Growing for Better – Our Story

⏰ Read time : 4 mins

Questioning Our Identity

The first cold morning of 2025 started out the same for My Mental Health School (MMHS), though it began at different times for everyone involved. So be the life of global workspaces! It was the last day of our Christmas break, and the team was relaxed, spirited, and buzzing with quiet optimism. We had some great things on our agenda. One of our dear interns was departing while other members were onboarding, reflecting MMHS’s ongoing growth. A happening time, as always.  

But beneath the surface, another norm simmered: our collaborative approach and hunger for feedback. A lingering question hung in the air: Does our name truly reflect who we are?

As our founder, Anushree, often says: “Ask them.” No simpler words could have been spoken. So we did. We asked our audience for feedback on our courses, work, and even our name. The answer? Many thought “My Mental Health School” was a school! Psychologists applying for jobs with us misunderstood us for a school; collaborators thought we worked with kids! Our identity as a mental health platform for adults was lost in translation.

This feedback, though expected at this point, was heartbreaking. However, it resonated deeply and summoned all our stakeholders to an emergency meeting. Admitting the name’s flaws meant undoing months of branding—a setback no one was looking forward. Rebranding loomed, and starting over felt daunting. Yet, we chose to accept that growth means stumbling, learning, and laughing at missteps. 

Starting Over & Evolving

Let’s be honest: starting over is daunting—like resetting hard-earned progress and rebuilding an organisation’s identity from scratch? Overwhelming. It’s natural to grieve what’s lost, even if it’s “just a name.” But in these moments, resilience and adaptability shine.  

Rebranding isn’t just a name change; it’s redefining your soul. We went from My Mental Health School to My Mental Health Spot to Squiggles to Talking Distance. Next came the colours, palette, icons and the never-ending back-and-forth for the Instagram palette! We had a lot to tweak. Each new logo design appeared on our screens with a mixture of nervous anticipation and excitement you could almost taste (every single one getting us closer to decision paralysis!). Every week was a new announcement. Every week, we had a vote (true democracy)! 

For us, evolving into the new image wasn’t easy but necessary. It forced us to revisit our mission, values, and how we want to connect with the world, but also how we are already connected. Who do we find, and who finds us and stays? It made us reflect on the spaces we create for people navigating between cultures, identities, and time zones. Starting over, maybe, just gave us a chance to make space for growing into where we are today – about to go public – with a lot of vulnerability, hope, and, yes, a bit of foolishness!

So, What’s Our Final Pick?

But Why Talking Distance? 

As our founder, Anushree, explained, “Talking Distance is a little wordplay on ‘walking distance.’ The idea is that therapy, support, and connection should never feel out of reach—whether you’re in India or anywhere else. It’s about bridging the gaps and making mental health feel close, no matter the actual distance.”

What’s New?

Not only do we have a new name, but also we have a whole new (and cool) website!

Our new website is live, brimming with features to serve you better. Because distance isn’t just geography—it’s the space between who we are and who we choose to become.  

Manish, our website’s BTS person, discloses, “Our website now has tons of pages dedicated to mental health concerns (check them out!). Plus, we’ve deep-dived into different types of therapy, so you can find what works best for you. But wait—there’s more! We’ve cranked up the speed, smoothed out navigation, and sprinkled in some extra UI/UX magic. Translation? Browsing should now be a breeze. We have assessments on the website now along with dedicated pages for our team.“

In short, it will be an experience. So why launch on April 1st? Because we’re #FoolishlyAccepting—of pivots, of miscommunication as part of connection, and of the vulnerability that comes with growth. No joke—we’re genuinely excited to welcome new clients starting April 1st.

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P.S.:  Curious about our evolution? Explore our new site and see how we turn misunderstandings into meaningful connections. Whether you’re a Pune-to-Bangalore mover, a Nairobi-to-Paris lover, or someone navigating work calls in one language and dinner tables in another—we’re here for you.