What’s typical in a mental health app?

Intellect is staffed by mostly coaches

3 precautions before using a mental health app

Gain insights into the usage of mental health apps, and whether or not to embrace them.

Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

Mental health applications have grown in popularity over the years, with more employers turning to such apps to help improve their employees’ mental well-being. 

They typically offer online guides and mental health information and can link users up with a counsellor or coach, if needed. 

But, just how useful are these apps? Who’s using the apps? And are they safe to use? To find out more, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks to Dr Oliver Suendermann, the clinical director of Intellect, a Singapore headquartered-company that has been growing speedily since it was founded in 2019. It has expanded into the region and now serves three million users.

Dr Suendermann, a permanent resident, sheds light on their users’ needs, what they offer - mostly coaches - and discusses what people can look out for before they use a mental health app.

Highlights (click/tap above):

0:38 What’s typical in a mental health app?

5:30 The Intellect mental health platform is staffed by mostly coaches, not psychologists

13:28 Three things to look out for before using a mental health app

Helplines

MENTAL WELL-BEING
•  Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours)
•  Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp)
•  Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
•  Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928
•  Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788
•  Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1
•  Women’s Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm)

COUNSELLING
•  TOUCHline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252
•  TOUCH Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555
•  Care Corner Counselling Centre: 6353-1180
•  Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366

ONLINE RESOURCES
•  moht.com.sg/mindline-sg
•  eC2.sg
•  tinklefriend.sg
•  chat.mentalhealth.sg
•  carey.carecorner.org.sg (for those aged 13 to 25)
•  limitless.sg/talk (for those aged 12 to 25)

Produced by: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Paxton Pang and Eden Soh

Edited by: Eden Soh

Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN

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SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (new): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#healthcheck

Gain insights into the usage of mental health apps, and whether or not to embrace them.
Synopsis: Every first and third Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.
Mental health applications have grown in popularity over the years, with more employers turning to such apps to help improve their employees’ mental well-being. 
They typically offer online guides and mental health information and can link users up with a counsellor or coach, if needed. 
But, just how useful are these apps? Who’s using the apps? And are they safe to use? To find out more, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks to Dr Oliver Suendermann, the clinical director of Intellect, a Singapore headquartered-company that has been growing speedily since it was founded in 2019. It has expanded into the region and now serves three million users.
Dr Suendermann, a permanent resident, sheds light on their users’ needs, what they offer - mostly coaches - and discusses what people can look out for before they use a mental health app.
Highlights (click/tap above):
0:38 What’s typical in a mental health app?
5:30 The Intellect mental health platform is staffed by mostly coaches, not psychologists
13:28 Three things to look out for before using a mental health app
Helplines MENTAL WELL-BEING •  Institute of Mental Health’s Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours) •  Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp) •  Singapore Association for Mental Health: <a href="tel:18002837019" data-stringify-link="tel:18002837019" data-sk="tooltip_parent">1800-283-7019</a> •  Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928 •  Tinkle Friend: <a href="tel:18002744788" data-stringify-link="tel:18002744788" data-sk="tooltip_parent">1800-274-4788</a> •  Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1 •  Women’s Helpline (Aware): <a href="tel:18007775555" data-stringify-link="tel:18007775555" data-sk="tooltip_parent">1800-777-5555</a> (weekdays, 10am to 6pm)
COUNSELLING •  TOUCHline (Counselling): <a href="tel:18003772252" data-stringify-link="tel:18003772252" data-sk="tooltip_parent">1800-377-2252</a> •  TOUCH Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555 •  Care Corner Counselling Centre: 6353-1180 •  Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366
ONLINE RESOURCES •  <a href="moht.com.sg/mindline-sg">moht.com.sg/mindline-sg</a> •  <a href="http://ec2.sg/" data-stringify-link="http://eC2.sg" data-sk="tooltip_parent">eC2.sg</a> •  <a href="http://tinklefriend.sg/" data-stringify-link="http://tinklefriend.sg" data-sk="tooltip_parent">tinklefriend.sg</a> •  <a href="http://chat.mentalhealth.sg/" data-stringify-link="http://chat.mentalhealth.sg" data-sk="tooltip_parent">chat.mentalhealth.sg</a> •  <a href="http://carey.carecorner.org.sg/" data-stringify-link="http://carey.carecorner.org.sg" data-sk="tooltip_parent">carey.carecorner.org.sg</a> (for those aged 13 to 25) •  <a href="http://limitless.sg/talk" data-stringify-link="http://limitless.sg/talk" data-sk="tooltip_parent">limitless.sg/talk</a> (for those aged 12 to 25)
Produced by: Joyce Teo (<a href="mailto:joyceteo@sph.com.sg">joyceteo@sph.com.sg</a>), Ernest Luis, Paxton Pang and Eden Soh
Edited by: Eden Soh
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaN"> https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/JWRX"> https://str.sg/JWRX</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaQ"> https://str.sg/JWaQ</a>
Google Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/J6Wv"> https://str.sg/J6Wv</a> 
SPH Awedio app:<a href="https://www.awedio.sg/"> https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Read Joyce Teo's stories:<a href="https://str.sg/JbxN"> https://str.sg/JbxN</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
COE Watch: <a href="https://str.sg/iTtE">https://str.sg/iTtE</a>
In Your Opinion:<a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt"> https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Asian Insider:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa7"> https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaN"> https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaf"> https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career:<a href="https://str.sg/wB2m"> https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
ST Sports Talk:<a href="https://str.sg/JWRE"> https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures:<a href="https://str.sg/JWad"> https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab:<a href="https://str.sg/w9TX"> https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
Discover ST Podcasts:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (new): <a href="https://str.sg/i44T">https://str.sg/i44T</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2"> https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuZn"> https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuZB"> https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps):<a href="https://str.sg/wuJa"> https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
---
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck

Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.

Podcaster: Joyce Teo

Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.
Podcaster: Joyce Teo
Produced &amp; edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

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