In my almost twenty years working as a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), I’m working very differently now than I used to.

I can positively impact more people in less time.

That matters, because the current state of mental health support isn’t working as well as we need it to.

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The State of Mental Health Support

It’s a paradigm shift. One that is sorely needed:

• Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience a mental health condition each year
• More than half do not receive treatment
• There is a well-documented shortage of mental health practitioners
• Insurance coverage is often limited in both scope and duration
• And many people experience a persistent gap between what they learn and what they actually do in real life

We understand a lot about mental health.

But many people still struggle to translate that understanding into meaningful, sustained change.

I see this all the time.

Thoughtful, capable people who understand themselves…and still feel stuck when it comes to following through, making decisions, or changing patterns that matter to them.

I recently did a workshop on this (recording available until Wednesday).

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The Standard Mental Health Model

In grad school, we were taught to diagnose people and build a treatment plan.

The expectation was largely that insurance would receive a diagnostic code, authorize a limited number of sessions—often around 6–12—and that we would do our work within that time frame.

That’s the standard model.

Is it ideal? Often not.

Because change typically requires:

• Rapport between therapist and client to grow over time
• repetition
• practice between sessions
• and the ability to apply what’s learned in real life

Therapy can be incredibly helpful. But on its own, it often isn’t sufficient for building lasting skills and change.

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A Different Model Emerges

Back in 2018, I took my work online. My private practice near Seattle was consistently full with delightfully bright and quirky techies, and I wanted to be able to help more of them.

Because therapists can’t typically practice across state lines, I shifted into psychoeducation—teaching psychological concepts and skills rather than providing therapy.

Over time, something became clear:

Psychoeducation + skills training + practice + community are powerful, evidence-based ingredients for improving stress, resilience, relationships, and everyday functioning.

 

The research supports this:

• Skills-based approaches like CBT improve anxiety and depression outcomes
• Behavioral activation and habit formation support mood and motivation
• Deliberate practice is required for skill acquisition
• Social support is strongly associated with better health outcomes
• Psychoeducation increases self-efficacy, which supports follow-through

Taken together, this points to a shift:

People don’t just need insight. They need ongoing skill development and practice to thrive psychologically.

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What Does This Look Like?

The way my work has evolved looks more like a gym than therapy. It’s called the LifeLab.

A thought dawned on me while I was doing Onero—a weight-lifting program designed to improve bone density.

If my body could get continuously stronger through weight training, wouldn’t my mind work similarly?

What if I could deduce what exercises to do with the mind that we, as a community, could practice deliberately, to build stronger and more capable minds over time?

I call this psychological strength training.

And that’s what we do in the LifeLab.

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Continuous Care

It includes:

• psychoeducation
• skills training
• practice
• Peers and coaches in community

It’s also known as continuous care—an approach that focuses on building capacity over time, not just responding in moments of crisis.

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A Choice

You can work within the traditional mental health model and wait until you’re struggling or in crisis.

Or you can tend to, and strengthen, your mental health over time.

 

Sample Weekly Session in the ​LifeLab​:

For folks with significant mental health needs, 1:1 therapy is still recommended.

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Pills and Skills

In our instant-gratification culture, medications for anxiety, depression, and ADHD are an incredible and welcome advancement.

But almost always, we also need to build skills alongside them.

Skills like:

• managing anxious thinking
• organizing and planning
• navigating social situations
• regulating emotions in real time

For example, in a recent LifeLab workshop, we focused on ways to increase your probability of forming meaningful friendships through specific, learnable strategies.

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Learn by Doing

One of the key differences in this model is learning through doing, not just talking.

Because insight alone doesn’t change behavior.

Practice does.

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In Closing

I know it can be difficult to try something new.

But if you’ve been looking for a way to not just understand yourself—but actually make progress,  this is what we’re doing in the LifeLab.