Psychology meets entrepreneurship
UW/H students Isabelle Hinrichs and Lukas Theodor Wagner are rethinking psychological counselling with their start-up "Talk About Me".
Mental health is becoming increasingly important these days and is also one of the biggest challenges facing our society. In addition to around 18 million people in Germany with a mental illness, there are many sufferers who do not have a clinical diagnosis but still need support in stressful life situations. Isabelle Hinrichs and Lukas Theodor Wagner want to close this gap in care. With their start-up Talk About Me, the UW/H psychology students offer psychological counselling - online, flexible and academically sound.
Isabelle and Lukas have done it: the two psychology students have turned a smart idea into their own start-up! During their studies, they focused intensively on mental health care in Germany and soon realised that they wanted to make a difference in this area. "Many people wait months to years for a place in therapy. That's a real problem," says Lukas. "In addition to psychotherapy, there are many alternative offers of help, but no uniform quality standards. And the high costs are also a hurdle." Unlike psychotherapy, psychological counselling is not usually covered by health insurance; people seeking counselling have to pay the costs themselves. In addition, the term "psychological counselling" is not legally protected, which means that private coaches can also advertise this service alongside trained psychologists. It is therefore difficult for laypeople to judge the price-performance ratio. Lukas and his fellow student Isabelle took up the challenge and developed a business idea. Their solution: psychological counselling by students.
Counselling at eye level and a protected environment to reduce inhibitions
Their approach has several advantages, as start-up founder Isabelle explains: "Our counsellors are in the higher semesters of their Bachelor's degree, in their Master's degree or already in psychotherapeutic training. Thanks to the practice-oriented study programme in accordance with the new licensing regulations, they bring with them specialist knowledge and methodological skills that meet current scientific standards. You, in turn, benefit from the opportunity to gain valuable professional experience alongside your studies. Our business model also enables us to offer high-quality counselling at a reasonable price." The founders want to help people overcome problems in everyday life or in relationships, strengthen their own resilience, develop personally and improve their quality of life. "It doesn't always have to be based on a serious medical condition. Sometimes we simply feel overwhelmed by a situation or want to change entrenched patterns of behaviour and need someone to talk to. That's what we're here for and we can provide independent and professional support," says the psychology student.
Despite the growing awareness of mental health, the fear of stigmatisation still prevents many people from seeking professional help. Lukas and Isabelle see psychological counselling as an opportunity to break down inhibitions. "Our mentees can take advantage of online counselling in the protected environment of their own home at flexible times and speak to us as equals," explains Isabelle. With their team of young counsellors, they hope to be able to support students or trainees in particular who may have problems opening up to older therapists.
Giving up was never an option on their start-up journey
Lukas and Isabelle spent a year building their start-up until the launch of their website in January 2025 officially sealed the launch of Talk About Me. In addition to their enthusiasm for the human psyche, the young entrepreneurs also brought business management expertise to their start-up project: Before studying psychology at UW/H, Isabelle studied management, while Lukas worked in capital markets law at a law firm. Inspired by their strong conviction and motivation, they took on every challenge - from developing the concept to searching for financing options and securing legal protection. "At no point was it an option to drop the pen and bury our heads in the sand," recalls Isabelle. "Talk About Me is a project close to our hearts!"
An important milestone was the successful application for state funding. "Our pitch was an experience because it took place during a boat trip with the jury! We were able to convince the experts of our idea and were given the chance to refine our business plan. We are very grateful for the financial start-up support," says Lukas.
The fact that they were able to follow this path with such determination was not least due to their supportive environment, the founders report: "One of the special features of the UW/H for us is the appreciative closeness between students and teaching staff. Our professors took us seriously right from the start and gave us valuable input. Whether it was feedback on counselling guidelines, networking opportunities or entrepreneurial advice - this enormous support was a great gift for us."
They have learnt three key lessons from their start-up: Simply get started and take action, be open to adjustments and look for fellow campaigners you can rely on. For Isabelle and Lukas, one thing is clear: Talk About Me is just the beginning of their journey.