NEWSROOM
AnimaSelf: The venture creating a playground for you to think, feel, and grow
25 January 2023
Last year, Tiger Chen, an alumna of the University of Auckland Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), made a bold move to London to explore Europe and seek career opportunities as a newly-trained UX designer. To her surprise, the move led her to join AnimaSelf, an innovative mental health start-up app, where she now works as the lead product designer as a side hustle while also working a day job as a UX designer for a software company.
During her time at University, while studying towards a Bachelor of Commerce, Tiger fully immersed herself in CIE’s opportunities, participating in various programmes and working in the student committee leading Velocity, the University’s entrepreneurship development programme. Through her role in the committee’s marketing team, Tiger gained valuable experience and insight into the world of entrepreneurship and start-ups. She later worked as a staff member at CIE, where she further developed her skills and interest in design and start-ups.
“My time with CIE gave me a good idea of the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur, but nothing compares to the real thing!”, says Tiger.
AnimaSelf offers a unique and personalised experience for its users, from the customisable Anima avatar to the daily support provided. What sets it apart from other wellness apps is its emphasis on early detection and intervention. Most wellness apps on the market are geared towards individuals who are already struggling with mental health, while AnimaSelf takes a proactive approach, helping people to navigate the challenges of day-to-day life.
Founder Dr. Frank Thornton-Wood says, “When I started working as a doctor at the NHS it became more evident to me that mental health care is difficult to access, stigmatised, and non-inclusive. More than that, it’s reactive. Appropriate support often only starts after the diagnosis of a significant mental health disorder, with a lack of focus placed on early detection and prevention. That’s why we’ve built AnimaSelf.”
Research indicates that therapy needs to be far more multifaceted and integrated than exists at the current level of clinical practice. Many, if not all, evidence-based mental health apps rely on a single form of therapy. However, AnimaSelf employs an innovative blend of therapies known as Integrative therapy. The app integrates elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (PP), and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) – all of which are widely accepted and evidence-based forms of mental healthcare. Studies have also shown that incorporating aspects of PP into CBT and combining CBT with MBSR can significantly enhance the effectiveness of therapy.
“I met Frank about a month after my move to London. He told me about his start-up which he was taking through the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Generate Accelerator Programme at the time. As someone who has used a number of mental health and well-being apps, I was really interested in the innovative approach he was taking, and as a new UX designer I saw it as a great opportunity to further develop my UX design skills outside of work.”
Tiger’s role is to take AnimaSelf’s mental health programmes and turn them into a usable product. For the MVP her work has involved deciding the app structure, developing the front-end design system, and user testing. After launch, she will work with the team to improve the app based on user feedback as well as developing new features.
AnimaSelf is launching its MVP in February this year, which will be available on a pay-what-you-can model. They firmly believe that mental health and wellness support should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial situation. That’s why all users will have full access to all of AnimaSelf’s offerings, no matter their membership type.
Growth Advisor at LSE Generate, Ruben Portz says, “I believe that AnimaSelf’s team and app have the potential to make a real difference to people’s lives by providing a safe and supportive space for them to explore their thoughts and emotions. I am excited to see how AnimaSelf will continue to develop and grow, and I believe that it has the potential to make a positive impact on the lives of many people.”
Tiger says that she is excited for the launch of AnimaSelf, and the opportunities that moving to London have afforded her. “During the week I work in an office near London Bridge on exciting product design projects and I’m loving the opportunity to work on AnimaSelf as a passion project where I get to flex my entrepreneurial skills. For students looking ahead to planning their life and career, I highly recommend getting out there and joining communities where they will get to develop new skills and networks. I took that approach when I studied at university and have done the same in London, joining both the South London Makerspace and the Interaction Design Foundation’s local London group. Communities like these are so welcoming and terrific for making friends and contacts when you’re new in town.”
To be notified about the launch of AnimaSelf, sign up to their newsletter here.
25 January 2023
Last year, Tiger Chen, an alumna of the University of Auckland Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), made a bold move to London to explore Europe and seek career opportunities as a newly-trained UX designer. To her surprise, the move led her to join AnimaSelf, an innovative mental health start-up app, where she now works as the lead product designer as a side hustle while also working a day job as a UX designer for a software company.
During her time at University, while studying towards a Bachelor of Commerce, Tiger fully immersed herself in CIE’s opportunities, participating in various programmes and working in the student committee leading Velocity, the University’s entrepreneurship development programme. Through her role in the committee’s marketing team, Tiger gained valuable experience and insight into the world of entrepreneurship and start-ups. She later worked as a staff member at CIE, where she further developed her skills and interest in design and start-ups.
“My time with CIE gave me a good idea of the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur, but nothing compares to the real thing!”, says Tiger.
AnimaSelf offers a unique and personalised experience for its users, from the customisable Anima avatar to the daily support provided. What sets it apart from other wellness apps is its emphasis on early detection and intervention. Most wellness apps on the market are geared towards individuals who are already struggling with mental health, while AnimaSelf takes a proactive approach, helping people to navigate the challenges of day-to-day life.
Founder Dr. Frank Thornton-Wood says, “When I started working as a doctor at the NHS it became more evident to me that mental health care is difficult to access, stigmatised, and non-inclusive. More than that, it’s reactive. Appropriate support often only starts after the diagnosis of a significant mental health disorder, with a lack of focus placed on early detection and prevention. That’s why we’ve built AnimaSelf.”
Research indicates that therapy needs to be far more multifaceted and integrated than exists at the current level of clinical practice. Many, if not all, evidence-based mental health apps rely on a single form of therapy. However, AnimaSelf employs an innovative blend of therapies known as Integrative therapy. The app integrates elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (PP), and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) – all of which are widely accepted and evidence-based forms of mental healthcare. Studies have also shown that incorporating aspects of PP into CBT and combining CBT with MBSR can significantly enhance the effectiveness of therapy.
“I met Frank about a month after my move to London. He told me about his start-up which he was taking through the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Generate Accelerator Programme at the time. As someone who has used a number of mental health and well-being apps, I was really interested in the innovative approach he was taking, and as a new UX designer I saw it as a great opportunity to further develop my UX design skills outside of work.”
Tiger’s role is to take AnimaSelf’s mental health programmes and turn them into a usable product. For the MVP her work has involved deciding the app structure, developing the front-end design system, and user testing. After launch, she will work with the team to improve the app based on user feedback as well as developing new features.
AnimaSelf is launching its MVP in February this year, which will be available on a pay-what-you-can model. They firmly believe that mental health and wellness support should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial situation. That’s why all users will have full access to all of AnimaSelf’s offerings, no matter their membership type.
Growth Advisor at LSE Generate, Ruben Portz says, “I believe that AnimaSelf’s team and app have the potential to make a real difference to people’s lives by providing a safe and supportive space for them to explore their thoughts and emotions. I am excited to see how AnimaSelf will continue to develop and grow, and I believe that it has the potential to make a positive impact on the lives of many people.”
Tiger says that she is excited for the launch of AnimaSelf, and the opportunities that moving to London have afforded her. “During the week I work in an office near London Bridge on exciting product design projects and I’m loving the opportunity to work on AnimaSelf as a passion project where I get to flex my entrepreneurial skills. For students looking ahead to planning their life and career, I highly recommend getting out there and joining communities where they will get to develop new skills and networks. I took that approach when I studied at university and have done the same in London, joining both the South London Makerspace and the Interaction Design Foundation’s local London group. Communities like these are so welcoming and terrific for making friends and contacts when you’re new in town.”
To be notified about the launch of AnimaSelf, sign up to their newsletter here.
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