How a R$900,000 investment strengthened the mental health of young activists across Brazil

Caring for those who care also transforms the world

Changing the reality of a community demands dedication, courage, and, very often, resilience in the face of constant challenges. Across Brazil, thousands of young people devote their lives to promoting human rights, fighting social inequalities, defending the environment, racial equity, gender equality, and many other causes that positively impact society.

These young people represent a major force for social transformation. They are community leaders, founders of social organizations, volunteers, grassroots educators, and mobilizers who work every day to build a fairer country.

However, there is a rarely discussed reality: while caring for so many people, these young people often neglect their own mental health.

An intense routine, constant contact with situations of vulnerability, pressure for results, scarce resources, emotional overload, and, frequently, the loneliness of leadership can foster the emergence of anxiety, stress, emotional exhaustion, and other forms of psychological suffering.

It was precisely to respond to this need that one of the most important projects in the history of Rede Autoestima-se was born.

In 2022, the organization launched the project "Brief Online Psychotherapy in the Care of Young Activists in Brazil", a pioneering initiative dedicated exclusively to the psychological care of young social leaders.

Its purpose was clear:

To care for those who dedicate their lives to caring for others.

We believe that social transformation also begins with care

Since its founding in 2020, Rede Autoestima-se has worked to broaden access to mental health through psychological care, social-emotional education, the strengthening of self-esteem, and human development.

Over these years, we have come to understand that investing in people's mental health also means strengthening entire communities.

When a leader is emotionally strengthened, they are able to make better decisions, develop higher-quality projects, build healthier relationships, and expand the impact of the initiatives they lead.

It was from this understanding that the project's motto emerged:

"Caring for those who care for people."

This phrase sums up the essence of the initiative. Before continuing to transform the reality of thousands of people, it is also necessary to ensure that those who lead these transformations have space to be heard, welcomed, and cared for.

How the project came about

Initially in partnership with the Open Society Foundations, Rede Autoestima-se structured a nationwide project aimed at young Brazilian activists between the ages of 14 and 29.

Participants were selected who worked in different areas, such as:

• Human Rights;
• Racial equality;
• Gender equity;
• Environment;
• Community development;
• Citizen participation;
• Youth.

The goal was to offer qualified, free, and evidence-based psychological support.

The entire project was developed by Psychology professionals selected by Rede Autoestima-se, supervised by a specialized technical team, and rigorously following the guidelines of the Psychologist's Code of Professional Ethics.

Why brief psychotherapy?

Contrary to what many people imagine, not every therapeutic process needs to last for years.

Brief psychotherapy is a method structured to work on specific goals over a previously defined period.

In this format, psychologist and patient jointly identify which demands will be prioritized and build practical strategies to address them.

In the Rede Autoestima-se project, each young person took part in:

• 12 individual sessions;
• weekly meetings;
• an average duration of 45 to 60 minutes;
• approximately three months of support.

This methodology enabled participants to develop emotional resources to deal with situations of anxiety, overload, personal conflicts, family challenges, self-esteem, and issues related to their role as social leaders.

More than reducing symptoms, the process sought to strengthen emotional skills and expand self-knowledge.

Online care broadened access to support

One of the greatest differentiators of the initiative was the use of the online format.

This choice made it possible to connect young people from different Brazilian states with qualified professionals, eliminating geographic barriers that often hinder access to mental health.

Online psychotherapy also made it possible to serve participants living in small towns or regions where the availability of specialized services is still limited.

In addition, the sessions followed all the ethical protocols required by the Federal Council of Psychology, ensuring confidentiality, privacy, and technical quality.

The experience showed that technology can be an important ally in democratizing psychological care.

Who took part in the initiative?

Over the course of the project, approximately 60 young activists received psychological support.

The data revealed a profile that is highly representative of Brazilian social leaders.

Among the participants:

• 70% were women;
• 30% were men;
• half lived in the Northeast region;
• there were participants from the North, Central-West, and Southeast regions;
• the predominant age was 24.

The main demands identified during the sessions were:

• anxiety;
• emotional fatigue;
• overload;
• the need to strengthen self-esteem;
• difficulties related to the intense routine of social work.

These results reinforce the importance of expanding policies and initiatives focused on the emotional care of those who work every day confronting complex social problems.

A BRL 900,000 investment in mental health

To make this initiative possible, Rede Autoestima-se mobilized an estimated investment of BRL 900,000.

This amount covers not only the financial resources allocated directly to the project, but also the valuation of the philanthropic services provided by professionals, partners, and collaborators who contributed to its execution.

The investment involved different fronts, including:

• technical coordination;
• clinical supervision;
• Psychology team;
• administrative structure;
• technological platforms;
• professional training;
• methodological development;
• project management;
• monitoring of the sessions;
• hours of volunteer work and specialized philanthropic services.

More than a financial investment, this is an investment in people.

Each session held represented an opportunity to strengthen leaders who would later continue to generate positive impact in their territories.

The impact went beyond the sessions

The benefits of the project were not limited to the psychotherapy sessions.

By emotionally strengthening young activists, the initiative helped improve the quality of life of these leaders and enhance their social engagement.

When a leader develops greater emotional balance, they expand their capacity to:

• make more conscious decisions;
• face situations of stress;
• build healthier relationships;
• lead teams;
• develop sustainable social projects;
• continue working in their communities with a lower risk of emotional illness.

For this reason, caring for the mental health of activists does not benefit only the participants.

It also benefits the organizations where they work, the communities they serve, and everyone impacted by their projects.

It is an investment that generates multiplier effects.

A model that inspires new initiatives

The project represented an important milestone for Rede Autoestima-se.

In addition to demonstrating the viability of brief online psychotherapy for young activists, the experience strengthened the conviction that emotional care must be part of the strategies for strengthening civil society.

By combining science, technology, support, and social impact, it was possible to develop a model of care capable of reaching different Brazilian territories in an ethical, accessible, and humanized way.

The lessons learned continue to guide new institutional initiatives focused on promoting mental health, preventing emotional illness, and strengthening communities.

Caring for mental health is also promoting human rights

For a long time, talking about mental health was seen as something secondary in the face of urgent social challenges.

Today we know that this view needs to change.

There is no sustainable social transformation without healthy people.

There is no strong leadership when there is permanent exhaustion.

There is no collective care without self-care.

Rede Autoestima-se believes that promoting mental health is also promoting dignity, citizenship, and human rights.

The Brief Online Psychotherapy for Young Activists project demonstrated that investing in the emotional well-being of social leaders means strengthening those who, every day, build solutions to our country's challenges.

Because caring for those who care remains one of the most powerful ways to transform lives.