Savyn Tech: A Digital Platform Supporting Marginalized Individuals with PTSD
The Founders’ Personal Journeys Inspired the Creation of This Platform
When Sakeena Mihar was out for a walk one day, she suddenly felt her heart racing, struggled to breathe, and experienced a mental freeze. Overwhelmed, she had to stop immediately. At the time, she had no idea what was happening to her body.
An immigrant from a war-torn country, Mihar had frequently heard sirens during the conflict. Even after relocating to Toronto, the sound of sirens would trigger intense panic attacks.
“Having lived through war, I personally experienced trauma,” Mihar shared. “Even after leaving my country, the symptoms didn’t go away. I didn’t understand what was happening to me until a friend suggested that I might have PTSD.”
According to the American Psychiatric Association, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop in individuals who have faced or witnessed traumatic events such as natural disasters, severe accidents, terrorist attacks, war, sexual assault, or life-threatening situations. PTSD can affect people of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds, with women being twice as likely as men to develop the condition.
“I unknowingly lived with PTSD for years,” Mihar admitted. “After seeking therapy, I felt much better. I realized that many people in my community probably had similar experiences but lacked the awareness or the language to describe it. The stigma around mental health also made it difficult for them to speak up.”
This realization led Mihar to establish Savyn Tech, a digital platform dedicated to helping individuals manage PTSD.
A Social Impact Venture for Inclusive Mental Health Support
Savyn is an award-winning initiative focused on digital mental health care, offering virtual PTSD therapy in multiple languages. Its methods are rooted in clinical research and designed to help users manage panic attacks, triggers, and trauma-related symptoms.
The platform provides easily accessible coping strategies, breaking down cultural, linguistic, and financial barriers that often prevent people from seeking help.
Beyond her work in technology, Mihar is a diversity and inclusion consultant, delivering equity and diversity training to various organizations. During her time at Ryerson University, she co-founded its Muslim faculty and staff network.
In 2018, at the Cooperathon—one of the world’s largest open innovation competitions—she crossed paths with Yang Wang and Vic Shao-Chih Chiang, who would later become Savyn’s co-founders. Their shared passion for mental health advocacy, combined with their personal experiences with PTSD, led them to create a solution for marginalized communities. The venture won a social impact award at the event.
Savyn’s mission is to foster a safe and supportive community where individuals with PTSD can share their experiences, learn coping mechanisms, and heal collectively.
The Founders’ Personal Experiences with PTSD
For Wang, Savyn’s co-founder and chief marketing officer (CMO), the struggles of adjusting to life in Canada as an international student took a toll on her mental health.
“The first year of university was incredibly difficult due to language barriers, cultural differences, and academic stress,” she recalled. Despite overcoming these challenges and excelling in her studies, Wang later experienced severe burnout while working in a leadership role in Montreal.
“One day, on my subway commute to work, I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe. My legs gave out, and I genuinely thought I was dying,” she said.
Rushed to the emergency room, she was informed that she had suffered a panic attack.
“That experience was a wake-up call,” Wang said. “As immigrants, we focus so much on survival—navigating language barriers, employment, housing, and integration—that we often neglect our mental health. In many communities, it remains a taboo topic.”
This turning point inspired Wang to co-found Savyn, aiming to increase mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and leverage her expertise in product development, innovation, and business management to support those in need.
“Our goal is to create a safe, non-judgmental space where people can openly share their stories, connect, and heal together,” she added.
A Neuroscientist’s Perspective
Savyn’s co-founder and chief scientist officer (CSO), Vic Shao-Chih Chiang, brings a neuroscience background to the initiative. Having conducted research on brain cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and clinical trials, his scientific expertise ensures that Savyn’s platform is grounded in evidence-based practices.
“My personal understanding of PTSD comes from my neuroscience research,” Chiang explained. While he hasn’t been diagnosed with PTSD, he has experienced personal trauma.
“As a gay man, I know that LGBTQ2S+ individuals are statistically twice as likely to develop PTSD,” he pointed out.
According to data from Rainbow Health Ontario and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), LGBTQ2S+ individuals face higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and substance use disorders.
“We know that PTSD significantly increases suicide risk,” Chiang emphasized. “That’s why I co-founded Savyn—to reach and support marginalized communities that are often overlooked.”
Chiang also credited Mihar’s full-time commitment to Savyn for its rapid progress.
Growth, Funding, and Future Innovations
Savyn is currently incubated at Ryerson University’s Social Ventures Zone and Biomedical Zone, in collaboration with St. Michael’s Hospital.
Looking ahead, the team envisions incorporating chatbots, pet therapy, and gamification to improve therapy engagement and adherence.
The venture has secured funding from Canada’s Investment Readiness Program (IRP), which supports social enterprises addressing urgent social, cultural, and environmental challenges. However, securing funding for social impact ventures remains an uphill battle.
“We’re grateful that the government is prioritizing mental health and supporting community-driven initiatives like ours,” Mihar said.
Addressing PTSD in a Post-COVID World
Savyn aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). The platform aims to make mental health care more accessible and equitable, particularly for underserved populations such as immigrants, refugees, and individuals experiencing homelessness.
The impact of PTSD has been particularly significant in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. A 2020 study published in Psychological Medicine examined 714 hospitalized patients across five hospitals in Wuhan. The findings revealed that 96% of those surveyed exhibited post-COVID-19 PTSD symptoms, and half of them believed that online mental health counseling could be beneficial.
“PTSD can sometimes improve on its own, but many people require treatment,” Mihar explained. “The longer PTSD persists, the greater its impact on the brain, making it harder to treat.”
Savyn is currently working on launching a digital therapy app, which will make their services even more accessible.
“Our goal is to help as many people as possible through digital mental health solutions,” Mihar concluded.For those in need of support, Savyn’s digital PTSD therapy is available online at www.savyntech.com.
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