WebMD Health Services Mental Health Coaching Bridges Gap in Mental Health Support

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Feb 15, 2024, 08:01 ET

PORTLAND, Ore., Feb. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Surgeon General's report Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being revealed that 76% of American workers reported at least one symptom of a mental health condition and 81% said they will be looking for workplaces that support mental health in the future. Recognizing the impact of mental health on employee productivity, absenteeism, presenteeism and well-being, WebMD Health Services today has announced the expansion of our health coaching programs to include mental health coaching. This new program furthers our commitment to supporting employee mental and emotional health with easy access to individualized one-on-one support for mental and emotional well-being.

The new mental health coaching service provides an intervention to individuals who are moderate and high acuity for factors that impact mental and emotional well-being. Mental health coaches provide a broad range of support including stress management techniques, depression and anxiety, alcohol and drug abuse, trauma recovery, bereavement, grief or loss, coping with chronic conditions, education on lifestyle behavior changes that can improve mental health, screening for mental health symptoms, and guidance to relevant resources and referrals. In addition to the support they provide, mental health coaches also identify individuals who may benefit from additional clinical support.

"At WebMD, we know that having the right service for the right individual and situation can be challenging, and our mental health coaching program provides both a level of support and guidance to bridge those gaps," said Kara Williams, WebMD Health Services Vice President, Coaching and Operations. "One of the great benefits of our program is a level of clinical behavioral support while participants are waiting to see an EAP or therapist. Mental health coaches can provide supportive services, suggestions for lifestyle improvement, mental health education, cognitive-behavioral coaching, and guidance for a participant to find the best-fit therapy for their concerns."

WebMD mental health coaches hold a master's degree in mental health and maintain additional certifications or licenses to support people who are high-risk in specific areas of emotional well-being and have advanced experience in the identification of mental health symptoms and treatment options. Stress specialist health coaches hold a bachelor's or master's degree in the areas of Psychology, Human Services, Counseling or Social Work, and maintain expertise and advanced training in stress management strategies.

WebMD's mental health coaching is integrated within the WebMD ONE well-being platform. Health coaching is a key part of our holistic approach to supporting an organization's comprehensive workplace well-being strategy. Mental health coaching is essential to demonstrating commitment to and promoting employee's mental health needs.

About WebMD Health Services
WebMD Health Services, a part of WebMD Health Corp., has over 25 years of experience driving positive behavior changes. Consumers trust WebMD for reliable, accurate, and clear answers to their most pressing health-related questions. At WebMD Health Services, we tap into these valuable consumer insights to design and implement successful, engaging solutions to help individuals meet their wellbeing needs. We understand that there are numerous paths to reach wellbeing goals. Our expertise, combined with a variety of third-party partner integrations, enables us to deliver unique and personalized experiences across a wide range of industries. See how we support these diverse populations at webmdhealthservices.com.

About WebMD Health Corp.
WebMD, an Internet Brands company, is at the heart of the digital health revolution that is transforming the health care experience for consumers, patients, health care professionals, employers, health plans, and health systems. Through public and private online portals, mobile platforms, and health-focused publications, WebMD delivers leading-edge content and digital services that enable and improve decision-making, support and motivate health actions, streamline and simplify the health care journey, and improve patient care.

The WebMD Health Network includes WebMD Health, Medscape, Jobson Healthcare Information, MediQuality, Frontline, Vitals Consumer Services, Aptus Health, Krames, PulsePoint, The Wellness Network, SanovaWorks, MedicineNet, eMedicineHealth, RxList, OnHealth, Medscape Education, and other owned WebMD sites. WebMD®, Medscape®, CME Circle®, Medpulse®, eMedicine®, MedicineNet®, theheart.org® and RxList® are among the trademarks of WebMD Health Corp. or its subsidiaries.

About Internet Brands
Internet Brands®, headquartered in El Segundo, Calif, is a fully integrated online media and software services company focused on four high-value vertical categories: Health, Automotive, Legal, and Home/Travel. The company's properties and platforms include the WebMD, Medscape, and Henry Schein ONE networks, which are the global leaders in their markets; Nolo, Avvo, and Martindale, which form the largest consumer information provider in the legal market; and CarsDirect, Fodor's Travel, and many others which are leaders in their key verticals such as auto, travel, and home.

Internet Brands' award-winning consumer websites lead their categories and serve more than 250 million monthly visitors, while a full range of web presence offerings has established deep, long-term relationships with SMB and enterprise clients. Internet Brands' powerful, proprietary operating platform provides the flexibility and scalability to fuel the company's continued growth. For more information, please visit www.internetbrands.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

SOURCE WebMD Health Services