Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy Desai.
Hi Christy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
After unsuccessfully trying to outrun the stress of life, I finally looked for a therapist in hopes of catching my breath. What started as “3-5 sessions” turned into years of deep inner work. I learned how to be okay with conflict, curveballs, and growth, just to name a few things. My own experience turned into a personal mission to help other people feel better, stronger, and more alive so I went back to school to get my master’s in clinical psychology and become a licensed marriage and family therapist.
From my experience on both sides of the couch, I realized how antiquated and prohibitive the entire experience around therapy was. I knew that changes needed to be made to remove the barriers of entry so therapy could be more readily available and accessible.
Prior to becoming an LMFT, I was the franchise owner of a kids’ indoor playspace where I learned the ins and outs of building and operating a small business. Coupling these two experiences together, the idea of Okay Humans was born.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Starting a new business is never easy, but I am lucky because I have partners who have decided to join me in this journey and support my vision. During the ideation process of Okay Humans, I began to work with The Feel-Good Company. Co-founded by Drybar Co-Founders Alli Webb and Michael Landau, and Squeeze Co-Founder and CEO Brittany Driscoll, The Feel-Good Company has championed me from the start. Throughout the process of launching Okay Humans and now that we’re officially open, I continue to have access to their seasoned team of creative directors, architects, tech experts, marketers and culture cultivators who are responsible for the feel-good brands that Drybar and Squeeze are today.
Things do move and change quickly when it comes to the mental health space and in the world. When I first set out to start Okay Humans, the world is now in a completely different place than it was then. I’ve come to learn that you can’t always anticipate the pivots and changes in consumer demand because those are being written every day. The demand for therapy is certainly there, and my team and I remain dedicated to being that first step in our guests’ journey to mental wellness.
We’ve been impressed with Okay Humans, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Okay Humans is a completely fresh approach to face-to-face talk therapy. We are modernizing and destigmatizing the entire experience around therapy in several ways. One way is through our app where guests can search therapist videos, bios and availability in real-time, book, manage and pay for sessions as well as have access to tools to use in-between. Guests can also view all of this on our website okayhumans.com.
The way the shop was built and designed is an aspect we’re really proud of too. With Okay Humans, we were looking to bring therapy out of medical offices or hidden back streets which contributes to making therapy feel like something to be ashamed of. Instead, we opened our first location in the heart of Brentwood on San Vicente Blvd and created a calming, feel-good atmosphere that makes guests feel okay the moment they walk through the door. Okay Humans has beautiful architecture, a wellness shop in the very front, a mentali-tea bar to enjoy before or after sessions and warm and inviting therapy suites with rounded corners giving the room a metaphorical “hug.”
At Okay Humans, we’re also committed to the value of being heard. For each Okay Humans membership sold, we are helping a child attend a Story Pirates Changemakers workshop. This non-profit organization celebrates the words and ideas of kids and enriches the lives of underprivileged students through confidence-building creative writing workshops, performances and other school programming.
What does success mean to you?
My definition of success comes from a psychological lens. Success means being okay with who I am. Not daily, because that’d be exhausting – but over the course of my life. Am I evolving and growing as a person, do I challenge myself, do I do things that scare me, am I there for the people I love? To me, success is continuing to become the person I hope to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.okayhumans.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/okayhumans/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/okayhumans
Image Credits:
Image Credits are Okay Humans
