A company called Trusst has figured out a way to expand access to mental healthcare just when the world needs it the most. The scary reality is that things have already been getting so much worse before this even hit. For instance, our guests today tell me that 80% of college-age students feel the effects of stress on a daily basis, and unfortunately, only 7% of parents are aware of the challenges their own kids have. I can add, just anecdotally from my own experience and from what I’ve heard from friends, that finding a therapist or especially a psychiatrist is very difficult because the demand is so high and the supply is so low. In this episode I talk with Bill Hudenko, adjust assistant professor of psychiatry at Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine and the founder and CEO of Trusst, as well as Zoe Snow, the Product Manager at Trusst. They are not just working on a better way, but have actually gotten it out there in the world and are now providing a new mental healthcare experience and solution to thousands.

Guests on this episode

Bill Hudenko

Bill Hudenko, Ph.D. has significant experience in the fields of both mental health and technology. Dr. Hudenko is a licensed psychologist, a researcher, and a professor who holds a joint appointment as a faculty member at Dartmouth's Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine.  His research focuses on the use of technology to improve mental health delivery and patient outcomes.  Dr. Hudenko is also an experienced web designer who has served as a software engineer and database administrator for the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and has designed and implemented websites for numerous other organizations.  Dr. Hudenko is currently the CEO of Voi Inc., a company dedicated to reducing suicide rates through the implementation of technology and artificial intelligence.  He is also the President and co-founder of Trusst Health Inc., a startup company devoted to providing high quality, affordable remote psychotherapy via messaging.

Dr. Hudenko is the former CEO of Incente, LLC.  Prior to his work at Dartmouth, Dr. Hudenko was a professor at both Ithaca College and Cornell University. Dr. Hudenko has broad expertise in clinical psychology with an emphasis in child psychopathology and family systems.

Dr. Hudenko received his BA from the University of Michigan, his PhD in Clinical Psychology from Vanderbilt University, and his PostDoc from Dartmouth College.  He has a wife and two young girls (5 & 7) and lives in Lyme, NH.

Zoe Snow

Zoe first began working with Dr. Bill Hudenko while completing her undergraduate degree in psychology at Dartmouth College. Under Bill's supervision, Zoe conducted research into the intersection of mobile technology and therapy as a research assistant. After graduating from Dartmouth, Zoe continued work in the field of psychology and behavior change while working at a behavioral economics-focused management consulting firm in New York City. Last year, Zoe left consulting to work full-time with Trusst as its second full-time employee. Now a Product Manager at Trusst, Zoe has combined her abiding interests in psychology, social entrepreneurship, and technology to build a platform that breaks down barriers to mental health treatment through messaging-based therapy.