Mexican healthcare company Docademic launched Cool Emotions, a free app that uses AI and cognitive behavioral methodology to provide therapy. Launched in July, Cool Emotions is designed to support young Latin Americans with issues such as depression, teen pregnancy and bullying. The app helps patients identify their problems, as well as educate them, propose solutions and motivate them to act. Therapy sessions on the app, with live therapists, last approximately 15 minutes. Patients that keep up with their sessions are rewarded with Docademic’s MTC cryptocurrency, which can then be exchanged for anything from medicines to concert tickets.

Our tw:in member Pablo Riquelme, who resides in Mexico City, shared his perspective: “This is the first app in LATAM to offer face-to-face, 24/7, 100% free therapy. Although mental health is becoming increasingly important to consumers, it’s still a taboo to many. Apps like Cool Emotions not only provide people with the help they need, but let them receive it from the privacy of their phone, without feeling any shame.”

Building on Pablo’s observations, here are three further takeaways to consider:

• Although all consumers aspire to improve their well-being, sometimes motivation can be the limiting factor. 😉 Cool Emotions provides a free service and tangible rewards via cryptocurrency. How might you incentivize people to maintain positive habits, and reward them when they do?

• Docademic’s vision is for its users’ data to benefit the medical and scientific community. Obviously leveraging healthcare data remains highly controversial, but the platform claims its blockchain-based solution offers both robust security and global scalability. Can new technologies enable entirely new business models and the opening up entirely new (underserved) customer segments?

• Therapy was previously reserved for the few who could pay for it. Granted, a full session with a therapist typically lasts closer to an hour (Cool Emotions’ are only 15 minutes), but it’s a start! What ‘luxuries’ would all consumers benefit from, and can your company make it accessible to them?

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