Thrive in 5 was created by Dr. Sarah Rasmi, licensed psychologist and managing director of Thrive Wellbeing Centre, and launched in May 2021.

You launched Thrive in 5 in May, Mental Health Awareness month, please tell us more about the platform. Thrive in 5 is a brand-new platform – and a first in the UAE – to help us all invest in our mental health, social relationships and professional development. Thrive in 5 offers short courses as cost-effective, self-paced, flexible programs tackling the major issues that people are facing in their personal and professional lives.

What are the benefits of online therapy and development?

In the past year many of us have sought mental health support or some form of help. Face-to-face consultations however can be prohibitively expensive for some, and others are not comfortable with venturing outside quite yet.  Thrive in 5 is a set of online courses, made up of five modules that are practical, efficient, affordable and evidence-based.

The courses enable us access to mental health and wellbeing support, personal development and self-help surrounding common mental health challenges from the comfort of our own homes without anyone knowing what we are doing.

Of course, we still offer traditional online and in-person therapy but I ultimately developed these courses in response to the large number of requests that I have been receiving. In the last year, more people than ever are seeking support for their mental health, and the course topics at launch were influenced by the major themes and challenges that we have been hearing from clients over the past year.

Thrive in 5 addresses these issues by offering a cost-effective solution that incorporates evidence-based self-help tools that people can use to tackle the challenges they are facing at home, (and work).

What courses are available?

Courses include: Managing Anxiety, Perfectionism, Avoiding and Managing Burnout, Communicating as a Couple, Improving Memory & Learning, Self-Care, Tackling Procrastination, and Being a Body Confident Role Model. New courses will be added regularly.

How will it support women and female employees and entrepreneurs?

The data has consistently shown that women have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, many women have had to make tough decisions about their careers in light of the increased childcare demands that have come with the implementation of online schooling. Many of the women that we see are struggling with anxiety, burnout, and their relationships – as well as the high standards that they place on themselves. These are all issues that are tackled in our Thrive in 5 courses. The online modality, as well as the price point, means that women can take relevant courses when they are able, at their own pace, and without the financial pressure of pursuing therapy.

Entrepreneurship can be incredibly rewarding – but it is also stressful. It is very difficult to switch off as an entrepreneur, especially in a precarious and unstable economy. As a result, many of the entrepreneurs that we see are struggling with looking after their own needs as they prioritize their businesses and employees. Our course on burnout can be especially helpful for entrepreneurs, as well as the one on perfectionism, as they both focus on recalibrating. That is, prioritizing one’s own needs while also fulfilling one’s responsibilities.

What does a course cost?

Annual subscription fees start from $120 per person.

Where can I find out more information?

For further details please visit: https://www.thrivein5.com