The Mental Health Evolution

Episode Description In this episode, Rachel speaks with Cathy Gilbert — Founder and Principal Consultant at CEG Health — about what's happening inside today's behavioral health systems from both the payer and provider perspectives. Earlier this year, Rachel and Cathy spoke about the Big Beautiful Bill , and that conversation opened up so many rich threads around contracting, payer relations, and s...

Episode Description In this solo episode, Rachel reviews the major mental health stories and trends she anticipates will shape 2026. Covering topics from the growing behavioral health market to hybrid human-AI care, policy developments, digital platform growth, affordability pressures, point-solution fatigue, and global workforce gaps, this episode provides a comprehensive overview of what to watc...

Episode Description In this special end-of-year episode of the Mental Health Evolution Podcast , Rachel looks back on some of her favorite moments from the first few months of the podcast's relaunch. Since September, the show has featured wide-ranging conversations about the evolving mental health landscape—from AI and technology to insurance reform, private equity, and value-based care. This epis...

Episode Description: In this episode, Rachel sits down with Dr. Scott Feers, Chief Medical Officer at Amae Health and a leading psychiatrist and neuroscientist, to explore the evolving landscape of severe mental illness (SMI) care. They discuss the innovative integration of technology, AI, and wearable devices into clinical practice to improve outcomes and prevent hospitalizations for individuals...

Episode Description: In this second part of her conversation with Josephine Wilton , Chief Strategy Officer at Hullanta Consulting, Rachel dives deeper into the complexities of value-based care. Josephine draws on decades of experience in managed care strategy, population health, and contract design to explore why these models often feel difficult to implement. This episode examines the operationa...

Episode Description: In this episode, Rachel sits down with Josephine Wilton, Principal Consultant at Hullanta Consulting, to dive deep into the operational realities of implementing value-based care. They discuss the challenges organizations face in aligning data, staff, and financial models, and how smaller practices and solo practitioners navigate these complex systems. Josephine shares actiona...

In this episode, Matthew Stone, assistant managing editor at Education Week, joins the Mental Health Evolution Podcast to discuss recent shifts in school mental health policy. Matthew shares insights on federal grant changes, the focus on school psychologists, and how districts are adapting to meet the growing mental health needs of students. He explains the evolution of funding programs, challeng...

Episode Summary For this week's episode, I was excited to welcome Dr. Dylan Ross, PhD, LMFT, LPCC , Head of Clinical at Blueprint AI and a nationally recognized leader in behavioral healthcare, clinical innovation, and measurement-based care. Dr. Ross brings a wealth of experience from his leadership roles at Optum, Rogers Behavioral Health, and Kaiser Permanente, where he shaped clinical strategy...

Episode Summary In this episode, Rachel talks to Dr. Jane Zhu , an internal medicine physician, health services researcher, and Associate Professor of Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Zhu's work focuses on how ownership and financial structures shape healthcare delivery and equity — an increasingly important lens as private equity investment grows in behavioral health. Rachel an...

What does it take to grow a mental health practice sustainably—without burning out the people who make it work? In this episode, host Rachel Harrison talks with Dan King , Co-Founder of Fireside Strategic , about how to align profitability with purpose in behavioral health. Dan shares lessons from years advising investors and business leaders on building organizations where clinicians thrive, cult...

Episode Recap In this episode, Rachel speaks with Becky DeGrossa, founder of CounselingWise, about the evolving landscape of mental health marketing. Becky shares her insights on how private practice therapists can leverage local marketing and AI to thrive, even in a market crowded with venture-backed platforms. She discusses practical strategies for mapping the client search journey, creating vis...

In this episode, Rachel talks with Deborah Steinberg, Senior Health Policy Attorney at the Legal Action Center, about the current state of mental health parity in the U.S. Deborah explains what parity means, why it matters, and how gaps in enforcement continue to affect patients and providers. They also discuss the recent HHS rule reversal and its impact on insurance coverage, including disparitie...

Episode Summary This week, we have a solo episode in which Rachel explores the mental health system through a  family systems lens . She examines how different players—including clients, providers, insurers, tech companies, and advocacy organizations—interact and influence access to care, reimbursement, and overall system outcomes. Listeners will gain insight into systemic disparities, the role of...

In this episode of  Mental Health Evolution , host Rachel Harrison sits down with Cathy Gilbert, a seasoned consultant and former insurance executive, to unpack how new and proposed health care policies are reshaping the future of mental health services. Cathy brings a wealth of expertise from her work in provider network development, operations, and policy analysis, offering both a big-picture pe...

In this episode, Rachel sits down with Uriah Guilford, licensed therapist, group practice owner, author of  The Productive Practice , and founder of Productive Therapist, to discuss how technology and AI are transforming private mental health practices. They explore practical strategies for integrating AI into both the clinical and business sides of therapy, while maintaining ethical care, client...

In this episode of The Mental Health Evolution Podcast, Rachel sits down with Dr. Jordan Harris to explore the rapidly evolving role of AI in therapy and mental health care. They discuss the ethical, practical, and professional implications of AI tools, including large language models and autonomous systems, and what therapists and clients need to know to navigate this shifting landscape. Jordan s...

In this episode of  The Mental Health Evolution Podcast , Rachel sits down with Dr. Ajita Robinson to explore the rapidly evolving role of AI in mental health care. They discuss the ethical, legal, and practical challenges of AI chatbots, the risks of unregulated technology, and what it means for both therapists and clients. Ajita shares her insights as a therapist, coach, and advocate, offering g...

In this episode, we explore the changing landscape of mental health, focusing on insurance trends, private practice growth, and the impact of tech and venture capital. Jeremy Zug shares his insights from over a decade in healthcare, helping mental health professionals optimize revenue and operational efficiency. Whether you're a clinician, practice owner, or industry observer, this conversation pr...

In this episode, Rachel Harrison highlights a local grassroots effort to address the evolving mental health landscape. The Real Change Initiative brings together local leaders in mental health to educate the community, advocate for ethical standards, and preserve the human connection in therapy. The conversation covers how technology is shaping care, the importance of licensed practitioners, and t...

Welcome to the new chapter of the Mental Health Evolution podcast. In this inaugural episode, host Rachel Harrison explores the rapid changes happening in the mental health industry. She discusses the impact of larger players entering the field, how insurance and tech companies are reshaping care, and what this means for consumers and providers alike. Drawing on lessons from the pharmaceutical ind...

In this final episode of 2024, Rachel reflects on an incredible year of The Mental Health Entrepreneur Podcast. From inspiring stories to innovative ideas, she highlights the episodes and conversations that left a lasting impact. She explores the evolving concept of mental wellness, showing how it extends far beyond traditional mental health care. Looking ahead, Rachel announces an exciting new ch...

Dr. Sujata Ives gives valuable insights into creating harmony in professional settings and understanding the intercultural movement. She discusses the importance of peaceful workplaces, adapting to different leadership styles, and the significant changes in work dynamics due to the pandemic. She also explains the benefits of remote work for work-life balance and advocates for non-verbal communicat...

Falyn Morningstar and Ian Morris share their transformative journeys from personal health struggles to becoming trailblazers in holistic healing. Falyn opens up about how her health challenges led her to Functional Diagnostic Nutrition, where she now helps others find balance through functional lab testing and personalized wellness plans. Ian recounts his path from baseball star to sound healing,...

Trigger warning: This episode contains brief mentions of teen trauma, sexual assault, and sexual abuse.   Chea Weltchek shares her journey of starting a nonprofit, Teens with Trauma, which provides free therapy to teenagers who have experienced trauma but cannot afford care. Chea talks about her background as a therapist, the challenges of running both a private practice and a nonprofit, and the i...

Dive into the transformative world of Qigong with trauma-informed trainer and breath coach Kathy Jankowski. Discover how chronic stress impacts your wellness journey and learn the pivotal role the nervous system plays in managing stress. Kathy shares how Qigong, a practice combining movement, regulated breathing, and visualization, can help balance the nervous system, foster emotional resilience,...