Monarch Editorial Guidelines and Process

High journalistic standards

At Monarch, we’re committed to creating and publishing mental health articles that are clear, honest, and actionable.

Here’s how we ensure we meet these standards:

• Our in-house editorial team carefully selects expert writers and contributors with demonstrated portfolios of quality work. Email us at content@meetmonarch.com, and you can also connect with our editor-in-chief on Twitter, @jessbeegood.

• The Monarch editorial team assigns, creates, edits, reviews, and publishes each piece of new content based on our high journalistic standards.

• Our mental health articles and landing pages are regularly reviewed for accuracy by licensed mental health professionals. Along with their knowledge in a variety of specialties, our expert reviewers bring an added perspective thanks to their experience in practice with clients.

Science-backed information from licensed experts and peer-reviewed studies

At Monarch, we’re aware the mental health journey is unique for each person, and we want each reader to find accurate answers to the questions on their mind. 

To help with this, all articles include science-backed information, and any claims are backed up with research and data.

We want to ensure everything we publish is accessible and understandable to our readers. For this reason, we rely on a proprietary style guide based on the Associated Press Stylebook and the APA.

Monarch's editorial policies are inspired by, and designed to comply with the high standards set by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and their Code of Ethics.

The mental health information provided on MeetMonarch.com is meant to support—and not to replace—the relationship between you and your existing physicians, therapists, or other health professionals. Our content is not a replacement for professional medical or therapeutic mental health diagnosis or treatment.

Always seek the advice of your physician or licensed therapist with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or mental health issue. Never disregard professional medical or mental health advice, or delay seeking it, because of something you've read on MeetMonarch.com.

Prioritizing diversity, empathy, and inclusion

You’ll notice that our voice is friendly and approachable. We aim to use respectful language that promotes inclusivity and compassion.

The Monarch editorial team makes intentional choices to avoid stigmas, stereotypes, and biases.

Here at Monarch, conscious language is an ongoing commitment. We regularly engage with practicing therapists and our SimplePractice Customer Success team to stay abreast of language trends within the mental health community.

Our writers and editors choose their words carefully with the goal of empowering readers like you.

Regular renovations to update the content library

Mental health information is constantly changing. There’s new research and terminology almost every day.

At Monarch, we continually audit, renovate and update our content library to ensure the articles are as up-to-date and accurate as possible.

We update our content via several ongoing processes:

• Regular audits. We perform regular content audits to update our existing articles to address changes in studies, language, and trends in health communities.

• Updates from reader feedback. We invite reader feedback on our content and take action to address any issues.