Every year, World Mental Health Day reminds us of a truth we often overlook, that mental health is not just a personal matter, but a national priority. In Sri Lanka, 1 in 10 people live with a mental health condition, and 2% live with severe conditions that deeply affect their daily lives. These numbers represent far more than statistics, they represent real people. Friends, parents, colleagues, and children who’re silently fighting battles that too often go unseen or unsupported.

For too long, mental health care has been treated as a luxury. Therapy was expensive, finding the right professional was difficult, and for many, stigma made even taking the first step nearly impossible. This is the reality that led to the creation of Happy Mind, to make mental health care accessible, affordable, and stigma-free for every Sri Lankan.

As we mark two years of Happy Mind, and celebrate World Mental Health Day 2025, we do so with deep gratitude and a renewed sense of purpose. This past year was transformative, not just for us, but for thousands of people whose healing journeys began because they finally had access to care that felt approachable, safe, and convenient.

In Jan 2025, we launched our new corporate wellness programs (EAPs), a major milestone in our mission to bring mental health support directly to workplaces, where stress, burnout, and emotional fatigue often begin. Since then, we’ve partnered with 13 of Sri Lanka’s most respected organizations, including Aitken Spence Group, Abans Group, Hemas Holdings, Allianz Insurance, IFS, Prime Group, LOLC Holdings, and Softlogic Life.

Through these partnerships, a collective workforce of over 30,000 employees now have free and confidential access to professional mental health support.
That’s 30,000 lives with fewer barriers between them and the help they deserve.
30,000 opportunities to build healthier, more resilient workplaces.
30,000 chances to prove that mental health care isn’t a privilege, it’s a necessity.

What makes this journey even more meaningful is that the impact hasn’t been limited to our corporate clients. Despite spending $0 on marketing and advertising, we saw over 3,000 counselling sessions completed by general users this year alone. That growth was powered entirely by word of mouth, by people sharing their experiences, recommending their counsellors, and reminding others that healing is possible. In a world where digital noise is constant, there is no greater testament to trust than someone saying, “This helped me, it might help you too.”

We also introduced a free, anonymous mental health assessment, powered by the globally recognized DASS-21, which has already helped over 1,000 individuals better understand their mental health. For many, that assessment was the first time they took a moment to ask themselves, “How am I really doing?”

Happy Mind’s growth this year wasn’t just about numbers. It was about normalizing conversations around mental health across industries and communities. Thanks to our corporate partners, mental health became a topic thousands of employees now engage with weekly, through awareness campaigns, wellness classes, webinars, and counselling sessions.

Every time a company chooses to prioritize its employees’ mental well-being, stigma loses a little more of its power. And that’s perhaps our proudest achievement, not just making therapy more accessible, but making it normal.

In just two years, Happy Mind has become Sri Lanka’s largest private mental health services provider, connecting people to experienced mental health professionals who understand the cultural, emotional, and social realities of life. We’re not just offering therapy, we’re rebuilding the relationship between people and their mental health.

None of what we’ve achieved would have been possible without the incredible counsellors who give their best to every session, the companies who trusted us to care for their teams, and the clients who took that brave first step to seek help.

To every person who has shared their story, encouraged a friend, or joined us in breaking the stigma – thank you. You’ve helped create a ripple effect of compassion that we believe will one day become a wave of change across the country.

As we celebrate our second anniversary, we are reminded that mental health care isn’t just about crisis, it’s about connection. It’s about being there for one another.

So today, on World Mental Health Day, we invite you to be part of this movement.
Talk more openly about mental health.
Look for signs in your loved ones, friends, and colleagues.
Learn to listen, not to respond, but to understand.
And most importantly, remind them that help is available, and there is no shame in seeking it.

Together, we can make sure that every Sri Lankan, no matter who they are or where they live, has access to the care they deserve and a happier mind to live their life with.