PODCAST: Episode 2 - Confronting institutional gaps: Investigating mental health policy and depression

Welcome to episode 2 of the Psychology Digest podcast.

We’re joined by Jaimie Bloch, Clinical Director and Founder of MindMovers Psychology, to discuss how current policies and public funding models are equipped to support depression treatment, and the prospects for short-term progress.

We discuss the ethos of MindMovers Psychology (0:45), Jaimie’s experience as a clinical psychologist and in depression treatment (1:34), bridging the gap between psychology, science and human understanding (2:10), how Australian depression rates compare to those in other Western countries, as well as in comparison to Eastern countries (3:49), depression rates among specific Australian demographics (7:42), impact of COVID-19 on depression rates and whether the pandemic has changed the perception of depressive mental health conditions (9:05), Australia’s mental health policy (11:27), whether telehealth and eHealth solutions can supplement face-to-face treatment (13:10), preventative versus reactive depression treatment approaches (14:02), the adequacy of Australia’s mental health funding (14:59), the impact of digital devices and social media on mental health (16:00), the research into digital dependency (17:47), the evolution of depression treatment and the importance of a holistic approach (19:24), and more.

Continue reading: Bringing certainty to the battle against depression