Redefining Mental Health: The Impact of Commercialized Care and the Rise of Therapy Mills
- July 27, 2024
- Dorothy
Among my graduate cohort at Columbia University, most of us weren’t focused on business enterprises. I can confidently say, along with my colleagues, that the phrase “we’re not doing this for the money” resonated throughout the halls of Butler Library. We were future change-makers, driven by a commitment to create meaningful change. Foretell, this very deficit would serve as a catalyst for the commercialization of mental healthcare, shaping how the industry evolves and prioritizes profit over clinician care.
As we brave towards the tech revolution, many virtual mental health companies are emerging, aiming to profit from both those seeking and providing care. This trend underscores the growing commercialization of mental health services.From firsthand experience on the front lines, it increasingly feels like an assembly line where you become just another product in the process. Despite your master’s level education, clinical licensure, and the countless hours spent as a clinical intern, you find yourself as the very product the company profits from, while receiving a disproportionately small share of the benefits.
The inevitable question arises: Why stay? Why not just go into private practice? While this may seem like a straightforward question, the answer is quite complex. On an organization level these multi-million dollar companies dominate the industry,controlling everything from privatized criminal justice to lucrative insurance contracts with educational and professional institutions.It’s similar to the contrast between Walmart and a local mom-and-pop shop.
On a personal level, the salary provided a sense of security against various uncertainties: “What if I fall ill and need time off?” “What if I encounter challenges with billing and administration?” “What if my job isn’t recession proof?” The salary served as a comforting buffer, allowing me to undervalue my expertise for the “certainty.” of a comfortable lifestyle.
With every rise comes a fall, and I too found myself caught in the wave of mental health tech layoffs. The certainty that once comforted me was abruptly swept away, along with my position and dozens of others.The anxiety about private practice and the fear of uncertainty vanished in an instant.This pivotal moment inspired me to transition from the therapy mill to full-time private practice. When nothing is guaranteed, there’s no harm in betting it all on yourself.
Dorothy A. Mwanga, LCSW
Mind Over Matter Therapy
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Dorothy A. Mwanga, LCSW
I completed advanced training in adult and child psychotherapy at Columbia University in 2016, and have since accumulated 8 years of extensive clinical experience in residential, hospitalization, and outpatient settings.