THERAPY OF A DIFFERENT KIND: #PopupTherapy: TRANSPARENT DOMES - IN THE CENTRE OF FIFTH AVENUE

How awesome is this installation?! Confronting mental issues and the ‘stigma’ behind it by talking to a therapist – through texting – in a transparent setting, literally!

A young woman sits alone in a wooden armchair, in a transparent, inflatable igloo-shaped dome at the busy Manhattan intersection of Fifth Avenue and 23rd. She remains focused with an iPad in her hands, temporary oblivious to the city’s iconic sirens, cabs and pigeons flying by, and the people who stop to look and take snapshots with their smartphones. Little do those people realize that the woman is actually in the middle of a therapy session, texting with the Talkspace app, which offers digital, real-time mental health support from licensed therapists.

Betabeat’s Jordyn Taylor texts with a therapist at Talkspace’s #PopupTherapy event in Manhattan on Nov. 5. IMAGE: MASHABLE, CHRISTINA ASCAN

IMAGE: MASHABLE, CHRISTINA ASCAN

To raise awareness and inspire transparency (both literally and figuratively) in mental health care, Mashable‘s Matt Petronzio, talks to Talkspace’s cofounder, Roni Frank about this project:

She tells me that just a few months ago, a friend of hers committed suicide. He was 50 years old.

“For him, it was like, ‘I’m not going to admit that I have depression; that means I’m weak, that means I’m not normal, that means something’s not OK with me.’ It’s all bullshit,” she says, before quickly leaning in and apologizing for her language.

She clarifies that outlooks like that don’t make sense to her. When you have cancer, you don’t ignore it — why would you ignore depression, something treatable and manageable?

Then, she answers her own question: stigma. Every year, one in four American adults suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder — about 61.5 million people. The majority of those people — 60%, in fact — never seek treatment.

“That’s transparent,” Frank says, pointing to the clear domes. “It’s like, ‘Look, everyone! Hi! We all have issues, and there is something called mental health care.'”

Roni Frank, cofounder of Talkspace, at the #PopupTherapy event in Manhattan on Nov. 5. IMAGE: MASHABLE, CHRISTINA ASCANI

IMAGE: MASHABLE, CHRISTINA ASCANI

Through her own personal issues and problems which led to an expensive ($175 per session) and inconvenient experience, Frank earned a master’s degree in psychology and started Talkspace with her husband, Oren, in 2012. She wanted to “democratize psychotherapy,” make it more affordable and conducive to the way we talk to each other every day. Brilliant idea!

And what better way to achieve just that than with texting. As one participant said it best to a Talkspace staff: “It’s easier to write out my feelings, rather than when you’re sitting in a room with someone and it’s hard to explain things. This gives you time to think about what you want to say, and really think about what they’re saying.”

Everything is safe also as all messages are anonymous and encrypted thereby encouraging more people to open up without fearing privacy.

Each user begins with a free consultation, which typically lasts about 15 minutes. Few last longer — but could, even up to a day, according to Frank. One of Talkspace’s licensed therapists (approximately 100 are employed) assesses the user’s needs. He or she will pair the user with a specialist, for example, someone who specializes in eating disorders.

Then the user has the option to pay for text and/or video sessions weekly (at a rate of $49 per week), monthly (at a rate of $25 per week) or quarterly (at a rate of of $19 per week). Talkspace doesn’t currently accept insurance, but is, of course, much less expensive than traditional, in-person therapy.

IMAGE: MASHABLE, CHRISTINA ASCANI

So why the chosen area?

Frank chose the middle of the Flatiron District, (named after the Flatiron Building), because she wanted a busy intersection, where everyone could see how painless, easy and convenient it is to seek therapy.

IMAGE: MASHABLE, CHRISTINA ASCANI

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