Online-Based Therapy

In my first blog post, I looked at how technology has been used to enhance the field of psychology in general. This post’s focus will be on specific online-based therapeutic tools, namely AbilTo and Optimism, used in dealing with psychological maladjustments.

AbilTo Inc.
AbilTo Inc., is the leading provider of electronic behavioral health services and has been proven to effectively alleviate medical conditions as well as do so at a lower cost to the consumer. AbilTo provides a range of programs, however the program most frequently used by and designed specifically for use by mental health specialists is one which incorporates the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), amongst other methods of behavioral health interventions. CBT is a method of psychotherapy (talk therapy) which focuses on a person’s cognitions and behaviors; the goal is to get the client to change the way he/she thinks about (a) particular situation/s and also change their reactions to that/those situation/s. The program is conducted over the telephone or via secure video calling through AbilTo’s platform (AbilTo, Inc., 2015).
For more information about AbilTo Inc., please visit:
https://www.ableto.com/

Optimism
Optimism is a program, available on both Mac and Windows, to self-track daily activities in an effort to determine what is affecting one’s mental health. The program observes daily behavioral patterns and develops strategies to effectively cope with and manage various disorders including depression and bipolar disorder (Boss, 2017).
For more information about optimism programs and apps, please visit:
http://www.findingoptimism.com/

Through the merging of information technology and psychology, we see just how much more effective psychology’s practice can be. With the use of online-based programs such as those mentioned above, therapy can be provided conveniently and cost-effectively.




References
AbilTo Inc. (2015). AbilTo introduces booster programs to strengthen participants’ cognitive behavioral therapy skills, address new challenges. PR Newswire. Retrieved from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/abilto-introduces-booster-programs-to-strengthen-participants-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-skills-address-new-challenges-300186086.html
Boss, A. (2017). An intro to cutting-edge psychology technology. Psychology Degree Guide. Retrieved from http://psychologydegreeguide.org/psychology-technology/
Optimism Apps Pty Ltd. (2010). What are the optimism mental health apps? Retrieved from http://www.findingoptimism.com/

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