By now, we know a lot about how COVID-19 affects our bodies. It’s still early, however, to evaluate how this pandemic is impacting our mental health and what to do about it.
Experts have long established that therapy in a group setting is highly effective. It provides a patient with support from people in a similar situation and the knowledge that they are not alone. That is where a young Israeli startup called Circles enters the picture. Founded by Irad Eichler and based in Tel Aviv, it has 17 employees and has raised capital from leading investors including NFX, Flint Capital, Sir Ronald Cohen, Jeff Swartz, Kli Capital, and Local Globe. Some of these investors usually look for later-stage companies in which to invest but were impressed by Circles’ mission.
Competing with other online therapy providers and connections, such as Sesh Therapy and Wisdo, Circles is built on the principle that in order to overcome life’s challenges like the loss of a loved one, divorce, or issues relating to parenting, you need to be heard and supported by people who understand what you’re going through. The first step to getting relief is identifying the right group of people to provide you emotional support. Circles helps those in need to identify the right circles of people going through the same life challenges.
Before you meet the group, you meet a state-licensed facilitator for a one-on-one welcome call. Facilitators include social workers, psychologists, and therapists. They undergo vetting and training processes to ensure that their approach and caregiving techniques match Circles’ standards. After this introductory call, you join the first group meeting without having to leave your living room.
An inexpensive alternative to traditional psychotherapy, the service costs $30 a week, and users are given the first 7 days free to determine if Circles is right for them. While the company is still in its infancy, it’s already facilitated 100,000 hours of support for thousands of users.
Today, Circles is serving people dealing specifically with grief and separation. The company’s users bond in a meaningful way. In fact, on several occasions, users have flown across the country to meet other members of their circle. According to Circle, 86% of users say using the service makes them feel hopeful, 77% feel satisfaction from sharing with others, and 70% feel supported after their weekly meeting.
In the next few months, Circles will begin to support more communities like caregivers, veterans, and single moms. During the coming holiday season, the service will be open, and the company will offer free services for people dealing with loneliness due to the holidays. When losing loved ones or breaking up, the winter holiday season can be a really rough time, and the company intends to support those people.
Hillel Fuld is an American-Israeli tech columnist and startup advisor who works with companies across several continents.
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