Therapists can really add to your mental health woes if you can’t find one that takes your insurance or new clients. They are costly, and have a layer of sadness to them due to the fact that not many people can afford them. What ShareWell offers is an alternate peer-support model that is cheaper and potentially more helpful. If you’re in the same boat as someone else, ShareWell believes it may be able to offer some support, but definitely not advice!
ShareWell was founded by CeCe Cheng in order to provide peer support during difficult times. Peer support is a critical tool for individuals who are struggling, as it allows them to connect with others who understand their situation. Through ShareWell, Cheng was able to connect with other individuals who were going through similar experiences, which helped her tremendously in the emotionally abusive relationship she was in at the time.
Cheng believes that the key to combating isolation is through creating a platform where people can connect and share their experiences. She points to Alcoholics Anonymous as an example of a successful peer-based support group, which has helped millions of people overcome their addiction. Cheng believes that the same principles can be used to support other parts of people’s lives, such as battling loneliness. Her project, Loneliness Reduction Club, aims to create a community for people who are feeling lonely and isolated, by providing them with tools and resources that they can use to help them feel better connected in their lives.
The Sharewell session is currently in progress, and it is a very interesting experience to be part of. The participants are engaged in discussions and debates about the topics that have been chosen for the night, and it feels like they are all committed to learning
When Cheng began exploring online meetups for people with cancer, she was surprised to find very little information available. Many of the dead links and sparse descriptions made it feel like a dangerous activity, and Cheng wasn’t alone in her search. In recent years, online communities have become an essential part of social interaction for many people, but cancer sufferers have been left largely out in the cold. Cheng decided to create a subreddit specifically for cancer survivors and their friends and found that there was much interest in forming offline meetups as well. With both options available, every person with cancer can find the support they need to thrive – no matter where they are located or what resources are available to them.
Mental health crises are on the rise as a result of the pandemic, and there is a need for accessible and affordable mental health care. The company wants to offer an alternative that is both effective and affordable, by providing live human support. This service would help improve mental health conditions in those who need it the most, while also being accessible to all Americans.
TechGround says that its pre-seed round includes investments from Adrian Aoun, CEO and co-founder of Forward; Kyle Vogt, co-founder of Twitch and CEO and co-founder of Cruise; Russell Simmons, former CTO and co-founder of Yelp; Margo Georgiadis, former CEO of Ancestry.com; Charlie Cheever, former CTO and co-founder of Quora; Rob Hayes, first investor in Uber; and Quiet Capital. This indicates the growing interest in TechGround among entrepreneurs seeking to build innovative companies.
In the tech world, few companies can match the pedigree of Cheng’s latest venture. She comes from a long line of successful Silicon Valley investors, and before splitting off from her investor career and founding this company, she was at FirstRound Capital and Makers Fund. Her team is stacked with some of the top minds in tech, including CTO Jeff Austin, co-founder of Database Technologies; president Rajesh Jha from Clara Labs; as well as Salesforce alum Anjali Singh.
The company has put a lot of thought into the safety of its users, and has made sure to put in place measures to protect them from online dangers. These include a system that flags potential predators, as well as an opt-out feature that allows people to avoid certain content if they so choose.
The safety features of the video platform Cheng describes make it difficult for abusers to exert control over the conversations taking place on the site. Reports and flagging mechanisms help to keep bad actors in check, while users can rate hosts and sessions to ensure quality conversation remains a priority. The platform has thus far avoided any need for moderation or enforcement, defying many conventional methods of online safety.
The company’s special sauce is in how it thinks of the peer group system, and the accompanying rules. The key aspect is that you share your own experiences only, rather than giving advice to the other people on the call. This ensures that everyone has a chance to learn from their own mistakes and progresses as an individual instead of relying on someone else’s experience. Additionally, it encourages individuals to problem-solve together as a team, which ultimately leads to better results overall.
The ShareWell community guidelines state that peer support is the sharing of experience, not advice. This rule is important because it helps to keep the community feeling safe and comfortable. ShareWell also encourages hosts to provide training materials to newcomers so that everyone can do their best when facilitating sessions. As of now, there is no formal monitoring system in place for peer support, but this may change in the future as more people become involved in the community.
It seems as though the company is hoping that by discouraging employees from seeking professional help, they will be able to cover up any symptoms of mental illness or addiction. This is not acceptable, and employees should be able to seek the help they need if they find themselves in a difficult situation.
Peer support is an important tool for individuals who are struggling with mental health issues, but it is not the only option. In the future, ShareWell intends to offer additional resources beyond peer support, such as coaching and therapy. This would allow those who need assistance to connect with a qualified professional who can help them overcome their challenges.
