Human emotions are quite complex, and having a negative reaction to any situation does put us in turmoil. Handling ourselves during these times is quite important and improving ourselves is of utmost desire. Needless to say that there are many ways to handle outbursts and mental states, but then they can get really expensive and tiresome as well. However, if you want an alternative therapy session all done online? Then Therappy should help out extensively.
Therappy is a mobile application that deals in curing most emotions such as self-esteem, procrastination, anger, and others. It’s where handling these emotions in a step-by-step manner can be availed. You are provided with a course through which you select the type of emotions you are facing then are provided with online theoretical sessions to listen towards, and a workout plan to relieve you from that mental state of mind. It’s quite a unique approach for those looking to normalize themselves and not exasperate their situation further. It’s the right step in the correct direction to create a bond with yourself and try to make yourself better slowly and cautiously. Speaking with Max, the founder of Therappy, Venture Mirror got to know a lot about the company and what plans they have in store. Learn everything through the excerpts provided below.
What is the startup / product / venture about? Give us a brief description of it.
Therappy is a self-therapy coach that is available 24/7. Our app contains solid self-help information anyone can turn to when the anxiety, stress, or burnout kicks in. Therappy users practice whenever they feel the need to calm down and just to get in better tune with themselves. The idea behind the app is to build a digital supplement that will support people in-between their therapy sessions. It could also become the first step toward therapy for many of those who are still afraid to open up to another person – even a therapist.
In Therappy you will learn to better cope with mental health problems by learning the basics of cognitive-behavioral therapy and by implementing that theory into your everyday life.
How our app works: you choose a course on a mental issue that concerns you, listen to the audio sessions with theory basics, and then do exercises to reinforce the new knowledge. We made some of the sessions free of charge so that anyone who wishes to become at least a little healthier could learn to better cope with anxiety in these difficult pandemic times.
How many co-founders are there? Please introduce them and their backgrounds.
I am the only founder of the project. For many years I have been involved in content creation, social media marketing, and PR. Now I am the chief product officer and digital communications manager at the same time.
Nevertheless, every team member of Therappy is interested in the development and growth of our app. We all take an active part in its fate, thinking through the smallest details.
My friend Michael Gavrilov plays a vital role in the project. Michael is the founder and investor of several startups, one of them – Fantasy Invest. He’s got a real feel for the product: he knows how to improve it and make it as useful and user-friendly as possible.
How did you come up with the idea? What motivated you to do this?
Therappy’s story began at the dawn of the pandemic. I was not ready. The transition from the life I was accustomed to, where everything was familiar and predictable, to remote work, in a matter of days, was stressful for me. And I wasn’t alone in those feelings – my team also felt overwhelmed and stressed out with the sudden isolation in the constant company of the new (and uninvited) friend – Zoom.
We had no idea when the isolation would end and when we would see our friends. It took about a month for the anxiety to accumulate, and a bigger part of my team started having a tough time dealing. And yes, I know that the answer to stress and depression is therapy, and I had a therapist. Yet each session cost me, we met only once per week online, which felt insufficient to help me cope with all that crumbled on top of me. That’s when I thought about affordable psychological support. A service with trustworthy information one could turn to when the anxiety kicked in. In the end, I’d say that we started developing this self-therapy app for ourselves.
Who is your target market? Why do you think your product will appeal to them?
We work for several segments. Our biggest target audience right now are people who have faced anxiety and stress induced by the COVID craze. These people attend regular talk-therapy and use our app as a supplement tool.
We also aid corporate clients. It’s a widely known fact that the sounder the minds of your employees the more successful your business will be. Understanding one’s behavioral patterns is vital for healthy team relationships.
And our third audience is people who’ve already made a choice to be happy. They constantly work on their personal inner development and growth. In Therappy they learn to listen to themselves and while doing the advised exercises, they can change their thoughts and habitual attitudes toward life.
Who are your competitors? How are you different from them?
We have several groups of competitors:
1.Cognitive therapy apps with audio courses (InnerHour, MindDoc).
2. Meditation apps (Сalm, Headspace).
3. Self-help books.
How we differ:
From 1: These apps have too much information, gamification, different kinds of journals and mood trackers. We, in turn, focus only on content. You click a button and learn how to deal with a particular problem. Practicing therapists have already noted how their clients love the simplicity of our app.
From 2: Such apps claim to help with a variety of mental problems. But unfortunately, you can’t achieve mental health improvements with relaxation. In turn, Therappy gives proven mechanics based on CBT.
From 3: Books contain a lot of useful information. But it is a format of consumption from the past. We also gather wisdom from them.
The interface of Therappy is very simple and friendly. It’s like a guide that takes you into the world of therapy and self-help step-by-step. Our courses are developed by licensed therapists and are based on cognitive-behavioral therapy. You can listen to the sessions even while going on a walk, or driving to work.
What are the future plans with the product/startup? Any new features you are planning on?
We are also working on a selection of other therapy courses that will help you manage self-esteem, anger, guilt, and procrastination issues. So anyone can find something useful for themselves.
We recently did a survey, where practicing therapists not only shared their advice, but also said that they are thrilled with Therappy. At the moment, we are working on implementing our app into the practice of several therapists – they will use it as a supplemental tool.
My next step is to introduce the app to 10 different companies to help their employees make healthier build healthier relationships, beginning with the most important relationship of all – a relationship with self.