Imagine this situation. You are an international professional in a foreign land trying to navigate the hurdles of a new language, bureaucracy, and cultural subtleties. Not an easy task. On top of that, your own frustrations are not easily understood by mental health professionals in your new country. Does this sound relatable? If not, let me tell you that this is very common, and will continue to be so, considering the international job market.
But, good news, one startup is also working on this. Like many founders, Sonia Kaurah started Tala Thrive out of personal frustration. Growing up in Australia with Indian-Malaysian heritage, she constantly faced questions about her identity, sometimes feeling like she never truly belonged.
But it wasn’t until she experienced direct racism, particularly during her time in Sweden, that her mental health really was impacted. After struggling to find therapists who understood her background, Sonia realized the need for culturally competent mental health care.
“That’s when I really began researching, wondering what options were out there. I wanted to find a therapist who truly understood where I was coming from. Surprisingly, Tala Thrive is the only platform in Europe focused solely on culturally competent care, which seems unbelievable given the number of mental health platforms available,” says Sonia. “Many people come from diverse cultural backgrounds and speak different languages, so we match them with therapists based on culture, language, or religion.”
Through extensive research, including interviews with over 200 therapists, Tala Thrive fills this gap, ensuring clients feel understood without having to explain their identity. Sonia explains how easy it is to use her platform. Tala Thrive’s data-driven matching process is simple: clients answer 13 questions and are quickly paired with two therapists who align with their preferences.
“We prioritize immediate booking, transparency, and culturally relevant care options, such as addressing generational trauma or visa-related stress. We also offer self-led programs focused on healing specific cultural issues, designed by expert therapists,” comments Sonia. “Our mission is to create a mental health experience that respects cultural nuances and helps people navigate the challenges of living between different worlds.”
AI matching your therapist
Recently, Sonia was interviewed for a documentary about AI. Sonia is very clear that they only want to use AI when it truly benefits the platform, not just as a buzzword to impress investors.
“We do use AI in our matching algorithm, which is pretty standard. However, where we really see AI playing a bigger role is in the gamification of our self-led programs,” adds Sonia. For example, they’re planning to incorporate elements like a “toolkit” where users can store what they’ve learned and “leave behind” emotional baggage. Gamification will be key to making the experience more engaging, she says, and AI will help them personalize that experience.
Looking ahead, Tala Thrive wants AI to help people track their mental health in the same way we commonly track physical health. For instance, with wearables like the Oura ring or Apple Watch, you can see detailed data about your sleep. Why not have a similar dashboard for mental well-being?
One of the key challenges for Tala Thrive is that people are often fed data, like being told they have “slept badly,” but they’re not sure what to do with that information. That’s where AI can help. Sonia and her team are working with an expert in AI and machine learning, specifically focused on natural language processing. Their plan is to ask users how they’re feeling through the app, and based on their tone, speed, and choice of words, they can assess their emotions—not to diagnose, but to provide helpful insights.
“For example, if the system detects that you’re speaking quickly or using certain words that suggest stress, it could ask, “You seem stressed. Is that accurate?” If the user agrees, that information goes to their mental health dashboard. From there, we can offer actionable suggestions—like a meditation session, booking a therapy appointment, or reaching out to a loved one, all based on scientifically-backed methods for reducing stress,” says Sonia.
While she sees great potential in integrating gamification and dashboards into mental health tools, Sonia remains cautious about technologies like facial scanning. For now, she suggests starting simpler, such as using questionnaires that can be visualized on dashboards.
The mental health question
Recently, at Tech BBQ, in Copenhagen, Sonia curated a panel focused on mental health in diverse workforces, particularly pushing for discussions around race and cultural competence. She emphasized that in the Nordics, diversity conversations often focus solely on gender or the queer community, while race is overlooked. The panel resonated with many internationals living in Denmark, highlighting the demand for these important discussions.
Sonia also points out that while companies don’t typically overstep on mental health issues, many fail to provide effective support. Employees often encounter barriers, like faulty systems or inaccessible resources, and most companies aren’t doing enough to ensure mental health care is prioritized.
To better support diverse teams, Sonia stresses that companies should recognize their limitations in representing all communities. They should offer varied mental health options, especially for employees of color who may feel underserved by traditional services. By acknowledging privilege and making diversity a priority, organizations can foster more inclusive environments.
“Understand your privilege and put it on the agenda,” says Sonia, sending a message to corporates. If companies really want to address the mental health hurdles that many employees struggle with, now’s the time.