MentalHappy
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MentalHappy 3.0 - Find & host online support groups that actually fill up

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MentalHappy 3.0 is a full rebuild — new platform, app, and host tools. What sets it apart: instead of browsing support groups that may not exist, you Request the one you need, others upvote it anonymously, and an expert leader sees the demand and starts it — everyone who asked gets pinged when it's live. Demand first, so groups actually fill. Expert-led (not DIY), no referral, insurance, or waitlist. Start free, no credit card. Built solo, end-to-end, with AI.

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Maker
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Hi Product Hunt 👋🏾I'm Tamar — solo founder of MentalHappy (the "we" in our copy is me and a concerning amount of coffee). Quick story: finding the right support is weirdly hard, and the tools for organizing it are stuck in 2009 — a Zoom link, four email threads, a calendar invite, and a call that goes to voicemail. So I rebuilt MentalHappy from the ground up. This is 3.0. The part I'm most excited about: Most Requested. Can't find the group you need? Post it — say, "support group for people dating a startup founder." Other people who need it too upvote it. Leaders browse what's actually in demand, spin up the group, and everyone who upvoted gets pinged the moment it's live. Basically: it's like Product Hunt, but the thing you're upvoting is the support group you wish existed. Demand first, so groups actually fill. (AI quietly handles the matchmaking in the background so the rest can stay human.) Whether you're an expert, an advocate, or someone who's been through it and wants to hold space for others — there's room for you here. We're Y Combinator-backed, on a mission to make support easier to find and easier to lead.

Love this initiative. Can this find also groups within separated countries? (because of the language barriers) :)

Maker

 Thank you! 😊 Not yet, but that's a great suggestion. Right now, you can find support groups led by experts from a variety of cultural backgrounds, which helps people find communities that feel more relatable and inclusive. Language-specific groups are something we'll be adding very soon. Thanks for the idea—we really appreciate the feedback!

I like the "demand first" approach. Has there been a requested support group that surprised you by how popular it became?
Maker

 Great question! Some of the most requested groups are around caregiver support, such as caring for an aging parent, as well as topics like disenfranchised grief. That includes experiences like losing a job during the recent tech layoffs, losing a pet, or navigating the challenges of being single and dating. These forms of grief are often overlooked, but they're very real and deserve support too.

Requested a niche group for caregivers and got an email two days later when it actually launched with a real facilitator. love that it doesn't just sit empty.

Maker

 I'm so glad you had that experience! That was exactly the problem we wanted to solve. Instead of leaving people waiting in empty groups, we use community demand to help launch groups when there's enough interest and a qualified facilitator ready to lead. Thanks so much for sharing your experience—it means a lot. 💙

the demand-first model makes sense for getting groups to fill, but the part I'd want to understand before recommending this to anyone is the other side: who actually vets a 'leader' before they're allowed to run a mental health support group? anyone can look qualified in a profile, and this is a space where a well-meaning but out-of-their-depth facilitator can do real harm to people who are already vulnerable. is there a credential check, or is it closer to self-reported expertise with reviews catching problems after the fact

Maker

 

That's a really important question and fair ask, and one we've thought about from the beginning.

Every support group leader goes through a vetting process before they can launch a group. We verify their identity and credentials, review their experience, and ensure they're appropriately qualified for the type of group they're leading. Many of our leaders are licensed mental health professionals, while others are certified peer specialists or facilitators with relevant lived experience, depending on the group's purpose.

We also provide tools for participant reporting, moderation, and ongoing oversight. Mental health support requires trust, and we believe that starts with making sure the right people are leading these communities.

Most Requested is the best idea on this page, demand before supply. The one thing I couldn't tell: requests and upvotes are anonymous, but somebody holds the ping list for when the group launches. What does the leader see about the people who asked? For this product that answer matters as much as the leader-vetting question further up the thread.

"actually fill up" in the tagline tells me someone got burned running empty support groups before building this, that's a real problem for anyone who's tried to organize one. what's actually making the difference for filling groups, is it better discovery/matching for people looking, or more about giving hosts tools to promote a specific group before it starts

Nice one on the launch. The demand-first idea is smart. A lot of support groups fail because someone creates one and then hopes the right people eventually find it. I’d be interested to know how you vet group leaders, especially for more sensitive topics. Also, how much personal information does the matchmaking need, and can people take part anonymously?