Sure, the latest initiatives from the Teslas, Apples and Googles of the industry tend to dominate the tech news space — and with good reason. Still, the tech titans aren’t the only ones bringing innovation to the sector.
In an effort to highlight up-and-coming startups, Built In has launched The Future 5 across 11 major U.S. tech hubs. Each quarter, we will feature five tech startups, nonprofits or entrepreneurs in each of these hubs who just might be working on the next big thing. Read our round-up of San Francisco’s rising startups from last quarter here.
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Since the pandemic began, the rates of various mental health issues have skyrocketed due in part to isolation during quarantine periods and social unrest globally. In fact, one in four Americans struggle with poor mental health, according to the National Institute of Mental Health Disorders. Therapy and other mental health resources can help, but for those who don’t have access to affordable care, coping can be difficult.
One thing that can help overcome mental health issues is reworking metacognition, or changing the way one thinks and talk to themselves. Limitless Guided Visualizations, a San Jose-based mental health company, uses guided audio sessions to help users work through difficult thoughts and reframe their perspectives.
Metacognition is having an awareness of your thought processes and patterns. Essentially, it’s being mindful of your thoughts, how often you have them and what effect they have on you. Similar to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Limitless calls its approach metacognitive healing methodology (MHM).
“By changing the relationship one has with themselves and their perspectives on life, sources of trauma can be revealed and transformed.”
The Limitless app helps users tap into metacognition through whole-body experiences that pull from both psychedelic and traditional medicines. This approach empowers users to notice their own limiting thoughts, alter their consciousness and rewrite their internal stories and perspectives.
“People are increasingly seeking self-help because the systems currently in place are lacking fundamental metacognitive support,” Cali Chill, Limitless founder and CEO, told Built In via email. “Limitless is the first-ever digital model to teach MHM. ... By changing the relationship one has with themselves and their perspectives on life, sources of trauma can be revealed and transformed.”
So far the approach has been helpful. For many of the company’s subscribers, the resource is the “missing piece that brings all of their entire mental health and personal wellness journey together,” Chill said. In fact, one user with generalized anxiety disorder said the app changed their life.
“I have tried so many things, from yoga to meditation, but I always felt like something was missing,” a user wrote. “I realized that I needed to change how I talk to myself and think about things. Once I started to fix my metacognition, I could return to all of the wellness activities with confidence. My internal voice is now constantly gentle, reflective and encouraging.”
Limitless is currently in a growth stage, conducting research with its app alongside a clinical partner. The company is also hiring for its remote team. Specifically, it is looking for a head of product and technology and a head of sales and strategic partnerships.
