A significant number of individuals face challenges with their mental health. According to Mind UK, one in four individuals will experience a mental health condition annually, and one in two will face such challenges over their lifetime. In any given week, for every 100 people in the UK, eight live with mixed anxiety and depression, six with generalised anxiety disorder, and three with depression. This translates to approximately 11.5 million people in the UK living with common mental health conditions at any time.
Demand for public mental health services far outstrips their capacity leaving millions without support. With the hope of lessening their suffering many turn to the ‘booming’ private sector, but there’s a big problem, the vast majority of people using either public or private services fail to achieve anything close to the goals and life outcomes they were so desperately hoping for, they continue to suffer and to lead lesser, more fearful, lives.
What is most concerning is that the widespread underperformance of mental health services, both public and private, is entirely preventable.
At the Lazarus Practice we have engineered out the root causes of underperformance so commonly found elsewhere
The ‘Wonky Foundations’ Problem:
Many providers fail to take required time, or lack the skills or interest required, to properly understand and pay attention to a client’s lived experiences and needs. Without sufficient understanding it’s impossible to know where or how to start meaningful work.
We dedicate the necessary time to thoroughly understand each client’s lived experiences, aspirations and motivations. Only with this profound understanding do we begin to craft a bespoke support Pathway in collaboration with our clients.
The ‘One Size Fits All’ Problem:
Many providers fail to recognise the multifaceted nature of good mental health (the physical, the psychological, the social, the relational) often defaulting to a single therapeutic modality (eg psychotherapy) which introduces significant risks from an outcomes perspective - research shows that more than 50% of people starting psychotherapy drop out before completing a program, most very quickly. Risks are further exacerbated by providers adopting a formulaic and impersonal ‘one size fits all’ approach to therapy.
We recognise that life-changing client outcomes are most effectively unlocked through highly personalised support Pathways that draw on appropriate evidence-based specialisms including psychotherapy, sleep, nutrition, physical exercise and applied relaxation or mindfulness. We also know that each client has a natural order as far as the introduction of these specialisms is concerned, and the best place to start will not necessarily be with psychotherapy. Where psychotherapy is recommended, we ensure the type of therapy is appropriate for the client’s lived experience and needs, is backed by good science and is safe. All of our Pathways are designed in close partnership with each client, every client retains agency.
The ‘Lack of Know-How’ Problem:
Following agreement of a support Pathway, of whatever quality, many providers then fail to ensure that they have the prerequisite knowledge, skills and experience required to provide the best possible, efficient and effective, support to their client. Many are well-intentioned generalists who for various reasons resist referring a client to a better-positioned specialist. Of most concern are providers who ‘improvise’ or peddle unproven or harmful therapy.
We employ only highly knowledgeable, skilled and very experienced specialists, all of whom are supported by expert supervision and work as a team that has deep collective knowledge. We are extremely diligent as far as the matching of clients with an appropriate Pathway team is concerned. Matching is also dynamic, as we work with a client and better understand their experiences and needs, we periodically review the Pathway team refining it as is appropriate.
The ‘Progress towards Outcomes’ problem:
Many providers fail to establish robust, empirical, lived experience baseline measures during their initial client intake, meaning that once whatever work is agreed begins there is no objective way of assessing the value of that work and the effectiveness of the Path being followed. Furthermore, many providers side-step periodic progress assessments entirely.
We, from our first contact with a client, pay great attention to establishing appropriate and robust measures against the Pathways we build and we routinely revisit these with our clients to assess progress being made, Where Pathway refinements are needed, we agree and implement these quickly. We want to ensure that every client Pathway is and continues to be the most effective one.
The ‘In it alone’ problem:
Many people find working on their mental health a lonely and daunting challenge, especially when it might be harder to think clearly and make appropriate connections. Most struggle to know where to start, even if looking for a specific type of support, never mind thinking about a multifaceted Pathway.
We are ‘human first’ and all of our team are skilled in building strong, compassionate relationships. Every client is supported by a named ‘Advocate’ who is focused on ensuring that they feel held, heard and fully supported from a psychoeducation perspective and who is laser - focused on ensuring the Client is travelling along the Pathway having the highest potential as far as attainment of their goals is concerned.
By addressing these prevalent challenges, the Lazarus Practice is not merely redefining care - it is establishing a new standard in mental health excellence.
To explore how The Lazarus Practice can tailor an exclusive mental health Pathway for you, book your complimentary Initial Assessment today.
