Talk That Talk

A toolkit designed to encourage empathy driven conversations at homes to reduce anxiety experienced by young adults in India.

User Experience, User Research, Product Design, Branding and Identity

Overview

Timeline: 3 weeks

Area of Focus: Health and Well-being

Problem: Several communities and families struggle to accept anxiety as a mental illness and have conversations about health and well-being.

Solution: Physical product designed to parents to start conversations and empathize with their children to provide support.

Role: UX Researcher and Designer

Skills Developed

Professional Skills: User Research, Market Research, Competitive Analysis, Surveys, Stakeholder Mapping, Data Analysis, Data Visualization

Technical Skills: SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, Qualtrics, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator

Soft Skills: Empathy, Communication, Leadership, Problem Solving

Problem

India has a population of about 1.38 Billion. WHO estimated that about 38 million Indians suffer from anxiety disorders. 41% of young people between 15 -24 years of age in India said that it is good to get support for mental health problems (UNICEF and Gallup survey, 2021).

Existing mental health institutions in India:

  • Psychiatric Clinics and Hospitals (Inpatient and Outpatient)

  • Counselling Centers

  • Residential Care Facilities

Forms of Treatments Offered:

  • Medication

  • Psychotherapy

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

  • Diet and Lifestyle Change

  • Relaxation Therapy

Research Process

  • Literature Review

  • Case Studies

  • Surveys

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Pain Point

The country has seen an increase in awareness of anxiety and other mental illnesses in the last few years and with the onset of COVID-19.

In spite of this, several communities and families still struggle to accept the illness and have conversations about anxiety and offer support to those affected. Supportive and empathetic environments within homes could help strengthen relationships, create space for open conversations and foster wellbeing.

Providing means and tools to help parents understand the feelings and emotions associated with anxiety in children and equipping them with the ability to offer “mental health first-aid” could help change their perception and sensitize them towards the mental illness.

Concept and Vision

Brand Name: Talk That Talk

Talk that Talk is a toolkit that wishes to sensitize and change the narrative around anxiety. It does so by spreading awareness among parents about anxiety and encourage open communication in homes.

The kit is designed to predominantly help parents connect with their children experiencing anxiety. The brand believes that a shift in tone and communication methods in mental health interventions for anxiety can be improved by incorporating empathetic and human-centered systems.

Materials and Distribution

Creating a product that is convenient to produce and distribute is key to meeting the goals of accessibility and affordability. Materials such as cardboard and paper are easiest to source, reuse and recycle. Most chronic and debilitating mental illnesses have their onset before 24 years of age. Most youths are part of educational institutions during this period.

Educational institutions could be approached to create awareness and to distribute the kit. The kit could also be introduced to medical professionals in the field of mental health to increase awareness among family members of those seeking treatment.

Brand Values

  • Sensitivity is good.

  • We hope to change the narrative around anxiety.

  • We acknowledge parents’ challenges.

  • We want parents and children to know that they are not alone.

  • We believe that parents are capable of understanding their children’s anxiety.

  • We wish to help parents create a safe and open space for communication.

  • We help parents listen, not just hear.

  • We welcome opportunities for learning from one another.

  • We believe that communication builds trust and strengthens bonds.

  • We hope to build resilience and self-awareness.

What the kit offers:

Informational materials: Inform parents about the feelings and emotions associated with the illness, impact of the illness on everyday life and steps they can take to remediate an anxiety attack. It also consists of prompts and methods for parents to seek support.

Exercise: A structured activity could help parents and children break the ice and guide them through ways and means to navigate through conversations in the future.

Prompts: Prompts could assist in navigating through or starting conversations, helping users understand tone and nature of sentences.

Resilience building activities: Resilience plays an essential role in maintaining mental stability and developing coping mechanisms, helping individuals be more self-reliant.

More Interventions by Talk That Talk

Further engagement initiatives like campaigns and workshops would help them reach a larger audience and encourage in-person and actionable conversations.

  • Hear Us Out: A digital media campaign promoted by the brand and its distributors on social media to create a buzz and spread awareness.

  • Hold that Thought: A series of workshops and talks designed and hosted to help parents and children gain more insights on anxiety and other mental health disorders.