SAN FRANCISCO, April 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Modern Health, a leading workplace mental health platform supporting 220+ enterprises globally, today announced the launch and expansion of its latest modality of care, Circles. Circles are live, provider-led group sessions – available to both Modern Health members and non-members alike – that provide a judgment-free space for individuals to learn, share, and find community on topics that impact their wellbeing. While Circles have been available in public beta since summer 2020, today the company officially launched this new modality as a fully integrated piece of the comprehensive Modern Health platform.

“At Modern Health, we're committed to delivering quick access to engaging and effective care for each individual, in the way that works best for their unique needs. While some people may not need or be ready to talk to a provider one-on-one, they may be interested in a group setting where they can learn and connect with others going through similar experiences. By offering Circles as an option, we're able to expand who we can reach and support – and provide employers with the ability to offer timely care to employees when they need it most,” said Myra Altman, PhD, VP of Clinical Care at Modern Health. “We are especially proud of our ability to respond to acute needs in the community as they happen, and provide people with the space and tools to cope with these events in a proactive and preventive manner. In just a few months, Circles has had a measurable impact on fostering community and de-stigmatizing mental health, especially in the workplace.”

Throughout its public beta, Modern Health saw immediate success with Circles. After one week, 88% of Circles were filled and 53% of registered attendees had signed up for more than one session. In just a few months, Circles have reached over 6,000 people through 250+ group sessions, across topics like Healing Racial Trauma, Building Resilience, Quieting Negative Thoughts, Parenting Stress, Coping with Isolation, Managing Stress and Burnout, Building Healthy Habits, and more. In addition, 44% of survey respondents stated that they would leverage Circles instead of 1:1 therapy. This insight is especially significant given the severe therapist deficit in the industry – more than 115 million Americans live in an area facing a shortage in mental health professionals.

Beyond extending care at scale, Circles has created safe spaces for connection, learning, and collective healing across diverse communities. Modern Health’s Circles program was originally created as a public resource at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has evolved to become a source of community healing for a number of social impact issues -- including Circles for Healing Black Communities, Coping with Political Anxiety, and Healing Asian Communities. Over 65% of Circles are curated and led by BIPOC providers within the Modern Health provider network, who specialize across these areas.

An attendee from a recent Healing Asian Communities Circles said, “Thank you for having a Circle for the Asian community to be able to come together and process. It is a safe space for individuals to participate without judgement and discuss mental health, especially when it is such a taboo subject within the Asian community. I felt like I was seen for the first time when I attended today's Circle, knowing that I am not alone in my emotions that have stemmed from past and present experiences.”

In the last few months, Modern Health has seen Circles become an indispensable source of support for customers, enabling employers to feel equipped to support their workforce on timely topics when they need it most.

“As the challenges of the past year continue to impact employees’ well-being, it’s more important than ever that companies are supporting the mental health of their workforces,” said Evangeline Mendiola, director of global benefits at Zendesk. “Modern Health has been a great resource for us at Zendesk, and we’re excited about the rollout of Circles which will allow us to further diversify our mental health offerings so employees can benefit from both individual and group support.”

Additional information about the rollout, content, and benefits of Circles:

Circles utilizes a variety of clinically-derived formats depending on the subject matter. Members can choose between three Circle formats -- Discussion, Workshop, or Listen & Learn -- based on whether they are looking to share & connect with others, put skills into practice, or just observe and learn.

All sessions are led by one of our network providers and will equip participants with skills and mechanisms to cope with and grow from the individual stressors they are experiencing; circles are not designed to provide group therapy.

Sessions cover a wide variety of topics aimed at creating and processing shared experiences, ranging from the Foundations of Mental Health and Reset for 2021 to the Power of Women and Healing Asian Communities.

Employers can request private Circles for their employees exclusively, with a range of topics, providers, and themes for an additional fee.

Circles are now available to book via the Modern Health app and website for members and non-members alike.

About Modern Health

Modern Health is the comprehensive mental wellness platform that combines the WHO well-being assessment, self-service wellness kits, and a global network of certified coaches and licensed therapists available in 35 languages, all available in a single app. Modern Health empowers employers to lead the charge in acknowledging that mental health is just as important as physical health, destigmatizing the conversation, and increasing accessibility of mental health services for all.

Founded in 2017, Modern Health incorporates evidence-based psychology principles and seamless technology to serve the needs of companies globally. Headquartered in San Francisco, Modern Health has raised more than $172 million from Founders Fund, Battery Ventures, Felicis Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Afore Capital, MGV, and 01 Advisors.

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