Spectrum.Life’s Dr. Emelina Ellis talks about how technology can bring mental health support to more people, the value of taking calculated risks, and creating an open working environment for your team. Let’s talk about how to build it.
While technology brings many benefits to society, there are also concerns about its impact on mental health.
Social media has been increasingly criticized in recent years due to its potential impact on young people. However, there are also reports that mental health issues can affect workers and that employers are not doing enough to prevent them.
But technology also offers opportunities to improve mental health, creating ways to quickly reach populations at scale. That’s according to Dr. Emelina Ellis, chief clinical operations officer at Irish mental health startup Spectrum Life.
“Technology is rapidly changing mental health support, with a primary focus on providing rapid access to care,” Ellis said. “We can provide immediate support and therapy sessions remotely, allowing individuals to access support from anywhere.”
Ellis also believes advances in AI could benefit mental health support by allowing for “even more personalized and rapid interventions.”
“Ultimately, the future impact of technology will be on the ability to quickly access personalized interventions and supports and ensure timely care for individuals in need.”
Managing risk
Ellis is a Chartered Counseling Psychologist and works in the development, service delivery and clinical governance of Spectrum.Life, which provides mental health and wellbeing support to over 2,000 organizations across Ireland and the UK. She also serves on the Employee Assistance Programs Association Board of Directors.
She spends her time supporting clinical practice, service level clinical governance and mental health teams working with service users. Ellis said she found her home at Spectrum.Life, “surrounded by like-minded people and clinicians,” and a platform that allows her to focus on “saving and changing lives every day.” said.
“As the mother of a neurodivergent son and working with neurodivergent colleagues, one of the key pillars of my work is ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background, has the support and resources they need to thrive. “It’s about having access to,” Ellis said.
“This includes advocating for the rights of neurodiverse individuals and promoting their journey towards self-awareness and access to appropriate care in order to fully develop and thrive in their education, work environments and communities. It includes doing.”
Ellis is used to taking risks in his leadership role, but said the biggest risk he has ever taken was inspiring countries to pursue their passion for psychology.
“It was a no-brainer, but I never regretted it,” she said. “In doing so, I not only found a new home, but also a place where I can express and act on my passion for saving and changing lives every day. I also have a community and a family that give to me every day. I’m very lucky to have found it.”
Ellis said that while risk-taking is “part of” the role of a leader, he believes “calculated risks” are essential to achieving ambitious goals, and that “taking careful risks” is essential to achieving ambitious goals. He added that the company will address risks with “accurate calculations and safety measures.”
“As a clinician and entrepreneur at heart, I understand the need to take risks to make a significant impact on people’s health and provide access to needed services,” said Ellis. said. “Through these calculated risks, we can push the boundaries of what is possible and truly transform healthcare for the better.”
Lead the mental health team
Mr Ellis said issues with mental health and medical services, such as long waiting lists and increased demand, could make it difficult for people to receive support “in a timely manner” due to location or availability of services. I think it means something.
“Children, young people and adults face long waiting lists to access support, with significant impacts on their mental health and the deterioration of the health of their families and communities,” Mr Ellis said. “We know that timely access to appropriate care is one of the most important factors in recovery, so we provide proactive support to help people access the care they need in a timely manner. is needed.”
In her role at Spectrum.Life, Ellis leads a team of more than 2,000 clinicians and oversees the conduct of more than 10,000 digital health consultations each month. This presents a double problem for Ellis. She must also manage the mental health of her own employees while leading a large team providing mental health support to her.
“We support the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers by providing resources for self-care, stress management, and virtual counseling services to reduce the risk of burnout and retain our workforce.” she said.
Ellis believes in leading by sharing to create the right environment for her team. He says that by speaking openly about his clinical experiences, he can encourage other clinicians to “discuss challenges and seek support.”
She also strives to foster an open environment so that her team can “fearlessly” discuss incidents and concerns and explain mistakes without judgment.
“One piece of advice that really resonated with me was to ‘embrace the real thing,’” she said. “In a dynamic and demanding field like healthcare, staying true to yourself is not only empowering, but essential to long-term success and fulfillment.
“A collaborative and inclusive approach where all team members feel valued and empowered to contribute their own insights and expertise by recognizing themselves as part of the team, rather than on top of it.” It fosters a positive environment that emphasizes the idea that leadership is not about hierarchy and authority, but rather about service and support.
“Actively seek input and feedback from your team members and understand that their perspectives are invaluable in driving innovation and excellence in patient care.”
Ellis also said that there are many books that have helped shape his approach as a leader, including Simon Sinek’s Leaders Eat Last, which provided “a deep insight into the importance of trust, empathy, and service-oriented leadership.” “Insight” stands out on the list. .
“Sinek’s exploration of the neuroscience behind effective leadership resonates deeply with my belief in the importance of serving with compassion and vulnerability as a leader,” Ellis said.
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