The 167-Hour Gap in Mental Health

Today is World Mental Health Day, a day when organizations around the globe acknowledge the importance of mental health and wellbeing. But acknowledgment without action is just noise.

Every week, millions of parents sit in therapy for fifty minutes, take notes, nod with hope, and walk out resolved to do better. Then life resumes. School mornings, bedtime routines, homework battles, everyday questions. An hour of guidance followed by 167 trying to remember, improvise, or simply cope.

That’s the 167-hour gap in mental health. The space between what families learn and what they can actually live. It’s where progress stalls, not because parents don’t care, but because support ends when the session does.

A Quiet Evening

After dinner, Danielle sits at the kitchen table scrolling through notes from therapy.

Last week, the therapist explained “time-in,” a gentler alternative to time-out. She meant to practice, but now can’t quite recall how it’s supposed to sound. She hesitates, second-guesses herself, and the moment passes. Another week goes by, and nothing really changes.

Now imagine the same moment, but this time, instead of scrolling through halfway notes, she simply asks, “When do I use time-in instead of time-out?” A calm, conversational guide walks her through an example: what to say, what tone to use, how to follow through. She practices it once aloud. Twice. It feels natural.

The next morning, when her son hesitates before getting ready for school, she tries it. He responds. It works.

Nothing dramatic. No crisis averted. Just a small win that moves the week forward and a parent who finally feels equipped, not confused.

That’s how it should feel. That’s how it should work. That’s what closing the 167-hour gap is, help that’s tailored to each family, each mom, each dad, each kid. Not on our terms, but on theirs.

Humans + Tech = Better Care

Parente was built on a simple belief, care shouldn’t stop when the session ends. Not humans versus tech. Not tech replacing the irreplaceable. Instead, technology that amplifies what clinicians do best, creating a force multiplier that extends expert care beyond the limits of weekly appointments.

We’ve spoken with hundreds of professionals, and they all say the same thing: “Fifty minutes isn’t enough.” “Every week feels like going back to square one.” It reminds me of learning a song on the piano. If you always start from the beginning, you never master the hard part.

Therapy works the same way. Progress depends on what happens between sessions. Our technology ensures parents keep practicing the right part of the song until it sticks, so when they return, they can focus on mastering the craft itself.

We created Parente so families can ask endless questions without judgment, revisit lessons on their own schedule, and reflect after tough days. They arrive at the next session focused, prepared, and ready for higher-yield work with their therapist. The human time becomes sharper, more effective, and more deeply personal.

After over 12 months of building technology with a fantastic team, forging partnerships with visionary professionals, and serving hundreds of families, I can tell you THIS WORKS.

96% of parents improved their relationship with their child.

95% made measurable progress on the issues that worried them most.

These aren’t engagement metrics, hours of therapy delivered, or sessions booked. They represent change. They quantify fewer tears. They make us accountable. They are proof that when support is continued and tailored, families move faster and further.

Why Does It Matter

A mentor of mine used to say, “Outcomes equal outcomes. Nothing else equals outcomes.” Families can’t wait for a system that focuses on the wrong metrics. And we won’t wait either.

When humans can focus on doing their best work, and technology makes learning, reflection, and practice continuous, therapy finally works the way families live - every day.

That’s the vision my friend and co-founder, Dr. Eduardo Bunge, has championed throughout his career, and the future our team at Parente is building each day, turning the 167-hour gap from a barrier into an engine for change.

We're building more than a mental health platform. We're creating a movement. We are relentlessly shaping the future we want to live in, where no parent has to face their kids’ behavioral health challenges alone.

A Parting Plea

If you are a mental health professional or institution focused on the well-being of families, we want to hear from you. We can’t do this alone. parentehealth.com/partners

To every brave parent spending sleepless nights wondering if you are doing enough. To those of us quietly fearing we are failing our kids. Those isolating yourselves while trying to push through alone. I’ve seen it happen again and again. Grim, worried faces turning into hopeful smiles. Testimonial after testimonial confirming what we’ve known for decades, when parents have the right tools, the right support, and the right guidance, kids can thrive again.

Join us!

Juan Dellarroquelle is CEO of Parente. Connect with Juan on LinkedIn or reach out at juan@parentehealth.com