A Pay Cut, a Privacy Gap, and a New Depression Tool

Each week brings new conversations about mental health, technology, and care. Between Sessions gathers what's worth your attention - so you can stay informed without adding to your workload.

WPS, a health insurer, acquired Mavida Health on June 16 - a virtual therapy and psychiatry platform specializing in women's reproductive mental health, covering PMDD, perimenopause, postpartum, and fertility.

👉 Why it matters: An insurer acquiring a specialty mental health platform signals a growing trend of insurance infrastructure moving directly into care delivery - worth watching as it shapes how and where clients can access covered specialty care.

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The Markup and American Community Media reported on June 16 that health systems using AI scribes in mental health settings often haven't shared details on recording storage or access with clinicians, leaving providers unable to fully explain this to patients during consent.

👉 Why it matters: A gentle nudge: if your practice uses an ambient scribe, it might be worth a quick check-in with your vendor on data storage and access, just so you have the full picture.

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A single-center RCT from Lund University published in Nature Medicine on June 12 found pramipexole - a dopamine agonist - significantly reduced anhedonia as an add-on therapy for depression, with improvements holding through a six-month follow-up.

👉 Why it matters: For clients whose depression has partially lifted but pleasure and motivation haven't, this gives prescribers a concrete, evidence-backed option to discuss.

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Talkspace launched Tee on June 9 - an AI support tool with HIPAA protections, risk detection for suicide and other crises, and licensed clinicians available to step in during high-risk conversations.

👉 Why it matters: Talkspace has built clinician oversight and risk escalation directly into the tool - a more structured approach than the general-purpose chatbots many clients are already using on their own.

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The APA's 2026 Annual Mental Health Poll found 71% of U.S. adults are anxious about the economy and 42% feel lonely at least once a week - up from 33% last year - with 48% saying they're more anxious than they were twelve months ago.

👉 Why it matters: Clients may be carrying economic stress and loneliness at the same time - two different clinical pictures that can look similar in session.

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Barbara Griswold, LMFT, breaks down Aetna's change affecting Alma-contracted therapists, updated this week: starting July 15, 53-minute sessions will be paid at the same rate as shorter ones, and reimbursement will no longer vary by degree type.

👉 Why it matters: If you see Aetna clients through Alma, this affects your per-session revenue in under three weeks - the post includes a financial breakdown and options for responding.

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The APA's June 16 guide on discussing AI use with clients is practical and clinician-facing, making the case that asking about chatbot use belongs in intake alongside questions about sleep and substance use.

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Crystal Jones, LMFT, joins Kym Tolson to talk through the burnout signs clinicians rationalize away, the toll of carrying clients' most private material, and how to build a practice that actually sustains you - including a somatic reset for between sessions.

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Staying current on all of this is part of how you protect what happens between you and your clients.

As always, thank you for your truly important work.

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This newsletter is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute clinical, legal, or regulatory guidance. Clinicians should rely on their professional judgment and applicable standards of care when integrating any technology into practice.