Q & A with Tommy Searle, co-founder and CEO of Wellnest.

While the pandemic lockdowns have accelerated and brought focus on the gaming industry, they have also induced feelings of isolation, depression, fear, worry, concern and a general strain on mental health in some people. At Progression, we think a lot about how elements of gaming experiences (digital, immersive, interactive, and shareable to name a few) can impact other sectors – one of those being wellness and self care. Tommy Searle, the co-founder and CEO of Wellnest, shares his thoughts on self care and why he is building Wellnest.

Tommy Searle, CEO and co-founder of Wellnest

Progression: What made you want to start Wellnest?

Tommy Searle: Seeing first hand the mental health resources offered on campus, we felt that too many of them were clinical and unapproachable. We knew that it should be a lot easier to talk about what’s going on in your head. We were really interested in journaling because it’s the number one form of self care recommended by therapists, so we used that as our launching point.

Progression: How has journaling helped you?

TS: Journaling helps me get my thoughts out on paper, which gives me a fresh perspective on things and keeps me from over thinking. By actively taking part in working through my thoughts and labeling my emotions, I’ve been able to better understand my thoughts, emotions, and goals. I also love how journaling helps me remember my days and revisit those experiences.

Progression: What do you think Gen Z and the younger cohort is looking for in wellness, mental health services? Any obvious gaps you see that should be addressed currently serving them uniquely?

TS: We’ve found that Gen Z resonates with products that are interactive and personalized, and we haven’t seen any mainstream mental health or mindfulness solutions build with these values in mind. Wellnest is designed to let users decorate their spaces and customize their avatars, which we hope will give people pride in their mental health journey. We believe this approach will help users be more vulnerable and willing to explore their thoughts, and appreciative of their progress and experiences.

Progression: The move to build a metaverse like garden for your thoughts is so interesting. Where did you get inspiration from?

TS: After a few months of learning from our initial App Store launch, we felt like we had hit a wall with what we built. What we created was beautiful and helpful but we thought we fell short of achieving our values—pride, personalization, and play. Our decision to build this interactive garden for your thoughts was us simply leaning into those values. We drew inspiration from games that we all loved like Minecraft and Stardew Valley and found that a 3D space could strengthen our experience in a number of ways, including relaxation, organization, and a sense of community.