Wave Life’s Coaching Model Delivers Clinically Significant Mental Health Gains, Not Just for Subclinical Presentations
New peer-reviewed research published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research Formative confirms that Wave Life’s coaching-first model drives rapid, measurable improvements in anxiety, depression, and stress, often within 30 days.
As the U.S. faces a growing behavioral health workforce shortage, Wave Life’s findings offer a compelling alternative: scalable, science-backed care that works. The study, co-authored by Dr. Alison Pickover, Director of Research at Wave Life, and Dr. Sarah Adler, Founder and CEO of Wave Life and Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University, evaluated outcomes among 64 adults who engaged with Wave’s digital coaching platform over a 30-day period.
Participants were divided into two groups: those who met weekly with a live Wave coach and those who used the app alone. Both groups improved, but individuals who engaged in coaching experienced faster and greater reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress, even among those starting with severe symptoms. Nearly half of all users showed measurable improvement on the DASS-21 clinical scale within a month, and 60% of those who completed weekly sessions achieved clinically significant gains.
“When you combine science, technology, and human connection, you can achieve outcomes on par or better, than traditional therapy, faster.”
— Dr. Sarah Adler, Founder and CEO of Wave Life
Coaching and Therapy, different approaches addressing some of the same problems
While coaching and therapy are distinct disciplines, both can help people feel better and reduce symptoms when grounded in structure, evidence, and accountability. Therapy involves diagnosis and treatment by licensed clinicians, often for complex or chronic conditions. Coaching, by contrast, focuses on building skills, understanding the mechanisms driving distress, and helping individuals take measurable steps toward change.
Wave’s model honors these distinctions while ensuring oversight, safety, and clinical integrity. All Wave coaches are nationally board-certified (NBHWC) and receive ongoing supervision from licensed clinical psychologists. When a member’s needs extend beyond the scope of coaching, Wave’s stepped-care framework enables seamless escalation to therapy within Wave’s clinician network or to trusted external partners.
“This study showed significant improvements in anxiety, depression, and stress, even for those with severe symptoms,” Adler said. “It validates that coaching, when grounded in evidence-based practice and continuous measurement, can deliver effective, scalable mental health care that drives real ROI for anyone.”
Licensure alone does not guarantee quality or outcomes. What matters is adherence to evidence-based methods, continuous measurement, and structured supervision—the foundations of Wave’s model. This approach allows coaching and therapy to complement one another, working together across the care spectrum to expand access while maintaining rigor and safety.
“The false dichotomy between subclinical and clinical care for coaches versus licensed providers is BS,” she said. “What matters is a deep understanding of the mechanisms driving distress and the use of structured, measurable interventions.”
A Transdiagnostic, Equitable Model
Wave’s transdiagnostic model targets the shared mechanisms behind mental health challenges, such as emotion dysregulation and avoidance, rather than treating only specific diagnoses. This mechanism-based approach helps deliver equitable care across diverse populations.
“Our outcomes were strong across age, race, and income level,” Adler noted. “Because we focus on underlying mechanisms and social determinants of health, our model helps remove bias from traditional psychotherapy and ensures that everyone can access effective care.”
Continuous Measurement and Human Connection
A key driver of Wave’s success is continuous measurement, which enables real-time personalization and accountability. Adler emphasized that while digital tools enhance accessibility, human connection remains central to recovery.
“Engagement with the app alone did predict improvement, but even greater results were achieved with the combination of the app and coaching,” she said. “Personalized care still relies on human connection and conceptualization, with technology serving as a support system.”
Scaling Safe, Evidence-Based Innovation
Wave’s model pairs human expertise with responsible AI, enabling scalable, continuous care without compromising safety or clinical rigor.
“We don’t move fast and break things when human lives are involved,” Adler emphasized. “Every innovation we bring, whether it’s a new coaching tool or AI feature, must first demonstrate clinical efficacy and safety.”
Redefining What Accessible, Effective Mental Health Care Looks Like
The JMIR Formative Research study offers empirical validation of what Wave Life was built to do: deliver clinically proven, human-centered mental health care at scale.
As Adler put it,
“This milestone proves that when science, technology, and empathy come together, we can make mental health care faster, fairer, and more effective for everyone.”
Learn more about Wave’s research and coaching model at wavelife.io. See the JMIR study here, and read the press release here.