Accelerator Centre Clients Wayble and PsyMood Join Forces to Provide Mental Health Supports for International Students

Wayble, founded in 2021 by Pat Chaisang, is a company dedicated to improving the international student experience.

"From the outset, Wayble's mission has been to ensure that international students feel welcomed, empowered, and fully supported as they navigate their life and career journeys in a new country," said Pat Chaisang, Wayble's Co-Founder and CEO. "With the ongoing changes in international education policies, students are facing greater challenges than ever in managing their personal and professional paths. This acquisition comes at a pivotal moment to address the critical gaps in support within the industry."

PsyMood, established in 2020 by Fred Neumann and Rodrigo Bergel to deliver culturally sensitive mental health support for newcomers, visible minorities and international students. Over the last four years PsyMood has built a strong network of practitioners, including psychotherapists, psychologists, career coaches, and mentors, across 45 countries and 43 languages. These specialists are equipped to provide culturally sensitive support for newcomers, visible minorities, and international students.

Now, under the Wayble brand, they are coming together to enable institutions to provide comprehensive support that goes beyond academics and career guidance, addressing the unique challenges students face while adapting to a new culture.

According to a survey conducted by The Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (CACUSS), approximately 60% of international students who report mental health concerns do not seek help. The primary reasons included stigma, lack of awareness about available resources, and cultural differences in perceiving mental health. And yet, the need is there. Neumann points out that in a recent survey, 51% of Wayblers highlighted mental health as a top concern.

“International students frequently encounter challenges such as culture shock, language barriers, and unfamiliar educational expectations, which can lead to isolation, anxiety, and stress. Despite these added stressors, international students are unlikely to access campus mental health services,” explains Neumann, who steps into Wayble as the company’s new Director of Platform Partnerships. “We want to make sure international students have access to tailored support that respects their language, culture, and faith to navigate the challenges of adapting to a new environment, including building social networks and connecting with mentors—critical factors for successful integration and overall well-being.

Through the Wayble platform, students will have access to 780 mental health professionals, ready to offer personalized one-on-one support to support students throughout their journey.

Chaisang and Neumann were introduced initially through a mutual business colleague. As founders of their respective companies, then joined the AC:Studio Program, where they began working in partnership to showcase PsyMood’s mental health support to Wayble’s network of over 30 Canadian institutions and over 70,000 international students. Both founders were able to tap into AC:Studio services and mentorship as they moved through the acquisition process and communicated it to the world.

Once an international student herself, Chaisang is deeply conscious of the many challenges students face, such as rising living costs, shifting immigration policies, and high youth unemployment which are significant stressors for young adults. She is passionate about normalizing the importance of mental health for her Wayblers by embedding mentorship and mental health support at every stage of the student journey from landing on campus, to managing through academic milestones and exams, to job seeking and interviewing.

“Fred, Rodrigo and the PsyMood team came to us at a crucial time,” she says. “The skillset and services they bring to Wayble will allow us to address critical gaps in traditional support systems and ensure that our Wayblers receive enhanced mental health resources and culturally relevant mentoring when and where it is needed. With us at their side, international students can build a stronger foundation for success, be empowered to overcome obstacles and bring our support with them as they grow within their academic and professional lives.”