If we don’t truly care for others, we can never know our own minds

A Snapshot with Co-Founders Dr. Jesse Hanson (left) and Patrick Nagle (center), Alongside Friends

The most important characteristic for the survival of a species is not strength or intelligence, but adaptability to change. One must become adept at adapting. This is the Buddhist teaching of “Annica”.

Recently, I have come to realize the importance of open communications. Sharing more about who we are, what we stand for, how we operate, and our vision for the future will allow MentalHealth.com to gain new perspectives, new opinions and better insights. Most importantly, transparency fosters trust, the foundation of all relationships.

Hello world. Welcome to my first blog post. My name is Patrick Nagle. I’m the Co-Founder of MentalHealth.com, and I have been an internet entrepreneur since I was 16. For the last 20 years, I’ve been busy creating internet products of value. I'm most known for creating RateMyProfessors.com and most recently MentalHealth.com.

Over the last six years, I worked tirelessly in my previous role to create an intermediary platform that connected individuals seeking mental health care and addiction treatment with caring providers. 

More recently, my team and I successfully exited our previous healthtech venture and acquired the MentalHealth.com domain name, narrowing our focus to help millions of people with their mental health. Several years ago, in the throes of active benzodiazepine addiction, I made a personal commitment that upon my recovery, I would devote my time and resources into projects assisting those in need, much like I once was. MentalHealth.com has become my vision and purpose.

Daniel Rivette, CEO and Co-Founder (center) and Patrick Nagle, Co-Founder (right)

From booking in-person consultations to accessing online therapy, our products are always designed with patients at the forefront.

Basic economic theory demonstrates that when providers have to compete for patients, it leads to lower prices, higher quality of care, greater variety of treatment, and more innovation. Simply put, competition is good. As for healthcare intermediaries, they foster competition and provide patients with many valuable benefits: they make it easier for patients to find what they need, they help set higher standards, and they enable comparison shopping—efficiency improvements that keep markets accountable and empower patients with choice. Yet, healthcare intermediaries are historically absent from our lives.

Democratize patient care access, together. That’s our plan.

Imagine for a moment what it would be like planning travel without intermediaries such as TripAdvisor.com, Expedia.com or Google Flights. As a society, we have come to take for granted just how much value intermediaries add to our daily lives. Whether it be grocery shopping, booking a trip, or buying a house – intermediaries add value. 

My past experiences have offered me significant insights: Specifically that patient-provider connections through clicks and calls, are not nearly as important as patient engagement, experiences, and outcomes. That's why our offerings at MentalHealth.com will steer clear of selling clicks and calls, opting instead to advance forward towards healthcare bookings, patient concierge services, and online therapy.

Brian Trisler (left), Advisor & Patrick Nagle (right), Co-Founder visiting Dr. Jesse Hanson, Co-Founder

Founding a startup company with your own funds in an industry as complex as healthcare, is a hard road to travel. However, I am proud of myself and even more so with our world class team. MentalHealth.com experienced its most successful month this past July, marked by an all-time high in website traffic. Following this, our team reached a significant milestone by successfully securing a seed venture capital round, with involvement from myself and Cicada Capital, LLC. Furthermore, we recently celebrated a significant feat with the successful launch of our BETA website, featuring a library of trusted resources. In the near future, our BETA site will evolve into an innovative hub where information meets innovation.

May I develop compassion boundless as the sky. So that all may rest in the clear light of their own awareness. - Bardo Thodol: The Tibetan Book of the Dead

I ask myself on a daily basis: What is the most needed thing in the world right now? The answer is community. Community creates purpose. Purpose generates endorphins. Endorphins make you feel good. When you feel good, the experience of life is positive. We all need less artificial connections and more community within our lives.

The greatest lessons I’ve learned so far is to know yourself, celebrate vulnerabilities, and foster an environment where open communication is the norm. When faced with adversity, lead with your heart and acknowledge conflicts and pain points as they arise. This is how we move forward. Lastly, if you’re in a place where your life doesn’t feel like your ultimate creative act, come up for air.

The best is yet to come!