It’s not always easy to reach out for support. While social media kept us connected with our loved ones during the pandemic when meeting in person wasn’t an option, it’s not always the best platform to have deep, honest conversations about mental health. During the pandemic, a CDC report found that nearly 41 percent of U.S. adults said they were struggling with mental health issues. With a shortage of therapists, many of those adults haven’t had an avenue to deal with those struggles.
A new mental health support group app may offer some relief for those looking for help. San Francisco-based Pace launched its app this week and announced it raised an $18 million Series A round from Pace Capital, Sequoia Capital and BoxGroup.
Pace pairs groups of seven people looking for support in similar areas together. Led by experienced mental health facilitators, the groups meet regularly to share struggles and get help. While the groups aren’t meant to be a replacement for therapy, they do serve as a space for members to express themselves and connect with others struggling with similar issues.
Until recently, the company has been running its service as a beta test and officially launched the app to the public on Thursday. In the app, users can customize their profile pages by including what issues they are interested in getting support on. Last names are also optional, making it easy to stay private online.
New users go through a 10-week launch process within their group, after which they can choose to stay in the established group or explore the more than 100 groups Pace has available each month. Groups meet over video chat within the app for 90 minutes. At the end of the meeting, the group facilitator sends out a summary of the key insights gained in that session so members can refer back to what they’ve learned. These insights also allow users exploring new groups to get an idea of what’s being covered and if the group would be a good fit for them.
“Too often, people feel like they’re surrounded by social media distractions and noise while feeling lonely and unseen. The world may be ‘connected,’ but are we understood?” Jack Chou, Pace co-founder and CEO, said in a statement. “Pace has a mission to connect people with supportive groups where they can be real, be vulnerable, open up and get insights and fresh perspectives from diverse viewpoints.”
According to Pace, the groups have been working — 75 percent of participants say they’ve seen an improvement in how they authentically connect with others.
The app was developed by tech executives from Affirm and Pinterest alongside clinical psychologists from the National Center for PTSD and Stanford University, marrying tech and mental health in one supportive platform.
Pace plans to use the new funding to further develop and enhance its platform as well as grow its user base.
