Biography
Biography: Mag. Ruth-Pauline Wachter
Abstract
The economically active employees in Europa are nearly 225 million people (Eurostat, 2017). About one-third of this employees are affected by Burnout caused by prolonging work-related stress (EU-OSHA, 2012). Hence the costs for work-related stress including treatment costs, employer’s costs and economic damage amount four percent of the EU GDP (gross domestic profit) each year. Thus it is hardly surprising that the EU has increased their work on improving health, promoting health, and preventing mental illness. A lack of awareness, expertise, and research can be identified. Nevertheless, the available program is either time-consuming or inefficient. Due to the very high treatment cost and employers additional costs for absenteeism and the economic costs for the lost output, prevention programs need to affordable for organizations.
The Solution: A constantly high level of quality that does not cause higher costs than benefits was the vision for the Mental Health programs known under JagtheCoach. By combining the iCBT model with interventions and tools known from distance learning, an entirely new kind of Mental Health program could be created. The clients run a web-based program with video tutorials, case vignettes, weekly notes, online discussions, and one-to-one Skype counseling sessions to improve their wellbeing, self-effectiveness and lower their stress level. Individual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy meets Digitalization. Within twelve weeks clients change their unhealthy behavior in stressful situations and decrease situations of emotional exhaustion. The current program is focused on primary prevention only. Secondary prevention programs are planned for 2019.