Dr Emelina Ellis, chief clinical operations officer of Spectrum.Life
Dr Emelina Ellis of Spectrum.Life discusses how tech can bring mental health support to more people, the value of taking calculated risks and how she creates an open work environment for her team.
While technology brings various benefits to society, there are also concerns that it can have an impact on mental health.
Social media has been criticised more heavily in recent years for its potential impact on younger people. Meanwhile, there are reports that mental health issues can impact workforces and that not enough is being done by employers.
But technology also presents opportunities for boosting mental health, creating ways to quickly reach people at scale. That’s according to Dr Emelina Ellis, chief clinical operations officer of the Irish mental health start-up Spectrum.Life.
“Technology is rapidly transforming mental health support, primarily focusing on providing quick access to care,” Ellis said. “We are able to offer immediate support and therapy sessions remotely, enabling individuals to access help from anywhere.”
Ellis believes that advancements in AI will improve mental health supports, by enabling “further personalised and prompt interventions”.
“Ultimately, technology’s future impact lies in its ability to provide quick access to personalised interventions and support, ensuring timely care for individuals in need.”
Managing risk
Ellis is a chartered counselling psychologist and works on the development, service delivery and clinical governance of Spectrum.Life, which provides mental health and wellbeing support to more than 2,000 organisations across Ireland and the UK. Ellis is also a member of the board of the Employee Assistance Programme Association.
She splits her time between clinical practice, service-level clinical governance and supporting the mental health teams who work with service users. Ellis said she found her home in Spectrum.Life as she was “surrounded by likeminded individuals and clinicians” and found a platform to focus on “saving and changing lives on a daily basis”.
“As a mother of a neurodivergent son and working with neurodivergent colleagues, one of the key pillars of my work is ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background has access to the support and resources they need to thrive,” Ellis said.
“This includes championing the rights of neurodivergent individuals and facilitating their journey towards self-identification and access to appropriate care to fully flourish and thrive in their education, work environment and community.”
Ellis said she is used to risk within leadership roles, but that the biggest risk she ever took was moving countries to pursue her passion for psychology.
“It was a leap of faith, but one that I never regretted,” she said. “In doing so, I found not just a new home, but also a place where I could voice and act on my passion for saving and changing lives daily. I also found a community and a family that gives to me daily, and I am so lucky.”
Ellis said taking risks is “part and parcel” of a leadership role, but added that she approaches risks with “careful calculation and safety measures”, believing that “calculated risks” are essential to achieve ambitious goals.
“Being both a clinician and an entrepreneur at heart, I understand the necessity of taking risks to make a significant impact on people’s health and provide them with the access they need to essential services,” Ellis said. “It’s through these calculated risks that we can push the boundaries of what’s possible and truly revolutionise healthcare for the better.”
Leading a mental health team
Ellis said that issues in mental health and healthcare services – such as long waiting lists and growing demand – means people can struggle to get support in a “timely manner”.
“Children, young people and adults face long waiting lists to access support, significantly impacting the deterioration of their mental health and the health of their family members and community,” Ellis said. “Proactive support needs to be provided, with timely access to the care people require, as we know that timely access to appropriate care is one of the most significant contributing factors to recovery.”
In her role with Spectrum.Life, Ellis is leading a team of more than 2,000 clinicians and overseeing the delivery of more than 10,000 monthly digital health consultations. This presents a dual issue for Ellis – while she leads a massive team in providing mental health support, she also has to manage the mental health of her own workforce.
“We support the mental health and wellbeing of our healthcare workforce with resources for self-care, stress management and virtual counselling services to mitigate burnout risks and retain talent,” she said.
To create the right environment for her team, Ellis believes in leading by sharing, as she says openly discussing her clinical experiences can encourage other clinicians to “discuss challenges and seek support”.
She also tries to foster an open environment so her team can discuss cases and concerns “without fear” and explain mistakes without judgement.
“One piece of advice that has profoundly resonated with me is to ‘embrace authenticity’,” she said. “In a field as dynamic and demanding as healthcare, staying true to oneself is not only empowering but also essential for long-term success and fulfilment.
“Acknowledging that I am part of a team, rather than above it, fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment where every team member feels valued and empowered to contribute their unique insights and expertise. It emphasises the idea that leadership is not about hierarchy or authority but rather about service and support.
“Actively seek input and feedback from team members, knowing that their perspectives are invaluable in driving innovation and excellence in patient care.”
Ellis also said that there are many books that have helped shape her approach as a leader, with Simon Sinek’s Leaders Eat Last standing out among the list for its “profound insights into the importance of trust, empathy and service-oriented leadership”.
“Sinek’s exploration of the neuroscience behind effective leadership resonates deeply with my belief in the significance of serving compassionately and vulnerably as a leader.”
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