Expanding access to mental health through tech

MENTAL health is an increasingly unavoidable topic, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the ever-mounting complications and obligations of modern life where people struggle to balance their professional pursuits and personal lives.

After being a mental health caregiver for the past 20 years, and experiencing first-hand the vast gaps in the traditional mental health care system in Southeast Asia – where issues such as stigma, fragmented resources and the lack of affordability are still rampant – Joan Low decided to found ThoughtFull.

“ThoughtFull’s vision is to empower everyone to make mental health a priority every day by making access to end-to-end mental healthcare and resources seamless for all,” said Low.

“ThoughtFullChat is our platform solution that enables users to access personalised and integrated mental well-being resources on-demand regardless of where they are on their journey.”

Through the ThoughtFullChat app, users can connect with mental health professionals (counsellors, psychologists, or psychiatrists) that fit best with them for unlimited daily chats/therapy sessions. On average, these sessions can range from 10-15 minutes a day depending on both parties.

They can also use structured lessons, progress-tracking tools, hotlines, video therapy and even referral to psychiatrists (currently only available in Singapore).

“My journey to founding ThoughtFull was driven by the desire to solve problems that I myself, and those around me, were experiencing first-hand.

“Proactive engagement with one's holistic health is common in some countries, but preventive mental healthcare where it is a lifestyle choice and not a crisis intervention, is not yet universal practice in Asia.”

Before ThoughtFull, Low worked at JP Morgan, Hong Kong, where for six years she managed a portfolio of US$1.3 billion (RM5.9 billion) for clients across Asia. She has experience in finance and business journalism in Hong Kong, London, New York, and Paris.

Moving into the tech space, she is entering another industry that is very much male-dominated. According to the Singapore Business Review, in Southeast Asia, women-founded startups received between 0.3% to 0.6% of total venture capital funding in 2021.

Globally, only 28% of the tech workforce are women, though a 2020 study revealed that women account for 32% of the tech workforce in Southeast Asia.

“Naturally, it is still a challenge for female founders to get their equal share of voice and representation in the tech entrepreneurial landscape. It is not uncommon for female founders to have to work three times harder than our fellow counterparts in order to gain equal treatment.

“Believe it or not, these (finance) were also male-dominated industries and much of the challenges in equity are still ongoing today. These different chapters have equipped me with the commercial and organisational skill sets needed to build and scale a company,” she added.

Despite this Joan pushed through, partially finding inspiration in Grab co-founder and chief operating officer Tan Hooi Ling.

“I think the startup ecosystem can have many bells and whistles led by headlines but when it comes to results, it’s the planning, execution, and delivery that matters. Without her steering the engine, there would be no Grab as we know it today.”

While ThoughtFullChat is made for both men and women aged 20 and above, almost 70% of its users – who tend to be adult working professionals – are indeed women. Most of the issues they are concerned with range from work-family life balance, to navigating life changes (relationships, work, ageing), in addition to managing stress, anxiety, and depression.

“Mental health is a fundamental human state of being – regardless of men or women, we all have mental and physical health.

“That said, there are experiences that are unique to women, such as post-partum depression, menopausal-related mental health challenges, amongst others,” Low said.

As the demand for mental health continues to increase, more online options like ThoughtFullChat will likely emerge to fill in the gaps that traditional health systems are too overburdened to handle.

“Ultimately, our focus is to make mental healthcare accessible, affordable and seamless for all, and that includes developing new resources that will make the management of mental health as instinctive as possible for our users,” Low added.

ThoughtFull operates in Singapore and Malaysia, but has users in 43 countries. The app – which can be found on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store– is available in 11 languages: English, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia, Simple Chinese, Traditional Chinese (Taiwan), Traditional Chinese/Cantonese (HK), Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Korean. – The Vibes, March 8, 2023