#voda mental health

[delgado-master]

Yeah, after kokobot (which put pedophiles in contact with someone claiming to be a high school student to test it out, and that also used mentally ill teens as test subjects) I’m not trusting an app with “AI advice” not to tell a bunch of queer people to kill themselves

Update: when you look up Voda, you get, in order

Notice that none of these options are about this mental health service.

So, yeah, this is very sketchy. I may end up downloading it myself so you don’t have to, but I will end this post by looking at the Google play store

First off, it’s rated everyone on Google play but 17+ on Apple Store (or 12+ in certain countries). I think this warrants future investigation on queerphobic App Store policies. I’ll look at why it’s rated 17+ later.

Additional features it advertises: Cognitive Journaling Exercises, so Journal Prompts? And “Support for Trans and LGBTQ+ Individuals” which is really weird to put at the end of the features for a queer mental health app

Also “Developed by Leading LGBTQIA+ Psychotherapists” is listed as “something you have access to?

Also enjoy this:

WHAT CAN I LEARN?

Unlock the power of self-guided therapy with evidence-backed therapy approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and mindfulness.

If you really had lgbtq+ people working on the app you think one of them would know of the other meaning of “CBT”.

At least they supposedly don’t collect data, and the permissions look normal.

it does disclose it collects more data on iPhone, but the data is entirely related to the app’s functions, and I think it’s 17+ I think because it’s a medical app.

[shrike-dyke]

tbh i am infinitely less likely to use a Mental Health App if it's advertising on a platform that experiments on mentally ill teenagers

[respectissexy]

Tumblr is currently serving me an ad for "Voda, the LGBTQ mental health app" offering "daily meditations, self-care and AI advice" and as a therapist I am begging you not to download an app where an AI tries to help you with your mental health. Please do not. They tried to have an AI chatbot counsel eating disorder patients and it told them to diet. That shit is not safe. Do not talk to an AI about your mental health please. You don't need to talk to a professional but talk to a PERSON. Edited to add: OK, it's been a long day and I wrote this when I only had the information that was in the ad. It looks like they may not actually have a chatbot, but something that just... churns out pre-programmed advice? That's genuinely a lot safer! But calling it "AI advice" feels a little misleading. This app may be perfectly fine and safe to use, but should probably stick to the fundamentals that people want from a mental health app and not try to use AI hype to market, since the intersection of AI and mental health support is VERY DICEY and bad shit has happened there before. And you should probably do further research on how they are using your data, since that is also an area where mental health support apps have gone bad before.

[peccaberry]

i saw your tags on the post about the v*da app and i cant believe they dm'd you over a neg review! i already didn't trust them since they are a mental health app that uses AI (I've seen how other b*tterhelp did ppl) but the fact they went out of their way to dm you seals it even more! did they want you to delete what you said or what? it's so sketch that tumblr is promoting an app like this

To be fair they were very polite (mostly just trying to convince me no they were a very good app actually and I wasn't giving it a fair shot. )

They did not ask me to remove the message but it was implied they were upset about it. I think they tried to offer me assistance if I wasn't able to pay for it (that really was not the problem I had) but I did not invite them to DM me and it pissed me off.

I told them respectfully to stop dming and they did. Why a **company** is trying to argue against tag criticism by dming people is beyond me but it was unprofessional regardless of how polite they were.

Unfortunately I deleted the conversation from my inbox because being DMED by a freaking company (derogatory) creeped me out and I didn't want to keep seeing it in my dms so I can't tell you exactly what they said but I'm sure some of my followers remember me reblogging a post they blazed and tagging it saying it seemed scammy.

I actually looked back and I think they somehow managed to get my tag taken off that blazed post because I couldn't see it anymore. I feel like they are super sensitive to criticism and I'll be interested to see how this all turns out. I'm not convinced they intend on being scammy but from what I saw on the app when I downloaded it to check it out and their behavior I don't trust them.

Anyway don't pay a mental health app that uses AI for advice and uses a subscription model to "help" LGBT people. They are claiming to be LGBT themselves but I don't think that changes much about the nature of these kind of "self help" apps being a bit predatory. They give off this really weird new-agey vibe too (idk if that makes sense but it's the way they talk that seems off.)

Also save your money for actual professional help if you need it and not an AI app. Especially not one being promoted by Tumblr who loves shoving scams in our faces. (Tumblr live shout out)

You can find much better LGBT support and understanding within your own community without it being sold to you. Lots of love to everyone struggling and real help is out there even if it's probably not this app that's gonna do it.

[joinvoda]

undefined

Free mental health support available for our trans and non-binary community on the app. x

Try it on the Voda app 🏳️‍⚧️❤️ 

About the programmes:

Our “Coping with Gender Dysphoria” programmes have been designed by a panel of queer, trans and non-binary psychotherapists who identify across the spectrum of gender, sexuality and ethnicity, bringing together an intersectional lens. 

The programmes are led by our Lead Psychotherapist, Chris Sheridan (they/them), a renowned trans non-binary psychotherapy who specialise in Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversity.

We know that our offering will not solve the trans mental health crisis, but hope to offer a small element of support to all trans and non-binary people who are struggling with gender dysphoria in the current system.

#queertiktok #nonbinary #transrightsarehumanrights #trans #transmentalhealth #lgbwiththet

[jolikmc-thoughts]

You can be whatcha wanna, no one should care. But, if you need external help to "cope" with "what" you are or the choices you've made, then maybe you should, instead, take a step back and re-evaluate what's going on in your life instead of relying on a flimsy, pay-to-play app by people preying on your insecurities.

I doubt what you're going through can be fixed for £7.99 a month.

Just sayin'.

[therearevampiresinmywardrobe]

new ad

“voda, the lgbtq mental health app”

oh?

“offers meditation, self-care”

sounds kind of nice

“and ai advice”

what a horrible fucking invention

[vitrified-vitriol]

Voda mental health, maybe hire more than 2 women?

Then again I don't trust mental health apps, especially after I was proven right about better help.

OH GOOD IT OFFERS DAILY AI ADVICE

[amit0707]

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[paulc1st]

My 2019

Well, 2019 is nearly over with so what has happened over the last year for me ?

Well, at the beginning of the year my support worker that had worked with me since 2017 quit on me because I called her bluff on something as I don’t like being lied to and she didn’t like being found out.

I got another support worker from the same company but that didn’t work out either as she didn’t meet my needs.

In June I got another support worker placed from a different company which didn’t work out as she left after less than a month as she felt she wasn’t progressing as well as she hoped.

As I write this blog on New Years Eve, there is good news - I have two more support workers from a different company starting in the new year and I feel positive about this. 😊

In May I was totally shit on by a charity that I thought was excellent.

I have even mentioned them in previous blogs of mine:

Volunteering - http://itspaulc1stvolunteering.blogspot.com

VODA and SAINT - https://itspaulc1stvosa.blogspot.com

What happened is summed up in this blog:

Being Treat Differently Because Of A Disability -

https://itspaulc1stbtdboad.blogspot.com

I was told at the beginning of May that my time with VODA was coming to an end and they finished me by coming up with a pathetic excuse that once a volunteer had volunteered on six projects on their S.A.I.N.T project they were capped and couldn’t volunteer on any more projects.

This was never explained to me when I started volunteering for VODA.

They told me I had to wrap up my filming project I was doing with them by the end of May which was going to prove impossible as I at least another three people to interview and edit.

To cap it all, after having a discussion with the lass who I was volunteering on the project with, and who I thought was a friend, on how we were going to edit the second film, I came out of my one to one to discover her doing the exact opposite so I just walked out of the place.

The charity also said they couldn’t manage my condition - my anxiety - so they got rid of me.

Absolutely disgusting for a charity that supposedly helps people with mental health.

After finishing volunteering with VODA I enjoyed my dolphin trips with both Northern Experience Wildlife Tours and on board the Ocean Explorer with Billy Shiels boat trips.

Unfortunately, this year, towards the end, a lot of the pelagic trips on board the Ocean Explorer were cancelled because of bad weather offshore.

I also enjoyed the Farne Island trips and some of the evening dive trips just sitting on board whilst the divers were in the water with Billy Shiels boat trips.

I continued taking photos throughout the year for the Springfield Centre in Forest Hall at three events - their summer event and recently an event with a singer who sang war songs called Wor Vera - highly recommend singer and a Christmas event with a singer called Jason Isaacs, again very good.

I also took on another couple of volunteering roles.

One was as a photographer for the Shiremoor Treat in July and the second one was as a photographer for Friends Action North East, a charity who help enable disabled people do activities in the community where I took photographs for them at a day in Whitley Bay and a day at the Baltic in Gateshead.

Towards the back end of the year I gave up my volunteering role with CLICSargent as a Tin Manager for reasons I don’t want to discuss but it was a decision I made for the better and I was glad I did.

In May I went down to Leeds to see Emily Atack do her stand up show called “Talk Thirty To Me” which was her own touring show talking about her life leading up to her becoming 30.

The reason I went to see her was in 2012 I was an Extra in a film she starred in called ALMOST MARRIED and as she came out of the toilet after getting her make-up done on set I said she was like a kebab in my microwave - hot and tasty ! 😂😂

She ended the show with a lovely message by saying that in a world of Instagram and Snapchat where you can hide behind filters you should be proud to show off who you are which I thought was very true.

I, for one, never hide behind a filter.

In July Emily then added extra dates for her show and one of them was the Tyne Theatre in Newcastle in November where you got a free copy of her book and I quickly booked up a ticket as I couldn’t not see her in my home town.

Towards the back end of the year, in December, a week before Christmas, my Dad came with me for something I was dreading - my Employment and Support Allowance review.

After sending in two eyewitness statements and a letter from my GP about my hoarding I thought they may have used the evidence alone but they called me in for a face to face assessment.

As I write this blog on New Years Eve I am still to hear what the outcome of the assessment will be - whether they keep me on it or take me off and put me back onto Jobseekers Allowance.

So that was my 2019 in a nutshell.

Before I sign off I would just like to thank some people who have supported me in 2019:

1.) My family - my Mam and Dad, three brothers, two sister-in-laws and nephew and niece. I know I sometimes argue with my brothers and my Mam and Dad but they are there for me. As for my two sister-in-laws. Cheers for putting up with me. For my nephew and niece. You are always lovely to be around even if I sometimes find it too hard to cope with.

2.) My friends. Special thanks has to go to three of them especially:

i.) Ellie - You are there if I need to moan to about my autism especially after you helped me last year with the designs for my new YouTube channel. You are my zebra. 😉

ii.) Julia - Although I don’t see you often I know you are always at the end of a text if I need help.

iii.) Liz - I first became friends with you on the Ocean Explorer three years ago and it’s always nice to catch up when you are up here camping to go on boat trips with.

3.) For my mental health:

i.) Ben Burville and Alan Leatham on Ocean Explorer for the pelagic trips.

I may have my favourite seat at the back but that’s my comfort zone and I love going out trying to spot the cetaceans in the Farne Deeps.

ii.) Martin Kitching for the pelagic trips ran from the Tyne on board the JFK Two through Northern Experience Wildlife Tours. Even if we don’t see anything it’s escapism on the boat and nice to see the coast from a different point of view.

iii.) Everyone at Billy Shiels boat trips. I love the trips to the Farne Islands. It’s escapism for my mental health.

4.) All the staff at Paperchase in Newcastle. It’s nice that I can pop in and have a chat when I am in town even if I am not buying anything. It means a lot.

5.) The staff at M and M news in Newcastle. Again, like Paperchase, it’s nice on an evening to pop in and have a chat on my way home.

6.) Rob and Lorraine from Safe and Healthy Homes at the council.

Lorraine - You first dealt with me in 2016 when I first got help from your department after my autism diagnosis when I said I needed help with my flat for my hoarding.

Rob - I first came across you as my advisor on Wise Steps when you referred me to VODA.

You are both there if I ever need help. Cheers.

All I have to say is see what 2020 and the start of a new decade brings......

[respectissexy]

I really am not trying to bully Voda out of spite or whatever but it is my opinion that mental health and crisis support professionals need to be like. 1000% more aggressive about defending our work from AI encroachment. Like we need to be at least as aggressive as people in the arts have been. The stakes are pretty fucking high over here!

[joinvoda]

undefined

Polyamorous relationships can have different challenges to navigate.

Voda’s Lead Psychotherapist Chris (they/them) shares tips on questions to check in with your partner(s) to navigate communicational challenges. x

[joinvoda]

👋 Hi everyone! I'm Jaron (he/him). I'm co-founder at Voda (www.voda.co), the LGBTQIA+ mental health app. We're a queer-led startup that works with leading LGBTQIA+ psychotherapists to create mental health resources for the community.

🏳️‍🌈 Voda goes where other apps don't: we address issues like coming out, gender dysphoria, queerphobia, and even dating & relationships from a queer perspective.

🏳️‍⚧️ One of my highlights this year was collaborating with trans and non-binary psychotherapists to create "Coping with Gender Dysphoria", a series of resources aimed at helping trans and non-binary individuals manage the symptoms associated with gender dysphoria. It's free on the app!

🌎 Our vision? To become the mental health companion of every LGBTQIA+ person around the world. It's estimated that 83% of queer people globally still keep their identity secret, and we want Voda to be the way they can access effective and discreet support.

🔥Looking forward to connecting with those passionate for mental health, queertech & silly t-shirts! - Jaron

[joinvoda]

Free Mental Health Support for Trans & Non-Binary Communities on Voda

Are you trans or non-binary?

If so, we have free mental health support that has been designed by expert trans and non-binary psychotherapists available for you on the Voda app.

Voda recently launched “Coping with Gender Dysphoria”, a series of digital mental health support resources for the trans and non-binary community.

This is a programme that has been designed by a team of accredited trans and non-binary psychotherapists, and utilises evidence-backed therapy techniques Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) techniques and mindfulness-based therapy.

The programme is aimed at helping you cope with some of the symptoms associated with gender dysphoria.

We know that mental health support available to trans and non-binary people is severely lacking all across the world.

And that is why this programme is available for free - and will always be free - on the Voda app.

So, if you're looking for mental health support to cope with gender dysphoria, or know someone who does, head over to Voda.

We're here to support you every step of the way.

You can download Voda here.

About Voda:

Launched in 2022, Voda is built by and for the LGBTQIA+ community. We’re building the product we wish we had in our younger years.

Created by leading LGBTQIA+ psychotherapists, Voda combines leading psychotherapy expertise with AI to make mental wellbeing support more accessible, more inclusive and more intersectional.

No matter your gender, sexuality or relationship-diversity, Voda offers queer folks evidence-backed tools to move towards thriving and fulfilled lives. Our innovative offering includes daily AI advice, queer-led meditations, cognitive journaling and self-guided therapy programmes rooted in the lived experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community.