Digital mental health provider My Mirror says its 2025 review has produced findings that may have an impact on insurers.

Costs, time pressures and appointment availability are barriers to seeking support, according to the review.  

Four in five people with mental health conditions recognise the need to seek professional help, but about one in three cite lack of time as a constraint and almost one in five have delayed or avoided such support because of cost.

Online therapy is increasingly popular. Uptake of psychology sessions conducted remotely grew 60% compared with 2024.

Medicare accounted for 45% of sessions; third-party payer 35.03%; privately funded care 16.41%; and smaller funding pathways including workers’ compensation and insurance 3.31%.

My Mirror co-founder and CEO Joshua Liwszyc says for workers’ compensation and compulsory third party insurers, the review shows “digitally delivered psychology is no longer peripheral. It is now a mainstream access channel.”

A growing proportion of patients are accessing online sessions without a GP mental health treatment plan, rising to 42.1% last year from 34.9% in 2024.

“That suggests more Australians are entering care via employer programs, insurer arrangements or direct access, rather than solely through Medicare pathways,” Mr Liwszyc said.

“For insurers, this means online therapy is already embedded within the broader recovery ecosystem. The question is less whether digital care is relevant, and more how it is co-ordinated.”

He says online therapy is no silver bullet for rising mental injury claims, noting cost pressures in workers’ compensation and CTP schemes are linked to various factors such as workplace complexity.

But digital therapy services can help in other areas, such as making it easier for claimants to connect with the support they need quickly.

“Delays in access to psychological treatment cost insurers money, and it is well recognised in compensation that longer claim durations are associated with poorer outcomes.  

“Online therapy also means injured workers do not have to travel during work hours or take as much additional time off to attend treatment, which can reduce lost time and support fuller recovery while staying connected to work.”