The Role of Wearable Devices in Therapy
At Healing Pathways, we recognize that mental health is a holistic process beyond therapy sessions. While we do not primarily focus on wearable technology, we acknowledge its potential as an additional support tool for clients already engaging.
This approach allows us to integrate objective biometric data with a client’s subjective experience—validating their insights and, when needed, offering different strategies for goal-setting, emotional regulation, and overall well-being.
How Can Wearable Data Be Used in Talk Therapy?
Concrete data from wearable devices can be a supplementary therapy tool, particularly for clients who track their sleep, activity levels, and other physiological metrics. Therapists can use this information to:
- Observe trends in sleep and activity over time.
- Support discussions about lifestyle factors like sleep quality, nutrition, and physical movement.
- Compare self-reported experiences with wearable insights to facilitate reflection and self-awareness.
- Encourage healthy goal-setting and behavioral adjustments.
A Client-Led Approach
Clients can share up to one week’s worth of data. After scheduling, you’ll receive an email with a form to complete, allowing you to provide any information you’d like your therapist to review before your session. This ensures your therapist has the insights in advance to discuss in session if applicable.
How It Works
If you’re interested in sharing your wearable data with your therapist, you can expect to focus on metrics like resting heart rate, heart rate variability, deep sleep, REM sleep, light sleep, daily movement, standing time, and more. Some of the devices we commonly work with include:
- Oura Ring: Provides insights into sleep patterns and activity trends through the Oura Share Report feature.
- Apple Watch: Tracks daily movement, heart rate, and activity levels through the Apple Health app.
- Whoop Band: Offers insights via the Health Monitor, though historical data is limited to daily metrics.
Pros and Cons of Integrating Wearable Data
Pros:
- Can provide objective insights into sleep and activity patterns.
- May support self-awareness and behavioral adjustments.
- Helps validate or challenge cognitive distortions in therapy (e.g., CBT thought challenging).
- Offers an additional tool for tracking progress alongside traditional therapy.
- Clients maintain full control over data sharing and integration.
Cons:
- Wearable data is not always accurate and should not be relied upon exclusively.
- While helpful, excessive focus on numbers may contribute to anxiety or perfectionist tendencies in some individuals.
- Not suitable for individuals with eating disorders or body image concerns.
- Can create unnecessary pressure to meet certain activity or sleep goals.
- Emotional well-being is multifaceted and cannot be captured solely through biometric metrics.
Ultimately, biometric data should be viewed as one of many tools that can aid self-awareness, but not as a defining measure of mental health progress.
Client Consent & Data Privacy
Before incorporating wearable data into therapy, clients will review and sign a consent form outlining the following:
- Client Control & Autonomy: Clients decide what data (if any) they share and can withdraw consent at any time.
- Non-Diagnostic Use: Wearable data is not used for medical diagnosis but rather as a supplementary tool for reflection.
- Confidentiality & Data Protection: All shared data remains confidential and is only used within the therapeutic process.
Conclusion
Integrating wearable technology into therapy is optional, allowing clients to decide whether these insights enhance their experience. While devices like the Oura Ring, Apple Watch, and WHOOP Band can offer useful data, they provide estimates rather than definitive truths. They should never replace self-awareness or professional judgment. Mental health is far more than just numbers—therapy remains focused on the emotional, psychological, and relational aspects of well-being.
Disclaimer
Integrating wearable data into therapy is optional and may not be suitable for everyone. While it can offer valuable insights, it does not replace professional judgment or self-awareness. Clients with a history of obsessive tendencies, eating disorders, or body image concerns should consider whether tracking metrics aligns with their current needs.
