Mental health in the workplace is a complex topic – you’re bound to have questions! Find answers here, or contact us anytime.

What is Starling Minds?

Starling Minds is a leading online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) program that improves mental health and wellbeing. We work with progressive organizations so they can offer confidential online mental health training for employees and their family members. With a proven track record, the Starling Minds program improves the quality of those who use it, boosts productivity, reduces stress, and reduces absenteeism/presenteeism costs.

What is CBT?

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is a form of evidence-based treatment that helps people understand how their thoughts, behaviors, and physiology affect how they feel. CBT views mental health management as a skill that can be learned, improved and strengthened similar to physical fitness. CBT teaches basic concepts about mental health and views training exercises as paramount to mastering skills that break negative behavior patterns, regulate emotions, and balance thoughts.

Is there proof that CBT works?

Yes, CBT is considered to be the leading evidence-based form of treatment for many mental health issues including stress, anxiety, and depression. Thousands of studies have demonstrated its effectiveness and have been published in peer-reviewed medical, psychological, and academic journals. Many organizations including the National Institute of Mental Health and the Canadian/American/Australian Psychological/Psychiatric Associations view CBT as the ‘gold standard’ for psychological treatment.

Who uses Starling Minds?

Starling Minds is currently used by employees and family members who work for organizations that have purchased a subscription. Starling was first designed for teachers, principals, and vice-principals to help them manage their mental health and offer better mental health education for students. That was back in 2013 and today, Starling has advanced to serve people from all professional backgrounds.

Is Starling Minds private and secure?

At Starling Minds, we understand that there is still stigma surrounding mental health. We are diligently committed to keeping all member information confidential. Other than usernames and email addresses, we do not collect any personal information about users. Each user is given an anonymous ID number so they can feel more comfortable interacting with other members as their personal details are strictly private. Your organization receives status reports, but they are merely general summaries of how your members are doing as a whole. Organizations who use Starling Minds appreciate this data as it helps to be proactive in efforts that improve mental health and wellbeing at work.

Starling Minds was developed in Vancouver, BC, Canada and all data is stored locally in Vancouver. Find more information in our Privacy Policy.

Can anyone else see what I enter on Starling?

No. Your personal information is encrypted so what ever you enter cannot be traced back to you. When you register, you can review the terms and conditions for your organization.

What are the symptoms of depression?

Depression is a mental health condition where people experience a decline in their mood, motivation, and engagement in life. It can be accompanied by significant changes in appetite, sleep problems, concentration problems, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, or suicidal thoughts/attempts. A diagnosis of depression is warranted if a person has experienced a sufficient number of symptoms for a set amount of time and a clear decline in at least one area of real-world functioning (i.e. emotional, occupational, relationships, household, finances, personal grooming, hobbies).

What are the symptoms of anxiety?

There are many different types of anxiety including panic attacks, social anxiety, and generalized anxiety. The most common is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD is when people worrying excessively and are unable to control it. Typically, people with generalized anxiety have difficulties delegating tasks to others, look for a lot of information, become indecisive, look for reassurance, overprotect others, and procrastinate. Similar to a diagnosis of depression, there must be a sufficient number of symptoms and a decline in functioning for a set amount of time in order to warrant a diagnosis.

Can I use this program while taking medication or seeing a psychologist?

Yes – Starling is an educational program that is based in Cognitive Behavior Therapy. It is a helpful tool to use alongside medication and/or therapy.

What browsers are supported?

All major browsers are supported including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, Opera.

Got More Questions?

Haven’t answered all your questions, reach out to us at info@starlingminds.com.