Beverly Wertheimer, PsyD, DMin, is a child and adolescent psychotherapist at Daybreak Health specializing in cognitive and meaning-centered therapies, an adjunct professor of psychology at Pepperdine University, and a certified life coach and CEO at BeWorthy.com. She is a published print columnist and was previously a TV anchor and reporter at ABC and NBC affiliates, CNN Turner Entertainment, and Entertainment Tonight.
Through this article, Beverly Wertheimer explores key insights and experiences from a professional at Daybreak Health, highlighting the impact of technological advancements on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and the strategies used to enhance accessibility, retention, and effectiveness in mental health care for young people.
Professional Journey and Key Experiences
As a mother of four, I deeply cherish young people and am committed to providing them with every opportunity to thrive through the challenges of adolescence. We all know that the mental health struggles of this age group have intensified in recent years, so the importance of treating many clients quickly and effectively with online services cannot be overstated. With its well-designed model that delivers quality, affordable, culturally competent, and youth-empowering care, Daybreak Health was an easy choice for me! Daybreak Health also has a well-deserved reputation for being a cool, supportive, friendly place to work, with exceptional supervision, training, and learning opportunities. Therapists who work here don’t want to leave – and that’s good for our clients too. It’s a gift to do work that brings families closer together and helps young people feel good about themselves. My clinical career also seamlessly complements my role as an adjunct professor of psychology, where I am privileged to educate the next generation of therapists about the importance and impact of supporting children, adolescents, and their families.
Significant Trends and Technological Advancements Impacting Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
One super exciting advancement is that Daybreak Health has therapists in numerous states, so we can take a talented clinician who may not be in the same region as a client and match them up. The telehealth platform is immensely conducive to pairing the most suitable, skilled therapist with a child and family. This is particularly impactful in more remote locations that may lack resources or clinicians with the right expertise or language abilities.
A skilled and well-trained therapist who actively and compassionately listens and hears their young clients can be transformative and enhance the important outcomes of CBT.
Overall, clinicians have become more and more comfortable and accepting of delivering therapy using an online format, and clinical outcomes across nearly all demographic groups using online therapy have been extremely strong – especially among the younger generation, which is very much at home on electronic devices. That said, there may still be some gaps in knowledge of how to adapt CBT procedures for remote sessions. Daybreak Health has been at the forefront of adapting procedures for online delivery, and all company training includes this vital component. More general research studies may be needed, but our survey feedback at Daybreak Health indicates that youth and family clients consider remote therapy to be convenient, private, and beneficial.
Challenges in Ensuring Accessibility and Delivery of Reliable CBT Programs
Daybreak Health is committed to accessible mental health treatment for all young people. Accessibility is deeply personal to our co-founder and CEO, Alex Alvarado, and is at the heart of our mission. Our commitment to delivering accessible, reliable CBT and other programs includes partnering with school districts to offer students access to teletherapy with highly qualified clinicians and ensuring that each teen receives personalized care tailored to their unique needs. Throughout our client’s journey with us, we maintain close communication with both families and school staff, providing regular updates and check-ins to monitor each student's progress. Our exceptional matching team plays a crucial role in this process, and we take pride in the fact that 90% of the students we serve report feeling matched with the right therapist. It's not easy, and it takes commitment and love for the mission, but Daybreak Health is dedicated to fostering an environment where every student feels seen, supported, and empowered to navigate their mental health journey.
Effective Strategies for Building Strong Retention in CBT Programs
Building strong retention in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) programs requires that clinicians are expertly trained in this evidence-based practice. Clinicians at Daybreak Health have access to myriad educational resources and in-house training, including a compulsory 12-week CBT training program targeted at youth. CBT is an excellent model for treating school-aged youth, as it works rapidly and results are measurable, so we see how quickly our clients experience significant symptom reduction. It’s also recommended as the first line of treatment for most psychological disorders in children and adolescents, including anxiety, depression, aggression, and insomnia, so it’s a great fit for our population. Adherence to CBT interventions is additionally enhanced at Daybreak Health because clinicians are supported with unlimited access to supervision, clinical chats to consult with experts in the field, and monthly clinical meetings that focus on enhancing treatment intervention, including our 12-week CBT model.
Advice for Professionals Adopting CBT Techniques
CBT teaches that it is the meaning that we give to events, rather than the events themselves, that cause distress. We teach clients that the situations as they exist are not unbearable, but the negative thoughts that shape their view and the subsequent feelings certainly can be. This is sometimes a bitter pill; therefore, it takes an attuned, caring, patient-therapist to walk clients through this hard truth. So, a key consideration is to first and foremost develop connection and trust with our clients and
meet them where they are. That is to say, honor their self-determination, validate their difficulties, and avoid judgment. This is especially important to young people who often feel like they have little control over their lives. A skilled and well-trained therapist who actively and compassionately listens and hears their young clients can be transformative and enhance the important outcomes of CBT.
