The recent COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of individuals social life and its negative consequences on Canadian public health go far beyond the direct overload of the hospital care system. Self-isolation and financial uncertainty can significantly deteriorate individuals' mental health, which is only going to aggravate with prolonged physical distancing strategies. Adding to this is the personal and public trauma of lost lives and soon there will be an unprecedented epidemic of mental health problems with crushing effects on the public health sector and economy. To meet this huge new demand for an already strained health system, there is a need for innovative new approaches that significantly expand the capacity of care delivery. While it may not be possible in the short term to increase the number of mental healthcare providers or the number of hours they work, improving their time spent efficiently might be the solution. Virtual care and online delivery of psychotherapy, shown to be clinically effective, efficient and cost-effective, might be the perfect solution to address the high demand faced now. The investigators aim to establish the first academic online psychotherapy clinic to manage mental health problems secondary to COVID-19. The goal is to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of treating COVID-19 related mental health issues in this clinic, offering a 10-week, diagnosis-specific, online psychotherapy program. The investigators will use the Online Psychotherapy Tool (OPTT), a secure cloud-based digital mental health platform, developed by the PI, Dr. Alavi. Potentially, this method of care delivery could increase care capacity by four-folds. The findings from this project have the potential to influence clinical practice and policy and increase accessibility to care during COVID-19 pandemic, without sacrificing the quality of care.
Age range
18 Years – 65 Years
Sex
ALL
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The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Change in Stress
Timeframe: Baseline, week 6, week 12
Change in Resilience
Timeframe: Baseline, week 6, week 12
Change in Quality of Life Assessment
Timeframe: Baseline, week 6, week 12
Change in Symptom Severity - 1
Timeframe: Baseline, week 6, week 12
Change in Symptom Severity - 2
Timeframe: Baseline, week 6, week 12
Change in Symptom Severity - 3
Timeframe: Baseline, week 6, week 12