The planned conference will combine lectures and workshops to allow participants to experience some of the creative techniques that we believe can also be transferred to mental health support via screens. The first lecture will be by psychologist Mari Skoge, who will present her findings from the research project "Behind the Screen: Therapists' Digital Practices." The next lecture, by Prof. Dr. mult. Hilarion Petzold from Germany, will focus on the effects of creative media in psychotherapy. Dr. Markus Böckle (Austria) will lecture on "Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy in the Digital Space." More information about the program will be available on www.integrativ-terapi.no soon: presentations are planned regarding the technical possibilities of the platform itself, as well as some important principles such as facilitation and data security. The themes from the conference will also be continued in a series of workshops throughout the following months.
The goal is to increase the competence of healthcare workers through the use of digital consultations in mental health work and substance use treatment. Despite the political will and optimism in the research literature, there is significant variation in the use of video within mental health care. Although the pandemic in 2020 resulted in a significant increase in digital follow-up from public services, a dramatic decline in video consultations was observed after the authorities lifted restrictions on social contact. Online healthcare is quick and easily accessible - even where geographical distances are large. Video consultations in services can save patients and providers travel time, lower the threshold for receiving healthcare, and strengthen the continuity of treatment.
Therefore, the government has a stated goal of using video as a format for all or parts of the treatment, which is essential to the digitalization of mental health care. Increased access and lower thresholds to mental health support align with the intention for more people to experience good mental health and quality of life. To strengthen a common professional platform and thereby make professionals more confident, we aim with this project to take a step towards establishing a continuing education program at a Norwegian university - a service that is currently not available.
