Join the program
for
families

who support
loved ones

with mental illness

It’s easy to feel lost when a loved one shows symptoms of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, severe depression or related illnesses.

Akin Mental Health shows you the way, step-by-step. As a caring family member, you are a critical piece of your loved one’s recovery — we’ll show you how.

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Dealing with an immediate crisis?

Akin is not a crisis service. Let's get you to the right place.

More crisis resources >

Crisis hotlines

Talk to a crisis counselor 24-hrs a day

Call 988 or text 741741

The Akin Family Program

Your path forward

Start with the 12-Lesson Program

Don’t waste time getting stuck in unproven dead ends. We’ve distilled decades of mental health research into an easy-to-follow program for families like yours. Make progress by learning about mental illness, recovery, and the proven skills for supporting your loved one.

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Connect with people who understand

You don’t have to do this alone. With Akin, you’ll meet people just like you who care about a loved one with severe mental illness. They get what you’re going through, and can share what has worked for them.

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See how recovery is possible

Science shows your involvement and compassion are an important part of your loved one’s treatment and recovery. You deserve support so you can manage stress, communicate better, and prepare for what’s ahead.

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How Akin works

Transform your approach to mental illness

Live weekly workshops led by knowledgeable Guides
Track progress with science-based lessons available anytime, anywhere
Support from a welcoming community of experienced peers

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Upcoming Live workshops

Jump in with Akin

It was helpful to hear that someone has been where I am now. Hearing that your loved ones are living productive lives has given me hope for my daughter.

Father

of a daughter with schizoaffective disorder

Akin has really been a place to educate myself. To feel empowered and get support by other family members. To know that I’m not alone in this means the world to me. I really am so thankful to have this for myself.

Mother

of a son with schizophrenia

Very informative and really eye opening. I’ve definitely told my sister that she’s being dramatic, etc before and that lesson made me realize how important it is to listen and allow people to let things out.

Sister

of a sibling with depression

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Who we are

Akin is a group of scientists, tech developers, and other experts in effective mental health programs. Many of us have supported family members who have severe mental illness, and we all bring deep empathy and understanding to everything we do.

Stephanie holds a PhD in neuroscience from UC Berkeley, and has led development of evidence based digital health products at Apple health special projects and Hopelab, and has consulted for many digital health startups.

Matt has spent his career over the past 15 years building software at scale and leading technical teams. He has developed and implemented the technical strategy for multiple top App Store Health and Fitness apps.

Charlie is a clinical psychologist with a PhD from Nebraska. For 15+ years, he has worked on psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery for and with people experiencing SMI, psychosis, and extreme states and their communities. He wrote a book on the topic and is active in research, advocacy, and professional leadership roles.

Kacey has a PhD in Psychology from Stanford and a successful track record of design and product leadership at companies like Lumosity, Google, and Instagram.

Brittany has championed personal and professional development during her 15 years in Human Resources. She is also a daughter, granddaughter, mother, and friend to many individuals living with serious mental illness, including Schizophrenia, Bipolar and Major Depressive Disorder. She is passionate about sharing hope and supporting through the heartache that so many of us experience.

Linda is an outcome-driven content strategist and learning designer with a reputation for delivering interactive learning experiences. She's developed innovative digital products to teach thousands of people how to support someone through a mental health crisis.

Dr. Glynn is a Research Psychologist at UCLA who has spent the past twenty years conducting research on psychosocial interventions, most especially family interventions, supported employment and social skills training, to support recovery from schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses.

We're on a mission to meaningfully improve the wellbeing of families affected by severe mental illness.

Common questions

FAQ

Who is this service for?

Akin Mental Health provides services for anyone who cares for someone with a mental illness. You may be a daughter, son, mother, father, spouse, sibling, or friend.

Why is this service for family and friends?

No one should have to deal with a mental illness alone. Support from family and friends is so important for recovery.

But family and friends are so often in the dark. Not knowing how to help, or how to get support for their own struggles and stress. This purpose of Akin Mental Health is to empower the family support system so that everyone can recover together.

What if I have a mental illness?

We do not provide medical, psychotherapy or other clinical services to those experiencing mental illness. Akin Mental Health services are designed for family and friends of someone experiencing mental illness. If you are a family or friend supporting a loved one with mental illness and also experience mental illness yourself, you may find our support group and resource offerings useful in your role as a supporter of your loved one.

Does Akin provide treatment?

No. Our Guides do not provide medical, psychotherapy, or other clinical services, nor do we provide advice on specific courses of treatment, medications, or products.

Who are the Guides?

Akin Guides are family members, like you, with experience navigating care for loved ones with severe mental illness. We use a unique framework to help you uncover tools and resources relevant to your personal situation and relationship with your loved one.

How much does it cost?

Membership to Akin is $74.99 per month. We offer a one-week free trial so that you can determine whether or not our service is right for your needs.

Are program scholarships available?

Yes! We understand that mental illness affects families of all kinds. If the Akin Family Program is a fit for you but you cannot afford the monthly fee, you may be a candidate for our scholarship program. Each month we admit a select number of participants at reduced or no charge. Please complete this 3 minute survey to apply.

How long will it take to see benefits?

Members gain helpful information for their personal situation within their first week during their Welcome Call and in their first Workshop. Within 12 weeks, members will have learned Akin's core curriculum which will empower them to manage stress, improve relationships with their loved one, and navigate the mental healthcare system.

Can multiple family members join with one account?

Yes. Additional family and friends are welcome to join the Welcome Call and Workshops with a single membership.

Do you have any other questions or suggestions? Email us at hello@akinmh.com.

Join the program
for
families

who support
loved ones

with mental illness