Macquarie University: MindSpot celebrates 10 years of supporting Australia

In its first year of operation, it built a team of a dozen therapists and assisted 5,000 people. The team that has now grown to 100 members and affiliates, and it supports 35,000 people a year.

Executive Director Professor Nick Titov says the not-for-profit service had gone from strength to strength, becoming even more important and relevant during the pandemic.

“We saw demand increase by about 40 per cent due to the stresses of the pandemic and the reduction in some face-to-face offerings – and this demand has not dropped off as COVID-19 case numbers have eased,” Professor Titov says.

“More than ever in the past two years, we have demonstrated that online and telephone mental health treatment is safe, clinically effective, and can reduce barriers to care.

“We are extremely proud to have built a reputation as a world leader in this space, and we look forward to continuing to assist Australians through difficult times.”

MindSpot is known for its evidence-based, free mental health resources, including symptom assessments and the recently released Big Five, which was developed through extensive research and helps people identify key activities that contribute to good mental health.

In addition to individual treatment with qualified therapists, it also offers a number of online programs, such as the Wellbeing Course, which treats the symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The service has won a number of awards, and was recently recognised at the Australian Business Awards for its training to prepare psychologists to provide digital mental health care.