Be Diffrent, Be Heard, Be You
MISSION STATEMENT
Building a collaborative network of social workers worldwide, we connect with people from all walks of life to empower individuals, families, and communities through preventive care, education, and support, unlocking their potential for fulfilling lives.
Our Vision
To give hope to the hopeless, give guidance to the lost, advocate for equality, and restore society.
Our Values
HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS, INTEGRITY, COMPETENCE, SERVICE, SOCIAL JUSTICE, DIGNITY & WORTH
About Us
We are the boots on the ground, the ones who have seen the struggles firsthand. We were not designed in a boardroom; we were built from the trenches. Decades of listening, working, and living within the communities we serve have shaped our vision. We understand your challenges because we share them.
We are the first technology company built for social workers; Diffrently is designed by you and for you. For too long, the voices of those in need haven't been heard. Diffrently offers a ladder made entirely of social workers ready to carry your concerns and fight for change. Your voices are the foundation of everything we do.
Why the misspelling of the name?
The name itself has a story. Our founder, John Gesumaria, has learning disabilities and mental health conditions that have shaped his unique perspective. See below.
Learning Disabilities: "Diffrently" reflects how he hears or spells the word. An example is Butiful. It's a personal reminder of overcoming learning challenges.
Being Diffrent. Diffrently represents everyone who has ever felt different or out of place in this world.
See things differently He drew upon his own experiences, current societal problems, and the shortcomings of the mental healthcare system to envision a revolutionary approach. This new approach would fill the gaps in the current system and provide a more effective solution.
Diffrently is a movement. We're built with the resilience to break barriers, challenge the status quo, revolutionize the approach to mental health and the way it is addressed and advocate for equality. We see social workers, often overlooked and misunderstood, as the answer to societal and mental health challenges.
We're tired of people not getting help. We're tired of the high costs and lack of options. Diffrently provides on-demand access to social workers, making professional support accessible to everyone.
But that's not all. We are also built to be a central platform for social workers, creating a community of sharing and opportunity. For too long, this profession has focused on helping others, neglecting its own needs. Diffrently empowers social workers, giving them the voice and respect they deserve.
The concept behind the idea
If you know our founder John, you will know that this idea did not start in a textbook. It was his experiences and the ability to connect with people. It was his lived experience. His journey – marked by learning disabilities, physical and mental health struggles, constant loss, and life-changing traumas – that exposed him firsthand to a wide range of traditional support systems. These experiences molded him into the person he is today.
Diffrently wasn't born from a single event, but rather a collection of experiences including the pursuit of his Master's in Social Work at Columbia University. This program transformed his perspective on society and his own lived experiences. It provided a framework for understanding how society's interconnected systems, including economic and racial inequalities, create issues that extend far beyond mental health.
John’s work as a process consultant for a decade in corporate America would also prove valuable in shaping Diffrently. He honed his ability to identify flaws and gaps in systems and gained experience in the corporate world - institutions that we know have a large impact on the world we live in. His passion for mental health in the workplace grew, and he even went through the process of disclosing his own mental health challenges with his HR team, so that he could understand the process firsthand and help improve it.
He initially attempted to focus on workplace solutions during his studies but realized that companies weren’t prepared for his vision. However, his observations across all settings fueled his desire for a different approach.
The turning point came during his preparation for the social work licensing exam. As he wrestled with the questions, a pattern emerged: each mirrored real-life struggles that everyday people experience. This struck him – this exam wasn't designed solely for therapists; it encompassed the broader skillset of social workers. He recognized that true growth couldn't occur when people were constantly stressed, even by seemingly minor hurdles like difficulty finding resources. This realization sparked his passion for understanding the difference between uncontrollable and controllable stressors and the crucial role he could play in mitigating the latter.
This concept resonated with his own experience. Despite medication and treatment for bipolar 2, he would always evaluate his external stressors before any medication adjustment because he knew that stress could disrupt things exponentially. He recognized that even with support, medication, and awareness, external factors significantly impact well-being, causing depressive and anxious feelings. This ignited the need for solutions beyond therapy.
Then the pandemic hit… John spent a lot of time reflecting on the pandemic and the challenges so many people were facing: where to get help, the therapist shortage, and whether there was equal access for all communities. A crucial question emerged: "If therapy isn't the sole answer, where can people seek additional professional help and get resources?"
Modern life's complexities have led to a rise in stress-induced situations. These situations trigger natural responses in our bodies, often manifesting as feelings of depression or anxiety. While fortunate individuals may seek therapy for these symptoms, many situations can be addressed with alternate options. This creates a demand for an "outlet" to address these issues, further contributing to the perceived "therapist shortage." In some cases, therapy has become a place for validation or venting.
John believes that external stressors should be addressed first. By effectively managing these stressors, the likelihood of depressive or anxious symptoms diminishing is high. Therapy can then be used on underlying issues and in conjunction with stress mitigation.
But where could people turn for this additional support?
The lack of a reliable, technology-driven outreach system creates a gap, leading people to non-professionals and potentially misguided approaches. A technology company was needed that embraces innovation for positive change by bridging this gap in mental health support, creating a network of social workers that are easily accessible and ready to help the population at large however they can with knowledge and resources.
And so Diffrently was born and is here to help.