Season 3 Episode 5: "The Changing Landscape of Mental Health Services" - Mark Olfson, MD, MPH

In this episode, Bruce sits down with Dr. Mark Olfson, one of the leading experts on mental health services in the United States, to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped both the prevalence of mental disorders and the delivery of psychotherapy. Dr. Olfson, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University, discusses how rates of depression and anxiety surged during the pandemic and how telehealth transformed access to care across the country.

The conversation highlights that, contrary to early hopes, teletherapy has not reduced inequities as expected. Instead, virtual care has been adopted mostly by younger, urban, and higher-income individuals, while many older adults, rural residents, and lower-income populations continue to face barriers such as limited connectivity and privacy concerns. Bruce and Mark also examine how shifts in the mental-health workforce and short-term treatment models have influenced who receives care and the quality of that care.

The episode concludes with a look toward the future of psychotherapy and the growing influence of technology — from digital apps to AI-assisted tools. While innovation holds promise, both experts emphasize that the human connection at the heart of psychotherapy remains essential to healing.

Dr. Mark Olfson, MD, MPH, is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University and Psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Dr. Bruce Wampold, PhD, is Emeritus Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and author of The Great Psychotherapy Debate: The Evidence for What Makes Psychotherapy Work.