Phlourish: Rethinking Mental Health with Low-Cost, High-Impact Innovation
- Alfonso Diego Orfanel
- Sep 25
- 4 min read
When we talk about ways of uplifting the well-being of many, we often think of inventing new medicine, making renewable energy, such as solar panels, accessible to all, or utilizing technology to help grow farm crops. However, in a small nonprofit based in the Philippines, innovation looks surprisingly simple: a guided self-help workbook for teens. And yet, this solution is quietly transforming the way we make mental health care more accessible for Filipinos.
Mental Health in the Philippines
Mental illness is one of the most pressing public health concerns in the Philippines. In 2020, it was estimated that six million Filipinos live with anxiety or depression (Martinez et al.). Yet access to mental health professionals remains extremely disproportionate; according to the Philippine Psychiatric Association, there were only 651 psychiatrists and 133 psychologists in the entire country as of 2024 (Llorente, 2024). For adolescents, the challenge is more complex and critical. As Shen, one of the co-founders of Phlourish, explains, working with young people often requires additional practical considerations and safeguards, which can make access to care more complicated. Moreover, mental health struggles at this age are particularly urgent to address, as research shows they often persist into adulthood, reducing physical and mental well-being and limiting opportunities later in life (World Health Organization & United Nations Development Programme, 2019).
Phlourish: Origin Story
Phlourish, a social impact startup founded by Shen, Roc, and Joseph, was formed in response to this gap. “Mental health overlaps with everything— education, employment, physical well-being. We realized that improving mental health is one of the most effective ways to help people live flourishing lives,” Shen shares. The co-founders, who met through the Effective Altruism* community, launched Phlourish in 2023 with a clear mission: to test and scale effective, evidence-based mental health interventions that are feasible to implement and adapted to the Filipino context.
The Guided Self-Help Workbook
Their flagship initiative is a guided self-help workbook designed specifically for Filipino adolescents. Notably, the idea for this intervention didn’t originate with Phlourish. Charity Entrepreneurship, a global organization that researches to identify cost-effective and impactful social interventions, recommended the guided self-help workbook model based on its strong evidence base. Phlourish took this recommendation and localized the intervention, developing their own workbook through months of focus group discussions, expert reviews, and user testing. The result: a tool rooted in established psychological knowledges and practices but designed with the Filipino context in mind.
The workbook consists of five chapters: understanding mental health, building self-compassion, regulating emotions, cultivating healthy relationships, and recognizing when to seek help. It is designed for both independent and guided use. The adolescents work through the material at their own pace, with one section recommended each week. This content is then discussed during a scheduled one-on-one session with a trained lay mentor. These mentors are not mental health professionals but are equipped with structured training, including separate facilitation materials and supervision, by Phlourish themselves.
The workbook is effective in not only in theory, but also in practice. Pilot runs conducted in the latter months of 2024 showed promising results: participants, especially ones with low initial well-being scores, reported improved mental well-being. Moreover, internal evaluations showed that the program’s cost-effectiveness was in line with Charity Entrepreneurship’s original projections. In a country where internet access is unreliable and stigma around mental health remains deeply rooted, this low-tech, community-based solution offers a rare combination of accessibility, effectiveness, and relevance.
Other Programs
And the innovation doesn’t stop there. In line with their mission, Phlourish is currently piloting three new initiatives: (1) a shorter, group-based psychoeducation program, (2) a text-message-based support program for parents, and (3) a subgranting system that allows organizations to adapt and implement the workbook in their own communities.
As they grow, the organization is exploring partnerships with schools, local governments, and national agencies like the Department of Education, which they hope will adopt their workbook.
Call to Action for Filipinos
When asked how ordinary Filipinos can contribute to improving mental health, Shen offers a simple but powerful suggestion: talk about it. “I think people should just start talking about it, even if they’re unsure about the right words. Because when it’s out there, it can be corrected. But if we tiptoe around the topic, nothing changes. And if perceptions don’t change, behaviors won’t change—people won’t ask for help, and they won’t get the help they need.”
* Effective altruism is a global movement that uses evidence and reason to find the most effective ways to help others. It combines research and action to tackle the world’s biggest problems and make the most impact with limited resources (Orpheus_Lummis, 2021).
Disclaimer: This feature article is intended to inspire innovators to inspire others to create meaningful innovations for the self and others. While Phlourish is referenced for their contributions to the field, they are not affiliated with Ateneo de Manila University. The views expressed in this article are for informational and inspirational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of the University.
Sources:
Llorente, B. (2024, September 30). Fil‑Am doctor alarmed over shortage of mental health experts in PH. ABS‑CBN News. Retrieved from https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/30/fil-am-doctor-alarmed-over-shortage-of-mental-health-experts-in-ph-1956
Martinez, A. B., Co, M., Lau, J., & Brown, J. S. L. (2020). Filipino help‑seeking for mental health problems and associated barriers and facilitators: A systematic review. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 55(11), 1397–1413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-01937-2
Orpheus_Lummis. (2021, September [approx]). Comment on “Introduction to Effective Altruism” [Online forum comment]. Effective Altruism Forum. In GreaterWrong.com. Comment on post Introduction to Effective Altruism. Retrieved from https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/s/B79ro5zkhndbBKRRX/p/ZhNaizQgYY9dXdQkM
World Health Organization, & United Nations Development Programme. (2019). Making the investment case for mental health: A WHO/UNDP methodological guidance note (WHO‑UHC/CD‑NCD/19.97‑eng). World Health Organization.
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C’est inspirant de voir comment Phlourish utilise une approche simple et abordable pour rendre la santé mentale accessible aux Geometry Dash adolescents philippins, tout en ayant un impact concret et mesurable !