Automated Therapy

[Fino]

Hello, I made this and was hoping people could give me some suggestions on how to improve it:

Therapy by Alex

Thank you so much!

 

[Darkkin]

Once upon a time...I have (Grammatically speaking this doesn't work. You have both past and present tense feuding with each other.)

Going in a storyline format gives the structure a hero's journey feel that will appeal to users, but the tenses are not clicking. Something to consider. A typical day.

Anxiety came to say hello too early in the day. Depression, not to be out done, raised its clammy hand to remind me...

Your information is very good. User friendly and has good flow. With the grounding techniques have you considered bolding your strategy section titles. A visual cue would not go amiss especially in an online medium.

From a reader's standpoint, I'm an information muncher. I tend to binge the information, but with things that ask a reader to stop and center their thoughts that visual of a font shift is like a sign to an exit ramp. It cues the brain to slow day and pay attention.

Consider doing a section for each technique. Deep Breathing. Does this technique help, etc. The tap questions work well to pace the information. Challenge Thoughts. (Really good writing in this section by the way.) Control the flow rate a bit more because a large section of text can easily overwhelm the already overwhelmed.

It's a really nice interface.

 

[Tom]

Hello, I made this and was hoping people could give me some suggestions on how to improve it:

Therapy by Alex

Thank you so much!

I did the anxiety section. Wow. I really liked the many options/ideas presented and ability to keep going. The flow was quite good and it felt a bit like a actual interaction. Honestly I don't have any suggestions. This level of interaction, understanding, is beyond me. I just walk into (helpful) individual trees once in a while. Well done!

 

[Aspychata]

This is so helpful. What a great assistance. Thanks Fino/Alex.

 

[Homulilly]

Thanks for putting this together! Looks like you've spent a lot of time and effort.

So I tried I'm depressed--Because of my family--Constant conflict. The problem I'm noticing is that, the suggestions will only work in a family with receptive members. The moment you get other family members invalidating feelings and opinions, none of the advice would work. It might be helpful to also have some strategies to put up with family members like that and for self-care.

Also in a different strain I tried (can't remember which one), it said that I could go back to the beginning by clicking on the arrow on the top right corner. I was confused until I scrolled all the way up to the top and noticed the arrow there. I would recommend having an up arrow on the side to bring you to the top instantly like this forum. Or, you could have that "start again" arrow always floating on the top right when you scroll down.

I'm depressed--Because of my boyfriend/girlfriend--Feelings--Yes. The sentences before were using gender-neutral "they" pronouns, and then for the options to the question, it switched to just "he."

I like how you don't lose your progress even if you refresh the page on accident.

Maybe add more responses to just "okay." After clicking on "okay" for 5 times or so I feel a bit passive, but that could just be me. Maybe add things like I agree/disagree. For "I disagree" you could ask for reasons and add more information to the flowchart. But that would be a bunch of extra work lol.

 

[Aspychata]

For such a complex idea, you really did great. I was able to navigate and it felt one on one. Sometimes l have issues with my pill bottles, l want to try some of the suggestions but l am worried my pills may be swapped out for something else.

 

[tree]

I clicked Depression.

ack
Overwhelming quantity of text.

Feeling depressed is not a situation wherein I want
to be presented with a long list of anything.

I was anticipating a gentle lead in.
Short remark, then I'd click a choice, see another
short remark.

 

[Thinx]

My tablet can't handle it, all I get is the initial question and an advert for a game on steam featuring Arthur Pendragon. Have you thought of or are you working on this alongside a qualified and experienced therapist? This type of tool really needs some varied, research based qualified input.

 

[Fino]

Thank you for all the suggestions! Very helpful!

My tablet can't handle it, all I get is the initial question and an advert for a game on steam featuring Arthur Pendragon. Have you thought of or are you working on this alongside a qualified and experienced therapist? This type of tool really needs some varied, research based qualified input.

I'm sorry that it didn't work. I'm not sure if there's anything I can do about that. This is based on my own experience and research, mostly by my work in crisis counseling.

 

[Thinx]

Do you have a qualification in this area yet? You mentioned previously that you were asked to leave a therapist training as you were deemed too oblivious to continue? I know you disagreed with that assessment, have you joined or completed another qualifying training in which you receive supervised placements?

 

[Fino]

Do you have a qualification in this area yet? You mentioned previously that you were asked to leave a therapist training as you were deemed too oblivious to continue? I know you disagreed with that assessment, have you joined or completed another qualifying training in which you receive supervised placements?

Yes, I completed one year in another placement to replace that placement. This second placement went smoothly. I've since decided not to go full-time into the career of counseling and instead devote my time to crisis counseling, some freelance work, and piano teaching, which includes a surprising amount of counseling, especially with the teenagers. I'm hoping I can make enough money from this set-up that I can just continue as is indefinitely. I understand better why I was dismissed and believe I can apply what I've learned to future work. I feel more self-aware and observant, able to consider a wide range of potential situations at any given time. I was believe I was laser-focused initially and stuck in my own rigid ideology. If I could do it again, I believe I would do a much better job, but that's not necessarily what I want or what I don't want. It might sound silly, but the amount of paper work is a big minus for me.

 

[Thinx]

I see. So your previous training was music therapy, where you worked with pupils who were placed with you for music therapy? but now you teach music? I guess we'd be using the word 'counselling' a bit differently and more loosely though in that context, than in therapeutic counselling trainings.

When did you train in Crisis counselling? How would you define this type of counselling?

 

[Gerontius]

Automatic therapy. I hated it.

In regular therapy, I hate the part where you have to pay someone to interact with you. That really doesn't help with being depressed. In automatic therapy, I don't like the part how it goes directly to, basically, "deep breathing & have you tried medications?" I also don't like how it would end up cementing depressed people's resolve they sometimes have, that no one actually cares.

Now one caveat--Everything I say comes from a place of deep pessimism. I am impressed with your skills & such at building the project, and what seems like an intention of doing a good thing. I am not sure whether it'll do anything functional in the long run for a lot of people; kind of worries me to think that we now have a computer program that will give the same unhelpful answers as a lot of real therapists.

To accomplish a genuine cure or help, it takes a human element--least I think so.

 

[Fino]

I see. So your previous training was music therapy, where you worked with pupils who were placed with you for music therapy? but now you teach music? I guess we'd be using the word 'counselling' a bit differently and more loosely though in that context, than in therapeutic counselling trainings.

When did you train in Crisis counselling? How would you define this type of counselling?

Yes, I teach music and music therapy, many of them autistic children. It's not like counseling as much where there's a lot of conversation, but it's more like building skills using various techniques.

I studied crisis counseling briefly in school, and then again at this website, which is where I do it now: Crisis Text Line | Text HOME To 741741 free, 24/7 Crisis Counseling

A person texts in with a problem or set of problems and we work toward potential solutions and coping mechanisms that can help them long-term.

 

[Thinx]

I see. This crisis texting support looks like a worthwhile service. You've had a 30 hour training with them, then?

I was asking because I wondered what knowledge base and qualifications you have to feel you can understand how to provide automated therapy. My conclusion based on what you have said is, that whilst you seem to tick the boxes to be a supervised 4 hour a week volunteer for this Crisis texting service, this does not equate to being a qualified counsellor, and from what you say, you don't seem to have any qualification in this area, and may be unaware of a lot of ideas and research that would be highly relevant to designing such a tool.

The concern I would have therefore is that you do not seem to realise this could be a reason for either gaining further training and qualifications or deciding you are not expert enough to take on the project in terms of your qualifications and knowledge base in this area. My guess is that due to your lack of relevant knowledge and qualification to undertake such a project, the tool would not be of interest to any expert provider of services, and I wonder what you feel it is for? We may intend to help, but lack of knowledge and lack of self awareness in relation to the current level of our qualifications and training, can do serious harm.

 

[Fino]

I see. This crisis texting support looks like a worthwhile service. You've had a 30 hour training with them, then?

I was asking because I wondered what knowledge base and qualifications you have to feel you can understand how to provide automated therapy. My conclusion based on what you have said is, that whilst you seem to tick the boxes to be a supervised 4 hour a week volunteer for this Crisis texting service, this does not equate to being a qualified counsellor, and from what you say, you don't seem to have any qualification in this area, and may be unaware of a lot of ideas and research that would be highly relevant to designing such a tool.

The concern I would have therefore is that you do not seem to realise this could be a reason for either gaining further training and qualifications or deciding you are not expert enough to take on the project in terms of your qualifications and knowledge base in this area. My guess is that due to your lack of relevant knowledge and qualification to undertake such a project, the tool would not be of interest to any expert provider of services, and I wonder what you feel it is for? We may intend to help, but lack of knowledge and lack of self awareness in relation to the current level of our qualifications and training, can do serious harm.

Yeah, I've had the training. It was very helpful! And you have some interesting ideas that I'll definitely consider. Thank you!

 

[Thinx]

First, do no harm, as the popular medical ethics saying goes. And ethics are not just interesting ideas of course, but central to any helping endeavour.