Alma

We are thrilled to announce that Brooklyn Workforce Innovations (BWI) has recognized Alma as one of its Outstanding Employers at the 2024 Heroes and Innovators Spring Celebration. BWI’s programs empower unemployed and low-income New Yorkers to build careers through comprehensive job training. Our collaboration with BWI has been pivotal in launching numerous careers in tech through the KindWork program. In 2023 alone, we proudly hired 17 BWI graduates, contributing to the program’s continuous growth and success. This partnership has been tremendously helpful to Alma while allowing us to contribute to BWI’s mission and impact.

Fortune named Alma the Most Comprehensive Online Therapy Platform, stating: “We especially love that Alma allows you to diligently filter your results to find a therapist you can connect with. You can filter by identity, including gender identity, sexual orientation, race, and more. This makes it easy for BIPOC or LGBTQ+ individuals to connect with a therapist who shares their identity. Research shows that identity-matching may improve therapeutic outcomes.” Read more here: https://lnkd.in/esSwx67j

We're honored to announce that Inc. Magazine has named Alma as one of #IncBestWorkplaces of 2024 for the third consecutive year! "We care deeply about normalizing mental health and creating an environment for our employees that makes people feel comfortable showing up as their authentic selves. Our company has a 'time out' policy that allows people to take two additional paid days off per year (and expense therapy sessions) to take time to process during traumatic events. The company designed its benefits to support employee wellness, and we offer a $1,400 annual stipend for therapy as well as an expanded family leave policy of 16 weeks for all new parents." Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eTMH4WnU

As Father's Day approaches, we know that not everyone has the kind of relationship with their father that can be easily captured in a standard greeting card. If you've gone "no contact" or "low contact" with a parent to protect your mental health, we know that this requires courage. That's why, if you have complex feelings about this holiday, we want you to know that you are seen, understood, and, yes, celebrated. To that end, we'd like to share with you a personal essay written by our very own Sam Dylan Finch. Sam's experience as an LGBTQ+ adult who chose estrangement will likely resonate with any adult who has made the difficult decision to choose themselves, especially in a culture that emphasizes that family is everything. Sam writes, "I know that the ways in which my parents couldn’t love me are only a reflection of the ways in which they couldn’t love themselves. That’s a deep suffering I’ve known, too — and while I cannot free my parents or anyone else from that pain, I can do everything within my power now to free myself." The journey to liberate oneself after trauma is lifelong, but we think Sam's words offer a glimpse of what the path to self-love might look like. Read the essay below, and if you feel called to, leave a supportive comment for those who might be feeling alone on this holiday. https://lnkd.in/eEQaybgb

21Ninety named Alma one of the best sites for Black women to find a new therapist who understands them and practices culturally affirming care. The article highlighted Alma’s user-friendly interface, which allows users to browse profiles and schedule appointments easily. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e72g-TdW

We’re excited to announce AI-supported progress notes as part of our custom-built EHR offering for mental health providers. Designed with extensive feedback from therapists and in partnership with Upheal, this HIPAA-compliant tech enables therapists to reduce the time spent writing progress notes by 50% on average. This allows providers to be more fully present with clients in session, personalize treatment plans, and ultimately improve client outcomes. Alma member Dr. Alexis Mercado, LMFT, shared that “the ability to automate progress notes has changed my entire practice, taking away the stress and pressure I felt to get my notes done within 24 hours and giving me time back to focus on my own wellbeing. I’m able to be more present in the room with my clients and forge a deeper connection, allowing us to talk about the big issues and create a plan forward together. I view Note Assist as a useful first draft, giving me a jumping-off point and allowing me to remain in control of my practice.” Alma’s AI-supported progress notes offering, Note Assist, is currently available to a limited number of providers and will be available for all providers in our network later this year. If you are a licensed provider interested in joining our beta program for Note Assist, we encourage you to join our waitlist here: https://lnkd.in/g4NM8eF9 You can read more about the news here: https://lnkd.in/gamuznkb

"Should I come out to my clients?" 💭 What considerations do clinicians take into account when choosing whether or not to disclose their sexuality with their clients? Head to the Alma blog for one POV: https://lnkd.in/eX-vpmV3

Many clinicians struggle with feelings of burnout, especially as the demand for mental health care continues to rise. Learn more and hear from three clinicians who've experienced burnout, as well as their advice for alleviating it. https://lnkd.in/gfMVsQay

In a recent interview with Fierce Healthcare, Alma founder and CEO Dr. Harry Ritter discussed the origin of the company's name. He emphasized the importance of selecting a name that embodied humanism, ultimately choosing "Alma." Read more here: https://lnkd.in/egD7BATh

Professionals who perform emotional labor for an extended period of time are more vulnerable to emotional exhaustion. And due to the nature of their job, emotional exhaustion is a common issue for many clinicians working to provide mental health care to their clientele. Read more about identifying and managing burnout as a clinician here: https://lnkd.in/eXEBB_7A