Clinical psychologist launches human-led

Finding mental health support is often harder than asking for it, according to clinical psychologist Dr Patapia Tzotzoli. She argues the current landscape of apps, directories, and independent practitioners creates an obstacle course for those already anxious or in crisis.

Dr Tzotzoli, an HCPC-registered clinical psychologist trained at King's College London, has spent over 20 years working in UK mental health. She founded My Triage Network (MTN) after repeatedly observing a fragmented system where good practitioners and suitable clients struggled to find each other. Her solution is an expert-led triage and matching service that acts as a human compass.

The problem with digital fixes

Dr Tzotzoli states the core issue is not a lack of options but a lack of coherent guidance. She is critical of many current solutions. "Much of what claims to fix access to care today is still just filtering," she told Psychologies magazine. She highlights algorithms, chatbots, and unqualified staff making guesses, noting these lack clinical decision-making and professional accountability.

The result is an impossible navigation task for individuals, referrers, and organisations. MTN positions itself as the needed guide and the intelligence behind that guidance.

Human judgement versus algorithms

The service differentiates itself from therapist-matching apps and directories by relying on clinical expertise. Dr Tzotzoli personally conducts the triage for every person. She explains that while an algorithm can sort by postcode, price, and availability, it cannot interpret subtle cues or make nuanced clinical judgements about therapeutic fit.

This hands-on approach assesses the required therapeutic approach, the practitioner's style, and the necessary level of expertise. Dr Tzotzoli describes it as a premium standard of matching built on years of training.

Who uses the triage network

MTN is designed for a broad range of users seeking to handle mental health services. Clients include individuals, couples, and families approaching the service directly. It also serves third-party referrers such as solicitors, case managers, and other mental health professionals. Businesses use it to find swift, appropriate support for employees.

On the provider side, MTN works with a vetted network of practitioners. These include psychologists, psychotherapists, and counsellors, plus allied professionals like psychiatrists, nutritionists, and health coaches. Dr Tzotzoli knows these practitioners personally and professionally, having built trusted relationships over years.

Building a supportive ecosystem

Dr Tzotzoli describes MTN not as a platform but as an ecosystem. In an ecosystem, every practitioner is connected through a central point-herself. This allows a client's journey to be guided seamlessly rather than involving a handoff into uncertainty.

This structure enables the quick assembly of a multidisciplinary team around a client when needed. Dr Tzotzoli holds the map of the network, preventing clients from having to become experts in a confusing system. It also facilitates smooth transitions if a client needs to move from one practitioner to another, avoiding disruption to their care.

Dr Tzotzoli offers a clear message to those struggling to find help. "It isn't a failure of effort on your part," she says. She asserts the system is genuinely complicated and people should not have to solve it alone before receiving help. Her role is to provide the best possible recommendation from the start, eliminating a trial-and-error process.

My Triage Network offers two triage pathways. The free option provides Dr Tzotzoli's personal review and recommendations for those not in a rush. The Priority Triage Consultation offers faster turnaround, a one-to-one consultation, and priority introductions for complex, unclear, or time-sensitive situations.