Telepsychology

Telepsychology, until recently, was slow-moving and half-heartedly acknowledged in the mental health profession. There is increasing scholarly discourse on the digital therapeutic space. This shift to a digital paradigm means re-evaluating the profession's identity. This chapter considers telepsychology in relation to social justice. It highlights access for underserved groups and the digital divide that limits a substantial population from accessing online services. It identifies the need to integrate telepsychology in community psychology interventions, a significant framework to challenge systemic inequalities in mental health. It outlines the inadequacy of the profession to support needs of diversity in the field and considers if telehealth is one way to bring a shift in the homogenous identity of the profession. Telepsychology has the potential to amplify adherence to social justice principles; however, this requires evolved responses on individual, institutional, and systemic levels to bring unconventional but substantial changes in training, research, and regulatory guidelines.

COVID and Counseling

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the mental health profession has shifted to online service provision, or telehealth. The aim of this chapter is to describe the COVID-19 crisis and subsequent changes that occurred to mental health service provision; the benefits and drawbacks to telehealth from practical, ethical, and cultural perspectives; and the learning opportunities that have come from this crisis. Finally, reflections on the future of the counseling profession and trends in service provision for serving an increasingly diverse population will be analyzed.

Analysis of an Epidemiological Anomaly of COVID-19: Transcultural and Immunological Psychiatry

Evidence exists for an epidemiological trend of transmission concentrations of COVID-19 within migrant communities from tropical weather conditions. Minority groups are over-represented in hospitalisations and deaths from the virus, and it appears that the observed anomaly may be due to multifactorial causes. Underactive immune responses in cooler temperatures and diminished synthesis of vitamin D, both of which are associated with genetic factors among ethnic minority groups, could help to explain the higher incidence of COVID-19 among ethnic minority communities. Neither factor is specific to a migrant community but common to general populations. The overstatement of contributory genetic factors runs the risk of racial stigmatisation. If environmental factors are given their due importance, individuals belonging to ethnic minorities may try to adopt new ways to combat the pandemic, while overemphasising racial factors would only leave them helpless. The renewed interest of psychiatrists in immunology would support the emerging field of immunopsychiatry. COVID-19 is environmentally sensitive, and all medical specialities, including the mental health profession, should contribute their wisdom to defeating or making a truce with the viral phenomenon.

A Proposed Framework Based On Literature Review of Online Contextual Mental Health Services to Enhance Wellbeing and Address Psychopathology During COVID-19

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) became a pandemic and is causing unprecedented biopsychosocial, spiritual and economic issues across the world while mostly affecting unprivileged populations. Turkey has gradually implemented new regulations, which slowly affected the entire country and increased the need for mental health services disproportionally. We conducted a comprehensive literature review on mental health in Turkey during COVID-19. There was no well-grounded peer-reviewed manuscripts or projects utilized a framework. Therefore, we wrote this manuscript to provide a conceptual framework grounded in ecological systems theory, acceptance and commitment therapy, and community-based participatory action research to introduce contextually evidence-based online mental health services: hotline, psychiatric interview, counseling, and Read-Reflect-Share group bibliotherapy. The framework aims to (1) address biopsychosocial spiritual and economic issues, (2) enhance wellbeing, and (3) empower the mental health profession in research and practice. Our preliminary findings and clinical experience indicated that the proposed framework and interventions derived from the framework enhanced wellbeing and decreased psychopathological symptoms in experimental group compared to control groups. Based on the preliminary analysis, most of the online, phone based, or face-to-face mental health services introduced in this manuscript were highly recommended by the participants to be provided to general public during and after COVID-19. Mental health professionals and authorities can use the proposed framework and interventions to develop interventions and research in order to alleviate pandemic-based biopsychosocial spiritual and economic issues and enhance wellbeing.

Epilogue

The rise of a mentally unstable individual to power in the United States has forced the mental health profession to consider the ethical dilemma of speaking up (“duty to warn and protect”) or remaining silent. As archived in this edition and summarized in this epilogue, some in the current era have chosen vocal activism and organizing. The current era has led many to question their beliefs and morals. Millions have chosen the path of new or renewed activism. By empowering many who may have previously felt disempowered, an invigorated ethos of activism may be the beacon necessary to lead us out of this dark age.

Being a Stay-at-Home Dad (SAHD): Implication for the Mental Health Profession

Stay-at-home dads (SAHDs) have become more prevalent in today’s society. Despite these changes, there remains a paucity of research on the mental health needs of SAHDs. This qualitative study examined SAHDs’ social experiences and mental health needs. The research identified three themes: (1) becoming a SAHD, (2) being a SAHD at home, and (3) being a SAHD in society. Implications for mental health counseling practices and future areas of research are discussed.

Better Understanding Psychosis: Psychospiritual Considerations in Clinical Settings

Throughout history, mental health professionals have generally endorsed an understanding of psychosis that occludes the consideration of possible psychospiritual determinants. However, in light of the similarities between psychotic and benign psychotic-like psychospiritual experiences, this article argues for the inclusion of psychospiritual matters in psychosis research and therapeutic practices. First, the relevance of psychospiritual considerations to mental health professionals is substantiated by examining literature whereby commentators seek to discern psychosis from nonpsychopathological psychotic-like experiences that often occur within psychospiritual contexts. Next, I step beyond this binary differential diagnosis approach to examine the possibility that psychotic and psychospiritual experiences share a common source and are intrinsically connected and indiscernible. Finally, I propose that this clinical dilemma may be redressed via the study and application of technologies of consciousness. Accordingly, I argue that the incorporation of psychospiritual research into better understanding psychosis calls for radical epistemological, diagnostic, and therapeutic changes within the mental health profession. Indeed, it appears that clinical efficacy may be advanced through mental health practitioners attaining expertise in technologies of consciousness, especially in seeking to understand psychosis in light of psychospiritual contingencies.

At This Stage of My Career Paying for Supervision or Consultation Is Just Ridiculous

It is easy to assume that being licensed to practice a mental health profession independently renders one competent to manage effectively every clinical challenge that comes one’s way. Whether novice or experienced senior clinician, all mental health practitioners face clinically challenging situations, ethical dilemmas, and legally perplexing situations in the course of assessing and treating clients. This chapter explains the role of expert consultants in these situations and how they may save one significant money, time, and stress in the long run. Further, this chapter highlights the types of situations during which consultation and supervision may be especially helpful. Guidance is provided on how to know when this type of support and assistance is needed or may be beneficial, both to the client and to the mental health clinician, and how best to utilize it.

Intellectual Disability

Intellectual Disability is sub-average intellectual ability with impaired adaptive functioning, which starts before the age of 18. They have IQ below. There are many issues which require attention while dealing with ID like human resources, quality training of clinical psychologists in India, the conflicts among the team approach, acceptance in the family and society and many more. There are 1.5 million people with intellectual disability in India. However, experts working in the field of developmental disabilities feel that prevalence is much higher. The population with ID is increasing but the resources to deal with these issues are few. The mental health profession is a multidisciplinary one. The psychiatrist, the clinical psychologist and the psychiatric social worker all have their significant role in the management of ID. There is a long way to go. There are many things that can be offered but what we need is acceptance in our society of such people and Awareness towards Intervention.