On this episode, behavioral health technology guru Solome Tibebu opens up about her struggles with Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder as a teen. She shares how she and her parents navigated a new and challenging experience, which in turn allowed Solome to identify the lack of resources online for other teens like herself. Since that time, she has committed herself to creating easy access for psycho-education of young people of diverse backgrounds experiencing struggles similar to hers as a young woman of color.

This week, we share her journey in mental health technology innovation and allow her the space to describe how she took charge and began developing and leading tech innovations at just 16 years of age! Tune in to find out how she is changing the behavioral health landscape today and moving the field forward by connecting teens, providers and tech innovators to build and share resources and tech advances for BIPOC, Queer and LGBTQ youth of color and all teens and how you can help.

KEY POINTS / MAIN TAKEAWAYS:

• The importance of committing and providing support to kids.

• How Solome carried her experience into her company and work.

• How the Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech Summit came about.

• Using Empathy Matching instead of Face Matching.

• The Upswing Fund: What is it, what they hope to do, and who it's for.

• What Solome envisions for behavioral health tech.

QUOTABLES:

"I'm of the opinion that to really be successful in supporting the end-users for seeing real behavior change, it has to be provider-driven digital."

"It's really important to know that these conditions are so common. You are not alone in what you're experiencing. And there is no shame in reaching out and connecting with a clinician because surely they have seen what you're dealing with."

PRODUCTS / RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Visit the Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech website at https://www.behavioralhealthtech.com

Visit The Upswing Fund website at https://theupswingfund.org

Visit Solome Tibebu's website at https://solometibebu.com

Follow Solome and her other resources on social media!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/solometibebu

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/solome

Anxiety in Teens on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anxietyinteens

Anxiety in Teens on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anxietyinteens

Like what you're hearing? Follow Dr. Alfiee on social media and show some love!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralfiee

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dralfiee

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dralfiee

Visit Dr. Alfiee's website at https://dralfiee.com

Find out more about the AAKOMA Project here: https://aakomaproject.org