October is mental health awareness month, and it's the best time for us to introduce these three platforms that can help anyone who is struggling to prioritize this health aspect.
These are free, confidential, and helpful platforms that you can easily access on your phone or in your laptop. Feel free to share these with your loved ones, because mental health is as important as physical health. The Philippines still has a long way to go to eliminate the stigma on mental health, and normalize seeking psychological support.
3 mental health apps for happy, healthy Filipino families
1. Beacon
What is it: Beacon is a mental health platform for Filipino families. It specializes in maternal mental health.
Who is it for: For moms
How to access it: visit Beacon.ph website
Kate Delos Reyes, a mom of two and founder of Beacon said, this platform hopes to finally put the spotlight on moms who are struggling with their mental health.
"We’ve seen good progress in mental healthcare in the past 2-3 years. However, these are mostly in the corporate, youth, and LGBTQIA+ populations. Maternal mental health is crucially important and yet nobody is taking care of moms. As a mother myself who has benefited from years of therapy, I want other moms to be supported in their mental health and parenting needs," Kate said.
Beacon offers individual and group therapy, couple and family counseling, psychological assessments, breastfeeding and lifestyle consultation. Moms, especially new mothers, may also take a postpartum depression test on their website.
"At Beacon, we are transparent about the profile and pricing of our experts. That way, customers can choose their own therapist based on their needs and budget," Kate explained.
Beacon also has a peer support group chat on Telegram app, where one can connect with other mothers.
Kate stressed, it's important for mothers to care for their mental health, "Well mothers mother well. Research shows that mothers who take care of their mental well-being have children who are more securely attached and who grow well cognitively, behaviorally, and socially. When we take care of ourselves, we take care of our children, too."
2. Kaibigan chat line
What is it: Kaibigan Chatline is a mental health support service, where teens can connect with adolescent volunteers who were trained on providing psychosocial support.
Who is it for: Teens
How to access it: send a message to Kaibigan chat line Facebook page or via Messenger
In an interview with Annie Gail Shayne Dionio, one of the volunteers of Kaibigan chat line, she said that her personal experience of lacking psychosocial support as a teen prompted her to share her time, "We underwent a three-day seminar training with a registered psychometrician by the Department of Health (DOH)."
Annie has been volunteering for a year, and she feels fulfilled to have helped her fellow youth in their mental health struggles, "Yung adolescents talaga ay nahihiya na mag-open up because parang natatakot sila na baka gamitin yung info na 'yun against them."
"Ang ganda sa feeling na nakakatulong ako in a way, even in a small way," Annie said.
The chatline operates from 9AM to 11PM and receives an average of 500 clients per day. Annie and her fellow volunteers offer guidance and refer clients to professional help if needed.
The service is free and confidential and aims to help individuals who feel alone and in need of someone to talk to.
"Mayroon po isang client na parang she is like 13 years old. And parang broken family po siya.Sabi niya, hindi siya makapag-open up sa parents niya. And ayun parang matulungan siya namin on how to parang ma-guide siya namin on how to properly communicate with her parents," Annie shares.
To ensure that the volunteers don't experience burnout, Annie also shared that they have debriefing sessions and monthly meetings to address the emotional toll of their work.
Annie emphasized the importance of emotional support from parents and encouraged them to be sensitive to their child's needs.
"I think we should look out for our child also emotionally, mentally, and physically po. Kasi alam natin na our child is doing good in school pero hindi po natin nakikita mentally and emotionally they are suffering and they need someone to help them. Kahit emotional support lang po sana yung maibigay natin sa mga anak natin it's more than enough."
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The chatline does not offer therapy but provides psychological first aid and psychosocial support. They also conduct webinars and have Kaibigan Ambassadors who promote the service in schools and communities. The organization is based in Iloilo City and currently has 40 active volunteers.
According to Alfred Dicto, Executive Director of Positive Youth Development Network, they are currently in talks with the Department of Education, Council for the Welfare of Children, and the National Youth Commission for the wider adoption and integration of the kaibigan chat line in the existing mental health and psychosocial services in the country to reach more young people.
3. Mind You
What is it: Mind You is a safe digital haven for sharing, understanding, and nurturing.
Who is it for: Anyone
The Mind You app is a mental health and mood tracking platform that offers a wide range of features to support users on their mental health journey.
How to access it: It is currently available for free download on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, primarily serving individuals in the Philippines.
Here are the key highlights and important details of the Mind You app:
The app goes beyond just logging moods. It has a mood tracker that helps users recognize emotional patterns, navigate through tough emotions, and celebrate positivity.
The app offers transformative therapeutic experiences, providing unbiased, professional advice and listening avenues. It supports users in their mental health journey with exclusive features.
Users can also engage in introspective prompts for thought clarification, emotional release, goal setting, and personal growth. The app promotes holistic well-being and supports users in achieving better mental and physical health.
The app is free to download, and the majority of its resources are free. It currently provides psychological counseling to individuals in the Philippines at a low cost. It is currently available from Monday to Saturday, 8 AM - 10 PM, with 24/7 support in development.
What's best, the app caters to the Philippines' linguistic diversity by offering support in English, Tagalog, Bisaya, and Ilokano, with plans for further expansion in the future.
Any other mental health apps you can recommend? Comment them below.
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