Most mental health strategies are designed around what happens after someone enters care—how many sessions they attend, which modality they’re routed to, and how utilization trends over time. But the most important moment often comes earlier than that.
It’s the moment an employee decides to reach out for help.
That first interaction is one of the most significant. It takes effort, vulnerability, and often courage to ask for help. Unfortunately, with many EAP models, it’s often treated as administrative. That critical moment is a gateway to something else rather than a commitment to care itself. Employees are assessed, triaged, or placed on a waitlist, with the real support promised later. But what happens if later never comes?
Research and real-world experience increasingly point to a hard truth: for many people, the first conversation is the only one they’ll have. If that moment isn’t clinically meaningful, the opportunity to help may be lost. The consequences can show up elsewhere, in prolonged distress, leaves of absence, lost productivity, or higher downstream medical costs.
That's where single-session interventions (SSIs) come in. Today, single-session interventions are reshaping how clinically appropriate, financially sustainable mental health care is delivered.
What is a single-session intervention?
A single-session intervention isn’t “one-and-done therapy,” and it isn’t a shortcut. Single-session interventions are built on the realistic assumption that many people will only seek help once, so the first interaction must be more than a pathway to something else. It must be clinically intentional.
That encounter might be:
- A live conversation with a licensed clinician
- A structured session with a coach or peer supporter
- A guided digital experience designed to stand on its own
What makes a single-session intervention effective is its purpose, rather than its length. Each session is built with the assumption that it might be the only chance to help, while still leaving the door open for additional care if needed.
As Dr. Jessica Schleider, one of the world’s leading researchers on single-session interventions, explains, these interventions are meant to “complement rather than compete with ongoing therapy.” They are designed to meet people exactly where they are, without assuming long-term engagement or perfect follow-through. That distinction matters, especially when we think about today’s workforce.
Why one session can work
The idea that a single session can make a difference runs counter to much of the traditional training clinical professionals receive. They're often taught that more is better. Fortunately, the evidence tells a different story.
A comprehensive umbrella review of the SSI literature examined more than 400 clinical trials across mental health conditions, age groups, and delivery models. The findings showed that 83% reported positive effects from single-session interventions. The vast majority of reviews showed meaningful positive outcomes, including reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms, and increased motivation to seek further support when appropriate.
In addition, these studies found that the average effect size of single-session intervention was comparable to what is often reported for multi-session therapy. In other words, while no single interaction can solve everything, a well-designed session can create durable, measurable change when clinically appropriate. This isn’t about replacing longer-term care. It’s about recognizing that impact doesn’t always require time—it requires timing.
“Often that first session is actually the last session,” Dr.Schleider notes. “The reality is one is the modal number of times someone who accesses treatment at all is likely to engage.”
Meeting people where they are
Research grounded in self-determination theory suggests that humans have three basic psychological needs: a sense of competence, autonomy, and relatedness. When those needs are activated—even briefly—people are more likely to cope effectively, regain hope, and take constructive next steps.
And that’s exactly what single-session interventions a redesigned to do. Rather than focusing on deficits or diagnoses, they help individuals recognize existing strengths, regain a sense of control, and feel genuinely supported in the moment. This strengths-based approach is the opposite of models that assume people lack skills and require prolonged intervention to function. Single-session interventions recognize that people come in with lived experience and help them build on the tools and strengths they already have.
As our Chief Operating Officer Dave Pawlowski puts it, the goal is to “deliver real clinical value right then and there—because sometimes you only get one shot.”
Why this matters for employers
We know that mental health is one of the fastest-growing drivers of leaves of absence and disability. Delayed or mismatched care often leads to escalation, like longer absences, higher medical spend, and greater disruption for teams and managers.
At the same time, over-medicalizing everyday stress comes with its own costs. If your EAP funnels everyone into therapy, utilization rises without a corresponding improvement in outcomes. Your budget becomes harder to defend, and leaders are left questioning the value of their investment.
Single-session interventions offer a different path. When clinically appropriate, they allow your organization to help resolve concerns early, build resilience, and guide people to additional care only when it’s truly needed.
“More care isn’t always better care,” Pawlowski explains. “Better care is better care.”
Where many EAP models fall short
Many EAPs are designed for multi-session therapy and don’t take into account both the value and necessity of single-session interventions.
Here are some of the most common gaps we see.
- Treating first contact as intake rather than intervention
- Immediate referrals without clinical grounding
- Delays that follow the initial request for help
- Measuring success by utilization instead of outcomes
These models assume your employees will just keep going—that they’ll push through any friction, uncertainty, or wait times. But that’s not reality. Many won't, and the cost of that drop-off will eventually show up elsewhere.
What happens when someone reaches out for help—and needs support right then?
When someone reaches out, that first conversation matters. Having a solution built to make that moment count can change outcomes. That’s why it’s essential to recognize that single-session interventions are not a trend or a way to try and limit support. They reflect a deeper shift toward care that is clinically appropriate, human-centered, and financially sustainable. They acknowledge how people actually engage with support and design for that reality.
Go deeper on single-session interventions
In our recent episode of Coffee with CuraLinc, Dr. Jessica Schleider shared more about how brief, evidence-based interventions expand access and improve outcomes while maintaining clinical quality and financial sustainability.
Watch the full conversation on single-session interventions →
FAQs
What are the benefits of a single-session intervention?
Single-session interventions assume the first contact may be the only time someone reaches out, so it must be meaningful. They are intentionally designed to elicit positive change in mental health or motivation for service-seeking outcomes within a single encounter. They also make care more accessible, unlike the more popular multi-session system, where 80% of youth and 50% of adults never get care at all because these are so inaccessible.
How do EAPs that offer single-session interventions better support employees?
EAPs that offer single-session interventions provide quick and convenient access to care that is intentionally designed to support someone the moment they reach out. The first point of contact does not assume someone will need multiple sessions. This ensures someone receives personalized, clinically appropriate care.
Do all EAPs offer single-session interventions?
No, not all EAPs offer single-session interventions. Traditional EAPs often do not have licensed clinicians answering the phone and, therefore, are not properly staffed to offer single-session interventions. This requires people to begin therapy before receiving any meaningful care. Many tech-forward EAPs route people to more care than their situation requires, increasing costs and dependency. With CuraLinc, the first step is always a clinical one: assessing the situation, clarifying the level of need, and determining the path that will deliver the most meaningful improvement. This approach ensures that we can distinguish everyday stress and short-term challenges from conditions that warrant structured treatment or more specialized support.
