TherapyChat is now Therapyside: we’re changing to be closer to you

If all the people who go to therapy dare to look inwards, question themselves and redefine themselves… then why can’t we do that too?

That’s what we asked ourselves a few months ago at TherapyChat.  After seven years in which we’ve joined thousands of people on the path to better emotional well-being, we realised that it was our turn: the time had come to stop and openly reflect about who we are, who we want to be and how we can work to keep putting mental health at the centre of what we do. You can all see the result: now, we’re Therapyside.

Throughout our work, we’ve taken steps to keep improving the online therapy we offer, like adding new features to our platform or perfecting couple’s therapy. But we wanted to take this transformation further. We’ll tell you why!

Because we’ve changed a lot…

No one is the same person they were a year ago, five years ago, ten years ago, or even just a few months ago. That makes sense: our life experiences don’t necessarily define us, but they do leave their marks on us. They show us new aspects of reality and shape our perspective. In our case, we wanted to start a new chapter that would reflect this transformation – bringing together everything we’ve learned since we started – and recommit to our values of closeness, empathy and quality.

We needed to change how we communicate to connect better with all of you, be better listeners and understand what you need. We also needed to do that to show you our more human side. The online element is essential to what we do, but, on the other side of the screen, there are lots of flesh-and-blood people at Therapyside, who are driven by care for your emotional well-being.

… and the world has changed too.

In 2016, when we first started, the social perception surrounding mental health was much different. Online therapy was not as widespread as it is now, so we had to devote a lot of our efforts to explaining that therapy via video call can be just as effective as in-person therapy. Now, we’re much more comfortable with the remote world, and we use remote options for all sorts of activities, especially after the pandemic.

On top of that, mental health has gained ground in the conversation. It’s a topic we talk about more, which has helped reduce prejudice surrounding it. There have even been several cases of elite athletes who, despite being part of a highly competitive environment, have publicly recognised the importance of prioritising our emotions and stopping when we notice that something is off with us.

But, even as more and more people have normalised this situation, there are still lots of barriers that make it difficult or impossible for people to get psychological support. It might be shame about asking for help, or even financial reasons or a lack of knowledge.

Ultimately, stigma around mental health still persists and that’s why we have to keep working to get away from it, while remaining aware of what challenges we’re facing in the present moment.

And most of all: we want to help you

As people, we’re multifaceted. Every one of us is a whole world, and there are aspects of ourselves that can be hard for us to understand. That’s why, in our transformation, we want to encourage you all to know yourselves better and deeply engage with your emotions. In other words, explore your Therapyside.

We want to be closer to you than ever to help your more introspective side become a source of well-being and personal development. Because we know that change can be scary, but it’s also a chance for us to take a step forward, to heal and to grow.

We’ve grown because we want to be better prepared to help you all do the same. Will you join us?

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