Headspace’s Care team is made up of a group of passionate mental health coaches, therapists, and psychiatrists – all working as one, in a team-based, multidisciplinary care model to support our members along their mental health journeys. Behind this team – ensuring that we provide cost-effective, quality mental healthcare for every Headspace member – is Dr. Jenna Glover, Headspace’s new Chief Clinical Officer. After spending the past year as our VP of Care Services, Jenna is stepping into an expanded role overseeing Headspace’s care delivery. As she takes on this next chapter, we sat down with Jenna to learn more about what excites her about Headspace’s future; where the Headspace Care team is headed; and her favorite ways to care for her mind.

Jenna, what are you most excited about in taking on this new, expanded role?

I’m most excited about some big updates we’re making to our care model:

1. Rolling out scheduled mental health coaching – We have led the industry with our coaching model and will continue to do so as we evolve into an updated, structured coaching format. Our goal is to improve the predictability of who you will receive care from, along with providing better care to our members throughout our coaching network – and ultimately enhancing the member and coach experience. Members will now have one lead coach that they connect with during scheduled sessions, and for in-the-moment needs, they will continue to have 24/7 access to on-demand coaching.
2. Training our providers on the Unified Protocol – In tandem, our therapy providers will be training on the Unified Protocol (UP), which is a transdiagnostic treatment with proven outcomes for the most common mental health conditions. It focuses on providing a member with the skills to effectively regulate and redefine their relationship with their emotions, rather than focusing on just a diagnosis. For example, it can be overwhelming and sometimes even discouraging to be told you have multiple disorders, rather than being given concrete tools on how to manage the emotional distress you are experiencing. Equipping people with skills to effectively cope with dysregulation and distress leads to our members feeling better, faster. 
3. Personalizing care pathways – Third, we will be focused on delivering precision medicine, by providing personal care pathways to help better direct members to the right level of care at the right time. This enhancement supports an individualized and easy onboarding experience, ensuring care is accessible and practical for whatever needs the member may have at that moment in time. This will allow our providers to better supplement the care experience with content recommendations that support skills development and growth between sessions and provide comprehensive support to members throughout their care journey.

The digital mental healthcare industry is evolving rapidly. What areas do you think hold the most potential for the industry?

I am incredibly excited to be part of the next era of mental healthcare delivery through the integration of supportive AI tools. At Headspace, our core belief and entire business model is anchored in human-led and human-focused care — we know that the connection our members have via live conversations with our care providers through chat, video or in-person is irreplaceable. That said, I believe AI will serve as an integral support tool for providers, specifically in streamlining their workflows and reducing administrative burden. Additionally, AI has the potential to be instrumental in facilitating an efficient onboarding experience and enhancing the usability and impact of our content library via dynamic, hyper-personalized in-the-moment recommendations.

Before joining Headspace, you worked at the Children's Hospital Colorado. Can you share a little bit about what led to your transition from the hospital setting to the digital mental health world?

Although I loved working in a hospital setting, one of the most challenging parts of the job was witnessing how difficult it was for people to access mental health services. We had individuals in acute crisis staying in emergency rooms for 2-3 days because there were no places available for treatment. We had a waitlist for outpatient therapy services that was 6-7 months long. Without being able to offer treatment at the right time, the volume of people experiencing crisis situations was rapidly increasing. I knew this situation wasn’t unique to one hospital system, but a symptom of a larger problem: traditional mental health services needed to be transformed. 

When I first learned about Headspace’s model, I knew I had found an organization that was creating an accessible, engaging and innovative mental healthcare system. I was blown away by the dynamic and delightful quality of the content offered; the access to care provided through our coaching model; and how, together, these offerings integrated into a system that included evidence-based, culturally responsive, clinical services. 

Ultimately I made the transition because I saw the potential that digital mental health – and specifically Headspace – has to transform our mental healthcare systems.

You are the executive sponsor of PrideSpace, an employee resource group at Headspace. Can you tell us more about that group and your role in sponsoring it?

PrideSpace’s mission is to create a space for LGBTQIA+ employees and allies to provide career growth, psychological safety for LGBTQIA+ employees, and promote competent care for LGBTQIA+ members. As executive sponsor, I have helped support our incredible chairs, Ryan Tabura, Director of Member Care and Advocacy, and Josh Webber, Senior Demand Generation Manager, to celebrate and increase visibility of LGBTQIA+ people and issues that impact our community. Over the past year, we have increased engagement across the organization and are now focused on enhancing community connection and advocating for benefits that best support the unique needs of our community members. 

You joined Radio Headspace as a recent guest host to speak about the concept of “radical acceptance.” What advice would you give to folks hoping to bring this concept into their day-to-day lives in the workplace?

Radical acceptance is the ability to fully accept reality as it is at this moment, and is one of the most powerful skills of resilience I have found in my own life and have seen firsthand in helping reduce the suffering and pain in the lives of those I have worked with clinically. In general, when faced with a problem, we can 1) fix it, 2) make it worse, or 3) radically accept it.

Radical acceptance is most easily practiced through finding a mantra that works for you. For me, it’s “right now, it is like this” and repeating that over and over again when faced with a situation that is challenging me, but can’t be changed.

Radical acceptance is something we have to choose again and again, and, as with any skill, starting small is the best way to foster growth. Try practicing radical acceptance when you are stuck in a line that isn’t moving as fast as you want. From there, you can challenge yourself to use it on bigger and more challenging obstacles, such as dealing with a co-worker who has a different work style than you, or a boss who makes a decision you don’t agree with (and can’t change). Acknowledge and validate the difficult emotion, remind yourself “right now, it is like this,” and then find clarity in what you can control – now that you have accepted what you can’t change at that moment.

What is one way you are supporting your team in prioritizing wellness this year? 

We are excited to be partnering with one of our in-house meditation and teaching experts, Eve Lewis Prieto, to offer a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program to our care providers. MBSR has demonstrated results in reducing stress, strengthening resilience, and improving wellness. Our providers provide vital life-changing and life-saving work, and at the same time, the toll of this work comes with risk of burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress. We are committed to addressing these occupational hazards and supporting the professional longevity of our providers. 

Additionally, we will focus on the importance of our team, or “pod,” structures, ensuring our providers have consistent touch points for connection and community; dedicated and regular case consultation groups; and most importantly, spaces for celebration and fun. 

What's your number one priority for Headspace’s Care team over the next year?

Support and improve our providers’ experience. There are a number of ways I’m focused on doing this: 

• Making enhancements to our proprietary care platform to streamline work and reduce administrative time;
• Identifying leadership development opportunities for our team members and expanding career trajectory options by leveling roles for therapists and developing an incentive program for our coaching team; and 
• Rolling out new structures and supports to better allow our providers to spend the majority of their time planning, discussing, and delivering outstanding mental healthcare.

Aside from Headspace, what app do you use the most?

I am a foodie at heart, so I spend a good deal of time on Yelp. I delight in a weekend brunch – and I have had many fun adventures with my wife and kids visiting nearby cities in search of the perfect cinnamon roll! Given that I work remotely, I also follow coffee shop collections on Yelp and always enjoy finding a cozy, locally owned option where I can settle in and get some work done while enjoying a chai latte. 

What’s one thing about your daily routine that might surprise people?

I make dinner daily for my family – this routine allows me to disconnect from work and fully immerse myself in being present at home. Each Friday, I take 30 minutes to plan meals for the week and try to integrate one new recipe into our menu every few weeks to keep things interesting and push me to expand my cooking skills. 

Show us a photo that describes how you care for your mind.

Being outdoors and sharing my love of the mountains and hiking with my kids is one of the most important ways I care for my mind and one of the reasons I feel so grateful to live in Colorado.