There’s an app for that…
Confronted by the Scotland’s shocking suicide rate, Jamie Kerr, from Glasgow, created MindKite – a new mental wellbeing platform
In the news and features pages of our April edition, we highlighted the ‘emotional exhaustion’ many dentists are experiencing and featured the launch of an initiative encouraging all dental workplaces to make mental health wellness a priority. Here, we speak to Jamie Kerr who has developed MindKite, a social media and mental wellbeing platform.
MindKite’s inception came with Jamie’s realisation that men in his hometown of Glasgow were struggling with mental health and lacked adequate support and resources. Suicide is the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the United Kingdom, with Scotland having the highest rates at 16.1 deaths per 100,000 persons. MindKite aims to address mental wellbeing for men, women, teens and help to empower people through network building and social interaction, enhanced mental health literacy, and behavior change education.
What set you on this path?
Coming from Glasgow, we have the highest suicide rate in Europe and highest drug addiction rate. I knew that there needed to be more done, and I wanted to work towards anything that would help make people’s lives better, especially from my area. MindKite was a simple vision. A doodle on a piece of paper. I wanted to not only help people locally by this point, but I also wanted to go on a mission to help the world and from this tiny aspiration birthed MindKite.
First was the idea for the app, the best way to control our message on a platform we promote to the world. For this we had to find the correct app developer that also aligned with the mindset values of MindKite, as I’m not a tech person this was the most difficult part of the journey. From this first idea came many smaller ideas that really snowballed, like the MindKite podcast, MindKite therapeutic candles, and the MindKite accredited life coaching academy. All these things really align with our core values and message to help make the world a better place through good mindset, mental health, and wellbeing.
Now we have launched the MindKite app and our coaching academy, we are being commissioned to make motivational content for corporations around the world. Over the next couple of years, we would like to do some live events and mindset retreats.
What does your role involve?
Predominantly I am a coach and mentor for mindset and business success, usually one leads to the other. So firstly, I will look at the mindset of my clients, their limiting beliefs, fears, worries and outlook on life – usually these are manifesting themselves as one of the many types of mental health (depression, anxiety etc). I will usually have a one-to-one session with my clients over Zoom or in person and we will get to work on really conquering their troubles. I am really big on gratitude and how it should be the base line for every day.
If asked, would you help England prepare for a penalty shoot-out at the World Cup?
I am Scottish so this would be mind over matter, but I would absolutely be honoured if I was asked to prepare the mindset of the England team for the World Cup. My strategy would simply be to teach them about visualisation, and emotional connection to outcome – this would give them the edge required. My words to the players that missed at the Euros would be do not focus on past moments that will not serve your future. Disappointment should last no longer than 2-5 minutes, then we must reconnect with the present and plan, as the longer you live in the focus of what went wrong, the longer it takes you to live in a way that could go right next time.
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