The Mind Oasis: How This Women’s Digital Platform Is Enhancing Mental Health Wellness
The Mt Kenya Times 
By Jackson Okata
Worth Noting:
- “I came across a post on Facebook by a lady narrating how Covid-19 had forced her life to take a drastic twist driving her to a point of even thinking of committing suicide. It was through the comments that I learned of an existing platform that was connecting clients in need of mental wellness services to counsellors and psychologists’ notes Terry.
- Through the platform, Terry connected with a psychologist who helped her walk through her recovery process.
- “Opening up to my psychologist helped me heal and even though the sessions were virtual, they helped me regain my human sense and focus on putting my life together again,” Terry noted
In March 2021, at the peak of the Covid 19 pandemic, 38-year-old Terry Gichinga was a disturbed person. The mother of two had been a victim of downsizing by her employer as a result of the economic shocks that resulted from the pandemic. To add salt to the injury, her husband of 8 years had abandoned her at that time of need.
“It was the most difficult and trying time of my life. I was in financial and emotional distress. I didn’t have much savings and the shock job loss threw me off balance,’ says Terry, a professional accountant.
“With no work, no money, two kids and bills to take care of, I was thrown into a state of anxiety, confusion, and mental disturbance’. She adds
Due to travel restrictions and the set curfew, Terry says, just like many other Kenyans, she made maximum use of the digital technology in doing everything and anything.
According to Terry, it is through social media that she found a solution for her mental distress.
“I came across a post on Facebook by a lady narrating how Covid-19 had forced her life to take a drastic twist driving her to a point of even thinking of committing suicide. It was through the comments that I learned of an existing platform that was connecting clients in need of mental wellness services to counsellors and psychologists’ notes Terry.
Through the platform, Terry connected with a psychologist who helped her walk through her recovery process.
“Opening up to my psychologist helped me heal and even though the sessions were virtual, they helped me regain my human sense and focus on putting my life together again,” Terry noted
Surge of Mental cases
During the Covid-19 pandemic, mental health conditions were on the surge due to job and business losses, family breakups and loss of loved ones.
But even with the increase in cases of mental health conditions, people found it hard to access cost effective and comprehensive mental health services.
Mary Ngare an Aeronautical engineer and mental health advocate together with Fridah Mutune a Software engineer partnered to launch a digital platform dubbed PsychX that helps women to easily access mental health services from the comfort of their homes.
Both Mary and Fridah were part of a WhatsApp group that brought together women who had directly or indirectly suffered an encounter with mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic period.
“From the conversations in the WhatsApp group it was evident that most women who were in need of mental health services were unable to find help and that is how the PsychX platform was born,” says Mary.
PsychX links clients to mental counseling and therapy services offered by a pool of specialists available on the platform.
Through the web-based platform, clients can access services including loss and grief therapy, depression therapy, PTSD, alcohol, and drug addiction therapy as well as marriage and relationship counselling.
Charges for both virtual and in-person therapy and counseling sessions on the platform range from Ksh 500 with the highest charge being Ksh 1000 per session. The platform also offers probono services for special cases of people in dire need of therapy and counseling and who cannot afford to pay.
The founders are working to have the platform on Google play store.
Mental Relief and comfort
46-year-old Anita Mutheu, a Nairobi based accountant is currently undergoing depression therapy sessions via the platform and she says that things are working for her.
Anita fell into depression in February 2023, after her only son committed suicide after suffering depression for months.
“My world broke apart when my son committed suicide. He had battled depression after being assaulted and the worst part was that I never knew about it until it was too late” she says Anita
A friend from a prayer group introduced Anita to the PschyX counselling platform whose therapy sessions she says are helping her heal
“I have been on therapy and counselling since May this year and the sessions have really helped me get out of a deep hole’’, she narrated.
Grace Onyango, a Nairobi based exporter of fresh farm produce says that the PsychX platform “enabled her to regain life at a point when she almost lost it’’
“When Covid-19 hit, the European export market crumbled, and my business came to an instant halt. Thís turned my life upside down,” said Grace.
Grace notes that after falling into depression, a friend introduced her to the WhatsApp group where women battling mental issues were sharing experiences.
“It was through the platform we were led to the PsychX platform where I got the help I needed most at the time. It took me three months of counselling, therapy and peer sharing to get back to my feet mentally,” she adds.
With 20 available therapists, the platform has so far served more than 500 clients with some 22 therapy and counselling sessions being recorded daily.
The platform offers both physical, virtual, and anonymous counselling sessions.
Each client has a personal account created by visiting the platforms website and is allowed to choose a therapist and/or Counsellor of their choice
“Clients have the freedom to choose and change a therapists or counsellor anytime they need,’ says Dr. Linda Atuti, a psychologist on the platform
To make services easy and more accessible, the platform offers therapy sessions round the clock
“The PsychX platform is addressing the problem of accessing mental health services by women in Kenya. Apart from addressing the issue of service access, the platform is also out to address the problem of mental health stigma, therapist-client mismatch, and the prohibitive cost of accessing mental health services,” said Dr Atuti.
Family Care
In March 2023, Purity Gathoni enrolled her 22-year-old daughter for virtual rehabilitation sessions after she was expelled from college for drug and substance abuse.
Purity notes that her daughter became violent after being expelled from school and within no time her mental state was getting compromised.
“The virtual sessions came in handy for her because she had refused to attend in-person sessions. She has been on her recovery journey and the results are good. We hope that she pulls through and goes back to school’’ expressed Purity.
Regina Neplit was also suffering in silence before the platform offered solace. A hospitality worker, the 35-year-old single mother of two lost her job at a Nairobi hotel and was slowly sliding into depression.
“After losing my job, I sunk into a state of anxiety and fear of the unknown, which drove me to a near depression state. With accumulating rent arrears and no one to share my troubles with, I was left to bear the burden alone and this consumed me both physically and mentally,’ she says.Regina says that apart from restoring her mental state, the PsychX community gave her a new family and friends that helped her walk through the difficult journey.
“The platform makes it easy for one to access a mental health specialist and the virtual sessions came in handy’ Regina observed.
“It was after the virtual therapy sessions that I gained strength and courage to get out of my house and face the world once again with renewed vigour something that saw me secure another job’’ she added.
Sarah Sendeyo had also battled trauma for two years after her husband succumbed to Covid-19 and she says that ‘ through the digital platform, she found the help she needed most’.
“After the virtual therapy sessions, I found a renewed sense of purpose and a positive approach to life” Sarah says.
Kenya Mental Health Status
Data from the Ministry of health indicates that the overall prevalence of mental disorders in Kenya stands at 10.8 per cent or 10, 823 for every 100,000 people with 6.1 per cent of the disorders being due to depression and anxiety,” reads the report.
The Health Ministry indicates that approximately 20 to 25 per cent of outpatients seeking primary healthcare present symptoms of mental illness.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Kenya’s mortality rate due to suicide stands at 5.6 per 100,000 persons
In an effort by the government to address the ever-rising burden of mental health in the country, the Ministry of Health says it’s working with counties to establish regional centers for mental health services.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha observes that the move will “ensure easy access to specialist mental health services for Kenyans”.
“Mental Health and well-being is a big part of our health agenda and it is enshrined in the UN SDG 3 that seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well‐being for all at all ages,” she added.
Nakhumicha adds that the government is also keen to leverage on the vibrant digital technology to make mental health services easily accessible to those in need.
“With all the technological advancements we are enjoying, we must take advantage of it and make it possible for any person to have access to these services especially for those in rural areas,’ the CS said.
In June 2022, former President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law the Mental Health Bill that among others protects the rights of Kenyans affected with mental disorders.
In July 2020, a National Taskforce on Mental Health led by Dr Frank Njenga recommended that mental health be declared a national disaster in the country.
According to the report by the taskforce, mental health issues were deep-rooted, and needed to be given the attention they deserve.
“My experience with the PsychX platform has made me appreciate the good side of technology. Initially, I was not so much into the digital world, but getting help through virtual therapy sessions has taught me that through digital technology, we can get convenient, effective, timely and affordable and workable solutions to many problems” concludes Anita .
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