Cover Rebekah Lin (pictured left) and Cynthia Chu, the co-founders of mental wellness start‑up, Half
Rebekah Lin (pictured left) and Cynthia Chu, the co-founders of mental wellness start‑up, Half
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The Half co-founders hope "to bring people together and leverage the power of community to normalise difficult conversations"
We often ask, “How are you?” upon meeting someone for the first time, or when reconnecting with someone we haven’t met in a while. While it may not always invite a detailed response, the simple question opens the door for deeper dialogue, giving the other person a chance to reply in a way that reflects their current emotional or social state.
“Nowadays, I try to be a bit more honest,” says Rebekah Lin, about her approach to answering this common greeting. “But you also see who’s asking the question. If it’s a good friend or people I trust, I’ll do my best to share how I’m really feeling, and not just do a quick brush-off.” On the other hand, Cynthia Chu believes, “It’s important to have compassion and empathy for the other person. Sometimes a person just needs someone to listen to them and have that space to talk.”
This desire for meaningful human connection inspired Lin and Chu to create Half, a platform dedicated to fostering safe spaces for meaningful experiences, and engage in difficult conversations about mental wellbeing and resilience. “In a world of experts and specialists, we see ourselves as collaborators—and that we are only half of the equation,” Chu explains. “Our goal is to bring people together and leverage the power of community to normalise difficult conversations.”
With a mantra of “putting humans first”, Half operates with a clear focus: challenging the stigma around mental health, which continues to prevent many people from seeking help, despite the increasing awareness and understanding in recent years. “The stigma of talking about mental health is not unique to Asia,” Lin notes. “Globally, it’s not so much about the lack of resources, but the stigma of admitting that you’re facing some challenges, or finding certain things difficult. But in Asia, there’s also the [cultural concept of] mianzi, or ‘face’, which adds an extra layer of pressure to appear as though everything is fine.”
Above The Half co-founders (pictured second and third from left), with speakers from their first event, (Men)tal Wellness for Men in Finance. (Photo: Half)
The Half co-founders (pictured second and third from left), with speakers from their first event, (Men)tal Wellness for Men in Finance. (Photo: Half)
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Lin and Chu saw the effects of this firsthand during their first workshop, “Men(tal) Wellness for Men in Finance”, this July. “About 64 per cent of the participants said they wouldn’t seek help due to social stigma and personal pride,” shares Chu. “Men face their own struggles as professionals, fathers, husbands, sons, and breadwinners. The societal expectations to always keep up appearances can be burdensome. By the end of the session, many participants told us that hearing from the panel felt liberating and much needed.”
At the heart of Half’s work is the power of storytelling. By sharing personal experiences, they aim to create a sense of commonality that encourages others to open up. “When people can relate, they’re more likely to feel comfortable sharing their own challenges,” says Chu.
While there are no fixed formats for such events, group sizes are kept intimate, usually around 50 people. “We started by focusing on groups that typically don’t have access to mental health resources—those who may not seek help or simply don’t have time,” Chu explains. We ended up with the first two groups: men in finance, and [people in the] F&B industry.”
Lin emphasises the importance of recognising mental health as a spectrum—mental wellbeing fluctuates and is influenced by various factors. Many everyday challenges, such as stress, anxiety, or frustration, often go unaddressed because they don’t meet clinical diagnostic criteria.
These “small” troubles, as Lin refers to them, can accumulate over time, leading to emotional and mental strain. “How do we then build mental resilience?” she asks.
Above Another event with those from the F&B industry (Photo: Half)
Another event with those from the F&B industry (Photo: Half)
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Before launching Half, the duo conducted extensive research to identify gaps in mental health support. Lin, whose experience is in private equity and equity crowdfunding, drew on her training in gerontology, the study of ageing and wellbeing in older adults. “When you talk to older people, and they reflect on their lives, some of their regrets always link back to the human connection. They wished they hadn’t worked so hard and spent more time with their children,” she says.
Meanwhile, Chu brought her cross-disciplinary experience in integrated marketing, including events, content marketing and digital communications. Both are certified mental wellness coaches and are trained as Friends of Samaritans with the Samaritans of Singapore.
Besides workshops and seminars, as well as mental health coaching, Half is developing more intimate programmes. One such initiative brings up to 10 people together for a meal and guided conversations about themselves and each other. “The goal is to bring authenticity to the forefront, along with empathy and compassion,” says Chu. “We want to change the narrative around mental wellness and make it easier for people to seek help.”
As Half continues to grow, Lin and Chu are looking for partners who share their commitment to mental wellbeing. “Mental wellness isn’t something with a clear ROI—recovery can be an ongoing process with relapses,” Lin acknowledges. “We want to work with those who are in it for the long haul, supporting sustainable change.”
Credits
Photography: Melvin Wong
Hair: Benedict Choo
Make-Up: Benedict Choo
As Senior Editor of Tatler Singapore, Hashirin champions and refines the storytelling across platforms—curating and crafting compelling profiles, cover stories and features that spotlight visionaries shaping culture, business and impact. Driven by curiosity, she draws inspiration from the artists, changemakers and trailblazers she encounters through her work. Beyond the pages of Tatler, she is an avid supporter of local theatre and delights in seeking out art in every city she visits.
