are-personal-therapists-the-new-personal-trainers

The conversation around mental health has covered a lot of ground. A journey long and turbulent enough to finally leave behind taboos, raised brows and judgy eyes. The growing cultural acceptance around mental health issues has along side led to a spike in the demand for therapists. Last year, a report by Coherent Market Insights predicted the size of the online therapy services market to reach USD 24.80 billion by 2031. Are personal therapists the new personal trainers? The report further stated that growing cultural acceptance has encouraged more people to come out of the closet and opt for therapy through various modes, especially online counselling.

 

The demand and supply gap is glaring

 

The growth is similar to the demand for personal trainers, which grew as a profession as gym memberships rocketed through the late 80s. The demand for mental health professionals in the U.S is superseding the demand for professionals in traditional fields like IT, finance, hospitality. This year, another set of data from Zecomms, said that job vacancies for therapy specialists have surged by 30% while roles in IT, finance, and other industries have declined by 15-20%.  India’s health ministry’s assessment in 2016 revealed that 13 crore people in India require mental health services.

 

It also highlighted a massive gap between the need for services and the professionals in the field.  In October 2022, the GoI launched the National Tele Mental Health Programme (NTMHP) as a part of the nation's mental healthcare system. The digital platform included a toll-free helpline offering a wide range of mental health assistance.  In two years, the platform served over 14.7 lakh calls, highlighting the urgent and widespread need for mental support. Some of the national studies reveal that 15% of India’s adult population requires such assistance yet millions are outside the ambit of access to such services. The Mental Healthcare Act of 2017 enshrines access to mental health as a statutory right.

 

Personal therapists — the need of the hour?

 

Sensing the gap and cashing in on the surge are online influencers and content creators doubling up as life coach, mind-set coach, therapists, motivation gurus. Technically, almost anyone with a master’s degree or a short-bridge crash course can become a therapist, thereby leading to several untrained individuals in the field of therapy. Social media wellness pages are filled with posts and blogs imagining a world where everyone went to therapy. The unhealed trauma usually behind repercussions in human relationships would slow down, if not stop right there.

 

Like with most fields, a sudden spike in numbers brings along hordes of opportunists necessitating a demand for regulation. In 2021, the health ministry passed The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act in an attempt to regulate the sector. The act intends to establish standards of education and regulation in counselling psychology and educational institutions offering such courses and degrees. The Act also aims to maintain a central register of professionals after assessing their skill set and qualifications.

 

However, the Act is yet to be implemented. Which is where the lack of regulatory body or mechanism has led to mushrooming of spaces with untrained and unqualified counsellors. Lack of insight means that mental health patients often end up with influencers doubling up as life, relationships, or dating coaches and or trauma experts.

 

After the first Covid-19 lockdown, Krishna Kumar Nair, founder MeetCounsellor, an online platform connecting people with qualified psychologists, noticed a formidable spike in those seeking help. The Pandemic, he says, compelled people to acknowledge the need for mental health support. He noticed a spike of 400% in the number of people seeking help from his platform.

 

Celebrity support changed the scenario

 

Celebrities coming out in the open with their innermost battles with mental health turned out to be a game changer for the industry. If Kendall Jenner opened up about her “debilitating anxiety,” then Adele, after her son’s birth, brought “postpartum depression” back into the global conversation. Closer home, celebrities like Deepika Padukone have been vocal about mental health and have leveraged their star power to advocate for the cause. In a YouTube Video, Dwayne Johnson once said, “I found that with depression, one of the most important things you could realise is that you’re not alone.” A robust support system starts with loved ones recognising the need for mental health support and giving the right nudge to those in need. The conversation around mental health has changed, fitness now doesn’t just entail lifting weights but sometimes lifting the proverbial weight off the chest and mind.