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment...
Using VR for mental health treatment
Research,TechVR for mental health treatment?? Wait…. Does that really work? Researchers have examined virtual reality (VR) for treating mental health...
New app screens mental health for school children
TechResearch has confirmed recent increases in anxiety and depression among children and adolescents. Multiple factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, can...
No Surprises in California
PolicyCalifornia says no surprises in health care bills! The state is working to make it easier for clients to understand...
Video Games for ADHD
TechADHD can have a great impact on the lives of children and adults who experience it. It can also be...
Bloody Depression! A blood test for depression??
Research,TechResearchers at Indiana University have developed a blood test to identify depression and bipolar disorders. It is thought to have...
Psychedelic assisted therapy: All the rage.
Policy,ResearchThere is no doubt that people who experience depression, anxiety, PTSD, and a number of other conditions can feel trapped...
VR shows promise for pain psychology
Research,TechContinued research has led chronic pain psychology and treatment to focus increasingly on cognitive-behavioral methods for managing pain (e.g., cognitive...
Tech and Policy
The rise in Autism diagnoses: Accuracy or controversy?
Policy,ResearchWe hear more and more about Autism in recent years, especially on social media. Sometimes it even raises the question...
Social media addiction settlement: Meta gives in
Policy,TechWe recently wrote about a California court ruling that found Meta and Google liable for a users’ mental health. That...
Screen addiction is related to suicide and mental health
Research,TechQuestions about the effects of screen time abound in our modern society. Does it really affect mental health or social...
Are men and boys falling behind? What to know and how to help.
Policy,ResearchEconomic and social markers now show that men and boys are falling behind in multiple aspects of American society. Researchers...
How Meta court rulings affect mental health awareness
Policy,TechThere has been a lot of buzz about social media and mental health awareness. It is clear that some aspects...
Serotonin’s role in mental health is now in question
Policy,ResearchSerotonin imbalances in the brain have become a popular explanation for depression, anxiety, and OCD. Understanding serotonin’s role in mental...
AI apps for therapy session notes. What to know.
TechThere is a new rash of AI apps for therapy session notes on the scene. Transcription software for mental health...
The 90837 insurance code crackdown
PolicyAhhh the ole’ 90837. If you have worked with billing codes for insurance, you know how common this one is...
AI for suicide prevention: High hopes, but still more to learn
Research,TechResearch shows doctors and clinicians are often unable to accurately predict suicide. As if suicide wasn’t sad and humbling enough...
Smartphones detect mental health difficulties?
TechMaybe the apps really are watching us…. I’m sure we’ve all had many of those moments. You’re talking with a...
Fentanyl crackdown: What it means for services
PolicyIf you’ve seen the movie Traffic, you’ve seen the portrayal of a difficult, but poignant question. Does drug policy lie...
Harm reduction for addiction: Not just ensuring safety
Policy,ResearchHarm reduction is an evidence-based, if controversial, approach to substance use difficulties. Many individuals as well as some clinicians believe...
More NIH grant cuts: Mental health included
PolicyThe National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides research grants to fund research in multiple areas of medicine and mental health...
AI apps for loneliness: Tech’s attempts to help
TechLoneliness on its own sucks to experience. And I’m sure we’ve all been there at times, in a personal sense...
Department of Education mental health cuts
Policy,ResearchThe Department of Education announced that it will cut funding for mental health services provided to qualifying school districts across...
Recent substance abuse and mental health funding cuts
PolicyThe second Trump administration has brought a lot of change and confusion to government policy. This includes healthcare in the...
Political anxiety and stress: How do therapists help?
Policy,ResearchPolitical stress often gets discussed during election season. However, US presidential administration policies in 2025 continues to create great uncertainty...
Conversion therapy case reaches Supreme Court
Policy,ResearchThe US Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to a lower court ruling accepting the State of Colorado’s ability...
How effective are AI therapists? What are human therapists to do?
Research,TechWe have written about initial research on AI therapy chatbots. Recent reports point to a drastic recent increase in AI...
HHS rules and US health department shake-ups
PolicyU.S. political transitions every 4-8 years typically bring about a range of changes for many government departments. This includes policy...
Speaking of ethics: Ethics articles are part of our Tech and Policy section, but we also have a list of articles on ethics you can access. For more in-depth therapists resources on ethics, there is a good book on addressing ethical dilemmas clinicians encounter. There is another good book on positive ethical approaches to mental health practice.
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