You Never Change Things by Fighting the Existing Reality

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” – Buckminster Fuller

Hello, everyone. I’m Patrick Nagle, Co-Founder of MentalHealth.com. Welcome to my first blog post, where I’ll be sharing a bit about my background, recent accomplishments, and vision for the future. Over the past two decades, I’ve had an amazing time building companies that have helped millions of people. I’m best known for founding RateMyProfessors.com, and more recently MentalHealth.com.

Lately, I have come to appreciate the value of open communication. By sharing who we are, what we stand for, and how we operate, MentalHealth.com gains fresh perspectives, new opinions, and meaningful insights. Most importantly, transparency builds trust, the foundation of all relationships.

Several years ago, after recovering from benzodiazepine dependence, I made a personal commitment to contribute my time towards projects that support those facing mental health and substance use challenges. To this day, that commitment continues to guide my work.

In the years leading up to MentalHealth.com, my team and I developed a national rehabilitation booking platform from the ground up. Notably, the platform onboarded over 5,000 providers, facilitated hundreds of thousands of connections through clicks and calls, and helped nearly a million people in their journey toward recovery.

However, our experience was ultimately overshadowed by the addiction treatment industry, which remains deeply flawed and in need of significant reform. Despite our good intentions and ambitious goals, we underestimated the challenges within this space.

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”.

As we moved from a contentious environment to a more positive one, we undertook significant changes to our business, including a long-overdue reorganization of our management team. These efforts led to the successful sale of the company and the acquisition of MentalHealth.com.

As a team, we recognize the universal need for a comprehensive mental health platform. With half of the world’s population expected to experience a mental health condition, and knowing that all eight billion of us benefit from support and care, our vision is to support 1 billion people.

“From in-person appointments to online support, MentalHealth.com always leads with people first.”  –  Daniel Rivette

As we continue to grow, our mission is clear: to develop the world’s most intelligent mental health technology. Through advanced diagnostics, personalized wellness programs, and a trusted network of professionals, we make care more accessible, more connected, and more human.

Think of how we plan travel today. We use platforms like TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Google Flights to simplify complex decisions, increase transparency, and compare options with ease. In nearly every area of life, from grocery shopping to home buying, we rely on tools that empower informed choices.

Yet healthcare, especially in mental health, still lags behind. A lack of person-centered technology creates barriers to access, increases costs, and leaves too many people without clear guidance. The result is not just emotional strain, but an economic burden exceeding over 1 trillion dollars each year.

At MentalHealth.com, we are closing this gap. By bringing together reliable resources, accessible services, and nurturing communities, we are building a platform that helps people move toward self-understanding, authentic connection, and healthier lives.

“Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember ~ the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you.” – Zig Ziglar

Founding a mental health company is an extraordinary challenge. For this reason, I take immense pride not only in our accomplishments but also in our exceptional team. In December, we reached our first milestone with the launch of our platform. By July, we hit an all-time high in traffic, and in August, we secured funding.

This funding allowed us to launch the Wellness Center and the Mental Health Network, acquire MentalHelp.net, PsychGuides.com, and Therapy.ai, and expand our library of trusted mental health resources.

We also recruited and established prominent advisory teams to support key initiatives and uphold our people-first culture. These include the Venture Advisory Team, featuring Brian Trisler, Co-Founder of A Place for Mom; Fred Joyal and Gary Saint-Denis, Co-Founders of 1-800-DENTIST; Abhilash Patel, Founder of Within Health; and Jeff Smith, Co-Founder & CEO of Supermind Platforms.

Additionally, we formed the Clinical Affairs Team, including Co-Founder and Clinical Affairs Director Jesse Hanson, Ph.D., Clinical Care Director Carlos Protzel, Psy.D., Community Director Susanna Calvert, Ph.D. and the Public Oversight Committee, with involvement from Ryan Hampton.

“May I develop compassion boundless as the sky. So that all may rest in the clear light of their own awareness.” – The Tibetan Book of the Dead

In conclusion, I’ll share the daily question that guides me: What does the world need most right now? The answer is community. Community gives us purpose, and with purpose comes a more positive and fulfilling life. We all benefit from fewer artificial relationships and more genuine community in our lives.

The best is yet to come!

– Patrick