Your efforts are commendable and I applaud the progress you have made in a short time. The project title is terrific! My question relates to the fact that electronic communication allows interaction on only a narrow spectrum. Face-to-face, feet-under-the-same-table conversations, such as those that take place at 'brown bag' lunches, have a significantly greater impact than email exchanges. How will you bring your efforts to us IRL, in real life?
Thanks so much for the kind words! Your question is an excellent one.
The primary manner in which PBB aims to have short term "real life" implications is by changing the conversation. Certainly, some readers benefit from PBB through email exchanges and online conversations through the comment sections of particular articles (this week, in particular, we have seen some interesting conversations develop), but that is not the sole goal. Ideally, by clearly discussing the science behind clinical psychology, we are combating misinformation and helping to change the conversations that readers have with other people outside of the site. A couple examples:
- Some of the conversations I have had with readers have been with individuals who have had difficult experiences in therapy, having bounced around from clinician to clinician while receiving treatment with no empirical support and absurd diagnostic labels. By reading about topics relevant to their own situation and consulting our "EST clinics" page, which includes a registry of clinics provided evidence-based treatment nationwide, these individuals have changed their view of their own struggles and the course of their illness while finally seeking out effective care. Filling the knowledge gap thus serves to help connect readers with real world help.
- Other conversations I have had with readers have been with individuals in the position to provide education to others (e.g., teachers at universities). These individuals have suggested that they will integrate the site into curricula in order to help inform large groups of individuals about the science behind mental illness and to facilitate classroom discussions on the matter.
In that sense, the conversations that take place *on* PBB might not always have as immediate a "real life" impact as the conversations *in response to* PBB.
Long term, we hope to have broader real life implications by expanding the services we offer. Eventually, we would like to host conferences with CE credits for clinicians nationwide. In doing this, we would be able to present much of this material in a live format and actually engage in live conversations. Whether the site expands to other forms of media (e.g., radio) that facilitate similar conversations with broader audiences will be interesting to see, but of course those are long term goals that are far from certain.
Ultimately though, I do wonder if the relative value of information learned online truly does pale in comparison to the value of information provided in person. There is compelling data indicating that some forms of bibliotherapy and online therapy can actually be effective forms of mental health care. PBB does not provide therapeutic services, but we do provide education on therapy and related matters and I think it is actually an interesting empirical question worth investigating: can an online resource such as PBB provide as powerful an impact as live interactions?
Thanks again for the thought provoking question. I'd be happy to follow-up with more thoughts as well - always fun to talk about this type of stuff.
One of the things I really appreciate about PBB is not only that it not only changes the conversation, it also brings these issues to a new audience. The research-practice gap discussion has been largely intra-professional. Effective treatment can have a huge, positive impact on the health and happiness of so many. Unfortunately, people with mental illness and their families have often been entirely left out of this conversation. It matters a great deal what kind of treatment patients receive, but when they search for care they are often flying blind. PBB's openness and inclusion is a big step forward.
They do a terrific job presenting complicated mental health issues in a clear and understandable way, without ever "dumbing down" content for lay readers. The posts that dissect the arguments against using evidence-supported treatments are nothing short of stellar. IMO consumers can, and should, be part of what drives mental health care forward and PBB provides great consumer information.
Real life meetings and conferences are great, but the internet offers some real advantages. It's free. You can read it in your own home, without any special credentials. That can make a big difference to those dealing with difficult illnesses.
Comments
Your efforts are commendable and I applaud the progress you have made in a short time. The project title is terrific! My question relates to the fact that electronic communication allows interaction on only a narrow spectrum. Face-to-face, feet-under-the-same-table conversations, such as those that take place at 'brown bag' lunches, have a significantly greater impact than email exchanges. How will you bring your efforts to us IRL, in real life?
Eve -
Thanks so much for the kind words! Your question is an excellent one.
The primary manner in which PBB aims to have short term "real life" implications is by changing the conversation. Certainly, some readers benefit from PBB through email exchanges and online conversations through the comment sections of particular articles (this week, in particular, we have seen some interesting conversations develop), but that is not the sole goal. Ideally, by clearly discussing the science behind clinical psychology, we are combating misinformation and helping to change the conversations that readers have with other people outside of the site. A couple examples:
- Some of the conversations I have had with readers have been with individuals who have had difficult experiences in therapy, having bounced around from clinician to clinician while receiving treatment with no empirical support and absurd diagnostic labels. By reading about topics relevant to their own situation and consulting our "EST clinics" page, which includes a registry of clinics provided evidence-based treatment nationwide, these individuals have changed their view of their own struggles and the course of their illness while finally seeking out effective care. Filling the knowledge gap thus serves to help connect readers with real world help.
- Other conversations I have had with readers have been with individuals in the position to provide education to others (e.g., teachers at universities). These individuals have suggested that they will integrate the site into curricula in order to help inform large groups of individuals about the science behind mental illness and to facilitate classroom discussions on the matter.
In that sense, the conversations that take place *on* PBB might not always have as immediate a "real life" impact as the conversations *in response to* PBB.
Long term, we hope to have broader real life implications by expanding the services we offer. Eventually, we would like to host conferences with CE credits for clinicians nationwide. In doing this, we would be able to present much of this material in a live format and actually engage in live conversations. Whether the site expands to other forms of media (e.g., radio) that facilitate similar conversations with broader audiences will be interesting to see, but of course those are long term goals that are far from certain.
Ultimately though, I do wonder if the relative value of information learned online truly does pale in comparison to the value of information provided in person. There is compelling data indicating that some forms of bibliotherapy and online therapy can actually be effective forms of mental health care. PBB does not provide therapeutic services, but we do provide education on therapy and related matters and I think it is actually an interesting empirical question worth investigating: can an online resource such as PBB provide as powerful an impact as live interactions?
Thanks again for the thought provoking question. I'd be happy to follow-up with more thoughts as well - always fun to talk about this type of stuff.
One of the things I really appreciate about PBB is not only that it not only changes the conversation, it also brings these issues to a new audience. The research-practice gap discussion has been largely intra-professional. Effective treatment can have a huge, positive impact on the health and happiness of so many. Unfortunately, people with mental illness and their families have often been entirely left out of this conversation. It matters a great deal what kind of treatment patients receive, but when they search for care they are often flying blind. PBB's openness and inclusion is a big step forward.
They do a terrific job presenting complicated mental health issues in a clear and understandable way, without ever "dumbing down" content for lay readers. The posts that dissect the arguments against using evidence-supported treatments are nothing short of stellar. IMO consumers can, and should, be part of what drives mental health care forward and PBB provides great consumer information.
Real life meetings and conferences are great, but the internet offers some real advantages. It's free. You can read it in your own home, without any special credentials. That can make a big difference to those dealing with difficult illnesses.
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